Śāsana Explained

Śāsana (sa|शासन, śāsana; pi|sāsana) is a Buddhist term for the distribution time or availability of the teachings of a Buddha. The currently available philosophy and practice are dated back to Siddhartha Gautama and are only available for a limited time span.[1] It can be translated as teaching, practice, discipline, doctrine, and "the Teaching of the Buddha". Śāsana is considered a more accurate description than "religion" as it avoids the implication of a non-changing divine call from an all-knowing creator god.

Śāsana is also used for the 5000-year Buddha's Dispensation; the current śāsana is that of Śakyamuni Buddha.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Damien Keown. A Dictionary of Buddhism. 26 August 2004. OUP Oxford. 978-0-19-157917-2. 255.