Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a
very devout Buddhist country. A visit is
good for anyone’s spirituality, and it really doesn’t matter if
you are a Buddhist or not.
For seven days, my friends
and I trod the streets of Myanmar with men and women clad in longyi and
smothered in thanaka (traditional makeup) to visit
some of the countries most revered payas or pagodas (memorial structures
containing relics), and and ku or temples (places
of meditation).
It was the highlight of our
recent Independence Day ASEAN Backpacking Trip, which covered three countries
and six cities. In my bid to visit all
ASEAN countries, it was my penultimate.
This short trip covered the
country’s most remarkable holy sites, each one unique and fascinating.
In Mandalay, we went to see
the country’s highly regarded Buddha image; the Mahamuni Image enshrined in
the Mahamuni Pagoda.
The Mahamuni is one of only
five likenesses of the Buddha made during his lifetime – two are in India; two
in paradise; and the Mahamuni Buddha.
The image originally came from the Arakan Kingdom in Western Burma and
was commissioned by the king after a visit from the Buddha. The Buddha breathed on it, and thereafter the
image became its exact likeness.
The image is enshrined in a
small chamber in the pagoda.
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| The Mahamuni Buddha |
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| Chamber of the Mahamuni Buddha |
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| The Mahamuni Pagoda |
Myanmar pagodas and temples,
by the way, are guided by strict dress codes.
Guests are required to wear conservative clothing, covering the knees
and shoulders. Also, footwears are not
allowed inside.
The pagoda is housed in a big
complex, which also includes several shops selling souvenir items; and a museum
that tells the history of Buddhism.
Also in Mandalay is the
Kuthodaw Pagoda. This one really charmed
me. The pagoda contains the world’s
largest book. Located its grounds are
729 stone-inscription caves with each one containing a marble slab. Inscribed on both sides are excerpts from the Tripitaka.
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| The caves containing the world's largest book |
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| Inside these are the world's largest book |
Buddhism
in Myanmar is predominantly Theravada, and its doctrinal foundation is the Triptaka.
Another
major pilgrimage site in Mandalay is the hill where the city took its
name. Aside from its abundance of
pagodas and monasteries, the hill is a perfect spot to watch the sun set. A
panoramic view of Mandalay awaits those who visit. No worries,
though. No need to climb steps as
escalators are available for tourists.
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| Taken from Mandalay Hill |
At
the top of the hill is the Sutaungpyei (meaning wish-fulfilling)
Pagoda.
In Bagan, be prepared to be
awed.
Rising in its lush plains
are countless golden pagodas and temples.
Its vast temple site is really the biggest draw for travelers from
across the globe.
With my fellow early risers,
we watched as the rising of the sun slowly reveal the otherworldly silhouettes of pagodas
and temples from one of the terraces of the Shwesandaw
Pagoda, one of Myanmar’s popular sunrise or sunset viewing spots. It was an exquisite experience that can only be had very early
morning, so it was a good thing I was able to force myself out of bed very
early in the morning.
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| Sunrise watching |
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| Sunrise watching |
The temples,
all testaments to Burmese people’s devotions, stretched out as far the eye can see. Most of them built
between the 11th and 13th centuries. The country’s frequent earthquakes have
shattered many of these temples, but there are also a lot superbly preserved or
beautifully restored.
Our guides
took us to some of the notable ones, including Ananda, "Westminster Abbey of Burma"; Htilominlo
Temple, known as the last Myanmar style temple built; and the
Thatbyinnyu Pagoda, one of the highest monuments in Bagan.
At one point during our
sightseeing, one of my travel companions already asked ‘what if they are right
and Buddha is the real god?’ Although, any Buddhist
would argue that Buddha is not a God and has never claimed to be God.
Buddhism is actually the
philosophy of awakening. It’s born from the
experience of the Buddha, awakened at the age of 35.
Of
these three structures our guides took us, Ananda is the most memorable.
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| Ananda Temple |
The temple is laid out in a cruciform,
housing four standing Buddhas, each one
facing the cardinal direction of West, East, North, and South.
Facing the West is the
Gautama or simply the Buddha; the East is the Konagamana Buddha (the twenty-sixth Buddha); the North is the Kakusandha
Buddha (the twenty-fifth Buddha), and the South is the Kassapa Buddha (the twenty-seventh Buddha). The twenty-nine Buddhas, including the
Gautama, are those who have attained enlightenment.
The
Kakusandha Buddha and the Kassapa Buddha are
said for be originals. The Kassapa is
also known as the Buddhalisa or
the Smiling Buddha. It got its moniker because the
farther you are from the Buddha, the bigger the smile. The expression of the face of the Buddha
appears to change when viewed from different distances.
Another interesting tidbit
about this temple is that the architecture was
inspired by the stories of eight visiting monks from India. The monks told the king about a legendary
cave temple in the Himalayan Mountains, and the king decided to have it
replicated. It is said that after the
Ananda temple was complete, the king has the architects executed, to make sure
anything like it could never be built again.
The name Ananda is derived
from Buddha’s first cousin.
Similarly, Htilominlo
Temple has four Buddhas that face each direction. Nearby is a
monastery with a terrace that allows a vast view of the temple and other nearby
structures.
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| Htilominlo Temple |
On our last day in Bagan, we
chose to explore more on two wheels. We
rented a bicycle and went to see more of these religious monuments. Among them are the Thakyapone Temple, the Shwe Leik Too, the Leaning Temple, and the Minochantra.
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| Thakyapone Temple |
Shwe
Leik Too Temple is another popular sunrise or sunset viewing site in Bagan. Mid-morning, when we visited, it was quiet. Aside from us exploring the temple grounds,
there were only two women - a Caucasian meditating and a local selling souvenir
items.
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| Shwe Leik Too Temple |
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| View from Shwe Leik Too Temple |
After
all those temples, I really didn’t think I would still be impressed in what was
waiting for me in Yangon, our final stop.
But, lo and behold, my jaw literally dropped upon entering Shwedagon
Pagoda, one of Myanmar’s oldest pagodas.
Shwedagon
Pagoda, together with the Botatung and the Sule, were constructed during the
lifetime of the Buddha. Of course, the
original was much smaller. Shwedagon
Pagoda today is massive, majestic, and mesmerizing. Stepping into the complex from one of its
elevators or escalators is like finding the lost city of gold.
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| Shwedagon Pagoda |
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| Shwedagon Pagoda |
Its
stupa is covered with gold, and the top is encrusted with diamonds.
Enshrined in this pagoda is Buddha’s hair.
But,
what impressed me more was the tranquility of the devotees despite all the
tourists roaming around, taking photographs and selfies. Their calmness was so
encouraging for a person like me who has difficulty staying still.
Also in
Yangon is the Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple.
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| Reclining Buddha |
The temple is home to the most respected reclining Buddha image in the country
and also one of the largest, at 66 meters
(217 ft) long.
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