7. Bagan’s international relations with Buddhist countries in Anawrahta’s time
Relation with Sri Lanka
This island country was to Myanmar by many different names;
- Lanka Dipa
- Theingo
- Thiho since earliest time
Chronicle of the two countries e.g, Culavamsa of Sri Lanka and Glass Palace chronicle of Myanmar mention contacts between the two kingdoms in trade, military, diplomatic, religious and culture fields. Decline of Buddhism in Sri Lanka due to Chola invasion and rebellion, Buddhist king Vijayabahu asked assistance from king Anawrahta to repulse the invaders to subdue the rebels and to revive Buddhism.
King Anawrahta sent military assistance to drive out the invaders and to put down the rebellion and dispatched religious missions of Bhikkhus to revive Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Myanmar monks preordained in the Sima on the bank of Kalyani River and learnt Pariyatti at the Maha Vihara. They brought Singhalese Tipitaka and culture on return home. Singhalese designs of monasteries, pagodas and ordination halls were built at Bagan.
Sinhalese Type Pagodas Read More
Myanmar-China relation
Myanmar chronicles claim that Anawrahta marched to China to worship the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. He asked for it from Chinese emperors Uti. But he did not get it. He was given an emerald (jade of green colour) image of Buddha and many religious gifts.
Anawrahta exchanged diplomatic and religious embassies with Buddha kingdoms of Cambodia, Linzin (Laos), Malaya, Majjhimadesa (Buddhist Indian provinces, Bengal, possibly Bali and Java). Anawrahta was the founder of the first Myanmar union (empire) based up on the glory of Theravada Buddhism. His name was mentioned in the chronicles of neighbouring Buddhist kingdoms.
Anawrahta was a great patron and promoter of Theravada Buddhism. Under him Bagan became the strongest Buddhist kingdom in Southeast Asian region. Builder of pagodas, temples, monasteries, dam and canals. But Shwezigon pagoda was left unfinished.
Several votive tablets (terra-cotta) with prints of Buddha figure and his name in Pali and Sanskrit Anawrahta. His prayer printed on such tablets reads by me king Anuruddha, this mould of the Buddha is made. By this merit may I obtain the path of Nivirna when Mettaya is revealed? When a replica of the sacred Tooth relic of the Buddha was sent to Anawrahta by the king of Sri Lanka as a token of gratitude for his assistance, it was welcome and received ceremonially.
Anawrahta came out in state to the Lawkananda jetty and waded neck deep to receive the sacred relic from the ship. It was carried on his head and later the relic was encased in a bejeweled gold casket and carried on the back of a white elephant in a royal pageant to his palace. Later it was enshrined in a stupa on a sand bank which today is well-known as Shwezigon Zedi.
- Lokananda
- Tant Kyi Taung
- Tuyin Taung and
- Pyet Khaywey Taung
There stupas (Dhatu Zedi) are objects of veneration for Buddhist pilgrims. They became centres of Buddhist missions. Read More
Map Show: The Centre of Myanmar
(Pyetkaywe Mountain)
Reference:
- H Luce, Old Burma early Pagan, three vols.
- Khin Maung Nyunt, Dr., Historical and cultural development of Bagan, Nan yang University, Singapore, June 1995
- Khin Maung Nyunt, Dr., The role of Bagan in the history of Southeast Asia, Symposium on Bagan, November, 1988
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These posts are lecture notes for diploma class. You can learn the following reference books which mentioned end of this post.
And visit my main site https://baganpaper.com/
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Dear Dr. Tint,
Thank you for a wonderful read.
Maybe as a comment I would recommend a picture of some art piece depicting King Anawrahta, because he seems to have been a significant historical figure in the history of Myanmar and especially in the propagation and protection of Theravada Buddhism.
Thank you so much for your comment. The first picture (featured image) of this post (https://baganpaper.com/ac/international-relations-in-anawrahtas-time/ ) depicted as the stupa architecture of two countries (Ceylonese type pagodas). It means cultural relations between two.
I don’t want to depict the imagined image of King Anawrahta.
You can see his imagined statue in this URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anawrahta
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