Sasana Vamsa
Encyclopedia
The Sāsana Vaṃsa is a history of the Buddhist order in Burma, composed by the Burmese monk Panng-sami (Paññyāsāmi) in 1851. It is written in Pali
prose, and based on earlier documents in Pali and Burmese
, still extant, but not yet edited.
The earlier part of the work deals with the history of Buddhism outside of Burma. This is based on the Mahavamsa
, and other well-known Sri Lanka
n works, and has no independent value. The latter part of the work, about three-fifths of the whole, deals with Buddhism in Burma, and contains information not obtainable elsewhere. Up to the 11th century the Sasana Vamsa is mythical or legendary. After that date it is sober, intelligible and in all probability accurate. This portion occupies about one hundred pages (eight volumes) in the excellent edition of the text prepared by the Pali Text Society
in 1897 by Dr. Mabel Bode. It shows a continuous literary effort through the eight and a half centuries, and constantly renewed ecclesiastical controversy. The latter is concerned for the most part with minor questions relating to rules of the order, there being a tendency, as relaxations of the rules crept in with the lapse of time, to hark back to the original simplicity. Of differences in matters of doctrine there is no mention in this manual. Dr Bode has prefixed to her edition a detailed summary of the contents of the book.
The Dhammikarama Temple in Penang, Malaysia contains a Sasana Vamsa Sima Shrine Hall in honour of the work.
Páli
- External links :* *...
prose, and based on earlier documents in Pali and Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
, still extant, but not yet edited.
The earlier part of the work deals with the history of Buddhism outside of Burma. This is based on the Mahavamsa
Mahavamsa
The Mahavamsa is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka...
, and other well-known Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n works, and has no independent value. The latter part of the work, about three-fifths of the whole, deals with Buddhism in Burma, and contains information not obtainable elsewhere. Up to the 11th century the Sasana Vamsa is mythical or legendary. After that date it is sober, intelligible and in all probability accurate. This portion occupies about one hundred pages (eight volumes) in the excellent edition of the text prepared by the Pali Text Society
Pali Text Society
The Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pali texts".Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved...
in 1897 by Dr. Mabel Bode. It shows a continuous literary effort through the eight and a half centuries, and constantly renewed ecclesiastical controversy. The latter is concerned for the most part with minor questions relating to rules of the order, there being a tendency, as relaxations of the rules crept in with the lapse of time, to hark back to the original simplicity. Of differences in matters of doctrine there is no mention in this manual. Dr Bode has prefixed to her edition a detailed summary of the contents of the book.
The Dhammikarama Temple in Penang, Malaysia contains a Sasana Vamsa Sima Shrine Hall in honour of the work.
External links
- Sasana Vamsa at 1911Encyclopedia
- Buddha Sasana Vamsa: A Buddhist Monastic Lineage