A pilgrimage to Myanmar

By Jinith de Silva

I had the fortune of visiting Myanmar, where Theravada Buddhism is being truly followed and practised by its people. According to chronicles, Buddhism was introduced to Myanmar, then known as Swarna Bhumi, during the reign of King Dharmashoka, the same period it was introduced to Sri Lanka. Today more than 90 percent of the people of Myanmar follow Theravada Buddhism and it is believed that there are more than 22,000 Buddhist temples and viharas in the country.

Some of the Pagodas (Dagab) of Myanmar are enormous structures as big as the Dagabas found in ancient Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Though Myanmar, like many other Asian nations fell pray to western dominance, majority of its people are unspoilt by western influences. They lead simple lives according to the teachings of the Buddha. In this country the religion is practised in its true form and temples and sculptures are protected and well maintained. The strong link between man and the religion is well demonstrated by the fact that every man in his youth enters the Order temporarily at least for two weeks. This is called Shinpyu Ceremony. It is believed that there are, over 800,000 bhikhus in Myanmar. Below I will give few places of Buddhist worship, I visited during my stay in Myanmar.

Shevadagon Pagoda

Golden Rock Pagoda known as �Kyaiktiyo� situated on the sheer edge of cliff.

Out of Buddhist places of worship this is the most famous pagoda. It is believed that the Buddha�s hair relic is enshrined in this pagoda. According to chronicles, the Buddha handed over his hair relic to two brothers Thapashu and Bhalluke. The name Sheva means gold and dagon means three hills, the site of the pagoda overlooking the city of Yangoon. This pagoda, which is 330 feet tall, is covered with 8688 gold plates. The umbrella at the top is 33 feet high and embedded with precious stones.

Shwethatyaung Buddha in Bogo was built in the 10th century and is widely revered as the most beautiful reclining Buddha in Myanmar. It is 180 feet long.

Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan

Shwezigon derives its name from the word �Jayabhumi�, ground of victory. Two great kings noted for their patronage of the religion are associated with shwezigon. Anawartha (1044-1077) and Kyansitta (1084-1113). A tooth relic of the Buddha, gifted by Sri Lanka is enshrined here. This pagoda has unique shape and many pagodas built after this has followed its shape and style. There are four small temples with 13 feet high standing Buddha statues measuring around the pagoda.

Ananda Temple in Bagan

This Vihara has been built in memory of Ananda Thera, the chief disciple of the Buddha. From distance, the Vihara is visible in white and gold. This was built around 1090 by king Kyansitta. There are four images that represent the four Buddhas of the present world cycle. On the north is Kakusanda, in the east Konagama in the South Kassapa and in the west Gotama.

Law Kananda Pagoda

This pagoda stands on a site close to harbour of Bagan on the bank of river Ayeyarwady. Law Kananda meaning �Joy of the World� was built by king Anawartha to enshrine a holy tooth replica.

The chronicles relate that the king of Sri Lanka sent Anawartha a holy tooth relic and that when the ship from Sri Lanka arrived in the harbour, Anawartha himself descended neck deep into the water to bear on his head the jewelled casket holding the holy tooth relic and carried it to the palace.

The holy relic was enshrined in the Shwezigon. At that instance when king Anawartha made a solemn vow and said. �If I attain Buddhahood let another holy tooth proceed from the first and miraculously another holy tooth appeared. Again he made a vow and there was another tooth and still another until there were four replicas. He enshrined one of these holy tooth replicas in the Law Kananda which he built near the place where first replica of the holy tooth had first arrived and where he had descended into the water to receive it.

Sulamani Temple

This temple was built by king Narapathisithu (1174-1211). The name Sulamani in Pali means �Crowning Jewel�.

The Sulamani consists of two storeys each of which is square with porches on all four sides and the eastern porch extending further than the others. All four sides have a sealed image of the Buddha on a pedestal.

This is the most revered Buddha image in Myanmar. It arrived in Mandalay from the Avakan in 1784. I noticed several devotees applying gold leaves to the Buddha image. As so many gold leaves have been applied, the image has lost its original shape today.

Mirigun Pagoda

This 160 feet Mirigum Pagoda built in the late 18th century is located on the banks of Ayeyarwady river North of Mandalay. If this partly built pagoda was completed it would have reached a height of more than 500 feet.

Golden Rock

A four hour drive from Yangoon brought us to the Golden Rock at Kyaiklio. It is somewhat unbelievable to see 5.5-meter high pagoda resting atop a huge gilded boulder precariously perched high on the edge of the hill.

Pin Day Caves

These limestone caves, which are around 200 million years old, are another place of interest to visit. These caves are situated about 1200 meters above sea level and more than 8000 Buddha images are found in these caves.

During my visit, I realized what a close relationship the kings of Myanmar had with their contemporaries of Sri Lanka.

Courtesy Daily News May 17, 2006