seekingBuddha,
You seem inclined towards studying scriptures and gaining an intellectual understanding side by side with any other practice you might be doing. I don't know if this is appropriate or would be to your interest but if I'm guessing correctly that you like a scholastic approach to Dharma, I'd recommend some things for you to read.
They are not sutras nor are they words of the Buddha. However, they are foundational texts still widely read, discussed, and admired. First is the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā by Nagarjuna, what laid the foundation for the Mahayana--the full pdf of Jay Garfield's translation is available online if you search enough. Second, the Shobogenzo by Dogen, the father of Japanese Soto Zen. Both took their meditative experiences and combined it with natural intellectual and philosophical talent to bridge the gap between the conventional, conceptual world of normal everyday thinking and the enlightened state. These works were written post-realization and would serve as a very good guide.
If you haven't already read them, it might help you a great deal to get to them when you can. Though reading will never be a proper substitute for actual practice, these texts will surely aid in ripening your mind by way of influencing your everyday thoughts. If you can really absorb and interpret your life experiences through the words of these masters then it'd be a one up from the usual random, noise-making machine the day to day mind is.
Best wishes from a fellow seeker,
dormantBuddha