What is a "sutta statement" or "sutta action"?

In [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4059/254) yuttadhammo wrote, > If you want an *abhidhamma* answer, you have to speak in *abhidhamma* terms. "Wishing for pain to go away" is a *sutta* statement. It involves a wisher, and describes a *sutta* action. I think it might mean 'thread' ... or possibly 'sleep' ... or a type of description of reality that's found in the suttas, as opposed to the description of reality found in the Abhidhamma? If you answer please assume that I have looked at the abhidhamma but never read it.