Buddhist Arts in Mon State Subject Buddhist Arts

Buddhist Arts in Mon State Subject: Buddhist Arts Lecture: Phramaha Somphong Santacitto, Ph, D, By Ven. Vamsa Pala 5801201107

Background of Mon State Mon kingdom, also called Hanthawaddy Kingdom, kingdom of the Mon people, was powerful in Burma from the 9 th - 11 th and from the 13 th - 16 th century and for a brief period in the mid-18 th century. The Mon migrated southward from western China and settled in the Chao Phraya River basin (of southern Thailand) in the 6 th century ad. There, they were strongly influenced by Khmer civilization. After the Mon moved westward into the Irrawaddy River delta of southern Myanmar in the ensuing centuries, they acquired Theravada Buddhism, their state religion, from Ceylon and South India, and they adopted the Indian Pali script. By 825 they had firmly established themselves in southern and southeastern Myanmar and founded the cities of Pegu and Thaton. The Mon are considered to be the most ancient ethnic group of the Suvarnabhumi region. In around the 8 th to 11 th centuries, the Mon Kingdom was the most influential of all the kingdoms of Myanmar having become the most developed and prosperous civilization in the region. It played an important role in the spread of Buddhism. The Mon are still centred in southeastern Myanmar, though their numbers are small compared to those of the ethnic Burmans.

Buddha Statues from Mon The Mon of these times used mainly alabaster, stone and bronze to make Buddha statues. Most Buddha images were seated in the foldedleg position.

Buddhist Statue Made by Alabaster Mahathera Sivali in Mon Phra Sivali in Thai

Buddhist Statue Made by Stone Mon –Dvaravati grey stone image of a child like Buddha 30” tall without pin Mon-Dvaravati grey stone image of a child like Buddha 30” tall without pin

Buddhist Statue Made by Bronze Mon-Dvaravati Thailand bronze image of Buddha, 10” tall. 8 th century

Buddhist Statue Made by Bamboo Myathabeik pagoda The Thaton hill with the Myathabeik pagoda and the Lawa Taung pagoda adorning its crests forms a backdrop for the town of Thaton which faces the Gulf of Martaban. The town being just about 16 miles from the sea, cooling sea breezes temperate the effect of day temperatures zooming up to around 95°F.

Bamboo Buddha Made by Sopheap Pich in Cambodia Bamboo Buddha Wat Phra Phutthabat Si Roi, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Buddha statue woven from bamboo in China's Yunnan Villagers weave with bamboo to make a Buddha statue at a Dai folk custom park in Menghan township of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 9, 2012.

Win Sein Taw Ya Mudon Giant Buddha statue same architecture as Win Sein Taw Ya

Win Sein Taw Ya is the largest reclining Buddha in the world, and at 30 meters high and 180 meters in length can be seen for miles. Located opposite of the Buddhist shrine of Kyauktalon Taung, the reclining Buddha is filled with rooms that showcase dioramas of the teachings of Buddha and a shrine. When visiting the giant Buddha it should be remembered that despite the odd novelty of walking into a giant head, it is still a place of worship, and shoes should be removed before entering the shrine. After almost 15 years of construction, the reclining Buddha is still not complete. In 2012, construction started on a second reclining Buddha opposite the original, with the aim of being built to stand the test of time. The poor concrete construction of the first has left the original with an uncertain future.

The founder of the Giant Buddha statue same architecture as Win Sein Taw Ya

Win Sein Taw Ya

Pupawadoy Monastery the founder of the Pupawadoy Monastery

Kyaik Mayaw City Famous Wish Fulfill Pagoda Located 24 km south east of Mawlamyine. The famous of the town is Kyaikmaraw Pagoda. The main Buddha image sits in the position of the legs hanging down as if sitting on a chair. The name Kyaikmaraw stands for Distinctive Image. where the sitting position of the Buddha Image differs from others. Kyaikmaraw Pagoda was the temple (built) by Queen Shin Saw Pu in 1455 in the late Mon regional style. Queen Shin Saw Pu was a well-known Queen who devoted and donated gold to the Shwedagon Pagoda. The Pagoda festival is usually held annually during the transition of Myanmar New Year in April.

Kyaik Mayaw City Famous Wish Fulfill Pagoda It is accessible via a sealed road. Many Muslim and Hindu communities live along the picturesque road. The temple is famous for the Buddha which is sitting in the "western manner. " The temple is also well known for its hundreds of beautiful glazed tiles. There are limestone caves with stalactites and stalagmites in the vicinity of Kyaikmaraw town and mineral springs in nearby Yebu (Hot Water) village.

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The only Buddha image with golden glasses in Mon state, Shwe Muat Hman Pagoda.

Kyaikkami Yele Pagoda Located 9 kms northeast of Thanbyuzayat. Kyaikkami was a small coastal resort and missionary center known as Amherst during the British era. The main focus of Kyaikkami is Yele Paya. a metal-roofed Buddhist shrine complex perched over the sea and reached via a long twolevel causeway; the tower level is submerged during high tide. Along with 11 Buddha hair relics. the shrine chamber beneath Yele Paya reportedly contains a Buddha image that supposedly floated here on a raft from Sri Lanka in ancient time

Kyaikkami Yele Pagoda • Some legend say that Buddha in Maha Sakarit 111 around 581 BC came on sojourn to Suwunna Bhumi and got to Kyin Maing (Kyaikkhami). the land of Yawnaka. Buddha rested on the rock that would site the pagoda and gave the 20 sons of the king of Kyin Maing and mentor Kappina the hermit hair relics before he went to Suwunna Bhumi. In Maha Sakarit 117 that was 575 BC. Hermit Kappina and ten of the princes built a pagoda enshrining the relics they got at the sacred rock cave. It has since been known as Eka Dasa. In Sakarit 237 that was 307 BC. after Parinibbana. Shin Mahainda. Arahanta Upatittha and King Devanampiyatittha sent afloat four sandalwood Buddha statues enshrining the Buddha's relics entrusted to them. making an oath to have them get to a place where there were repositories of Buddha relics. One of them came to Eka Dasa Pagoda in Kyaikkhami. Eka Dasa Pagoda is now one with five wonders midstream.

Kyaikkami Yele Pagoda The Buddha Images inside face the sea towards the south. A notable fact is that although the shrine is located at some distance from the shore. its basement is not engulfed even during the highest tide. Women are only allowed to worship from a pavilion removed from the shrine while men may do so from the hall facing the main image. Other attractions here are the colonial administrative buildings that are nearly 100 years old.