Shin Uttama Kyaw’s Tawla poem can be likened to Kāḷudāyi’s sixty Pali poems composed and recited to make the Buddha visit his father’s capital. Tawla poem was composed in the same vein. Shin Maha Thilawuntha was a talented monk poet. All his literary works ranked high in Myanmar literature. From his prolific pen flowed out masterpieces which displayed his skill in poetic composition, rhyming, meter and rhythm as well as in selection of beautiful words and poetic imagery.
His Pyo poems especially…
1. Paramidaw Khan Pyo
2. Hsu Taung Khan Pyo
3. Buddhupat Pyo and
4. Dhammapala Pyo, deserve all literary credits beautiful composition, diction, presentation of ideas and deep expression of piety.
They all deal with religious theme. His other works are Mawkun. Mawkun is another verse form. It is a historical record of an important event or events which had taken place but which were worthy of preserving for posterities.
Among his Mawgun verses are Tada Uti Mawgun and Shi-sha Kan Mawgun recording the construction of a big bridge and a big reservoir called Shi-sha Kan are well known. He also wrote good prose. To give two examples of his prose are…
(1) Parayana Wuthu, “Wuthu” means novel. It was in the style of a novel but the theme was religious the way to attain Nivirna.
(2) Yaza Wun Kyaw (famous history). It was a chronology of kings and their reigns.
Shin Ohn Nyo was like Shin Ottama Kyaw who became famous by writing only one literary piece in the form of Pyo verse. It is known as “Gahta Chauk Sei Pyo” (A pyo of 60 Pali verses). The 60 Pali verses which Kāḷudāyi composed. Like Tawla, his Pyo was a masterpiece. It tells the story of Kaludayi and his 60Pali verses. But it painted picturesquely natural landscapes in poetic words and imageries.
So far we cannot trace any of Shin Khey Mar’s work. But Pitakat Thaimaing (history of Pitaka), mentions that he wrote many books in Pali.
A part from the above mentioned monks of the divine message list, there were many monk writers who emerged in Inwa period.
Noted among them were…
1. Shin Mahar Rahtathara
2. Shin Tey Zaw Thaya
3. Shin Agga Thamadi
4. Shin Aindaguta and
5. Kantaw Min Kyaung Sayadaw.
The first four monks were Pyo writers. Shin Maha Rahta Thara was as famous as Shin Maha Thilawin Tha. These two were contemporaries and literary rivals they tried to outdo each other in their literary talents and poetic skills. Their royal patron king Min Khaung encouraged their competition and thus promoted the production of their literary out-put.
Shin Uttamagyaw Shin Maha Silavamsa (Shin Maha Thilawuntha)
Both Shin Uttamagyaw and Shin Silavamsa first became novices and were later admitted to the Order in the Taungdwingyi monastery. The monastic climate did not foster the cultivation of the poetic gift. Indeed, the Superior of the monastery considered it profanation that a monk should dabble in poetry which belongs to the world he has renounced. But the poetic frenzy could be not repressed. So, Shin Silavamsa composed his Paramidawgan Pyo, and he was forced to leave the monastery. This proved to be a blessing in disguise. The outcast monk went to Ava where he was highly honoured by the King.
Shin Uttamagyaw remained behind at the monastery where he composed his solitary poetic performance Tawla inspite of the Superior’s disapproval.
Eventually he left for Ava where he was provided with a special monastery by the King’s Ministers. His knowledge of the Buddhist Scriptures is evidenced by no less than 12 Nissayas of the Pali sacred books. For his profound erudition in sacred lore he was often consulted by Mingaung II who became King of Ava in 842 B. E. (1480 A. D). He finally returned to Taungdwingyi and ended his days in 904 B. E. (1542 A. D.) at the ripe old age of 89.
Tawla is Shin Uttamagyaw’s single poem. It consists of 9 verses. It takes rank as a masterpiece of Burmese poetry. In dignity of diction it challenges comparison with any front-rank Burmese poem. And in supple mastery of words it stands in a class by itself among Burmese poems of the same subject.
Literally Tawla means a journey through the forest. The sights and scenes along the journey are spiritualized and described in poetic language. But in Shin Uttamagyaw’s Tawla there is the added description of the different seasons and of the homage paid to Buddha by the whole realm of nature. The poem appears to owe its inspiration to the address by Shin Kaludayi (couched in sixty Pali stanzas) to Buddha suggesting a journey from Rajagaha to Kapilavasthu in view of the pleasant season.
The poem is tough reading. The unique use of co sounds unsavoury to the uninitiated. The poet has handled this refractory letter with such skill that it is made to convey the meaning of လတ္တံ့. The poet’s egoism is fully revealed at the end of the poem where he pro- claims himself to be the next Buddha of the present world cycle.
The Buddha's Journey To KaplilavatthuSending the Ministers and the 60 Pali verses of Kāḷudāyi
The Buddha together with a great many of bhikkhu disciples was residing at the Veluvana Monastery in Rājagaha. As soon as the King Suddhodhana heard about that he sent a minister together with one thousand attendants to invite the Buddha to Kapilavatthu.
When the king's heralds arrived there, the Buddha was preaching the dhamma. They were listening to the dhamma behind the audience. At the end of the discourse, they all became arahats. Neither did they convey their message to the Buddha nor did they reply the message to the King as they all were absorbed in the blissful peace of Nibbāna.
Not receiving any reply, the king sent another minister with one thousand attendants. They also became arahats like previous ones and made no effort to reply any message to the king. In the same way, nine ministers and their attendants became arahats. Finally, the king sent the most trustworthy minister, Kāḷudāyi, and one thousand attendants. He agreed to go on condition that he be allowed to enter the Order of Samgha. The king gave them his consent.
Inviting the Buddha
Kāḷudāyi and his followers also became arahats. He respectfully requested the Buddha to come and gratify his father as well as his relatives.
It was the pleasant and peaceful month of Tabaung (March); the weather was neither too cold nor too hot; withered leaves fell from trees and leafy shoots sprang up, grains and crops had just been harvested; roads were smooth and even and good for travel. Colourful flowers were also blooming along the roads. Venerable Kāḷudāyi composed and uttered sixty four lyric verses describing the natural beauty of the surroundings and requested the Buddha to go to Kapilavatthu.
On the first waning day of Tabaung, the Buddha together with twenty thousand arahats left Rājagaha for Kapilavatthu. The distance between these two countries was sixty yujanas (480 miles) and they went one yujana a day. So it took them two months to reach Kapilavatthu. Venerable Kāḷudāyi made his journey in the air by his higher psychic power and let the king know the Buddha's itinerary. On seeing him, the King was very pleased and felt delighted.
The king offered alms-food to Venerable Kāḷudāyi. He said to the king: "The alms-food should be offered not only to me but also to the Buddha." On hearing that the king felt more pleased and delighted and offered alms food for the Buddha. Venerable Kāḷudāyi, in forming the king where the Buddha and his disciples were, took the alms-food offered by the king to the Buddha daily. On the first waning day of Kason (May), the Buddha and his disciples arrived at Kapilavatthu.
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