07/12/2017

1

Monks and the Ancient Monasteries in Bagan: Social and Religious Activities

Lwin Lwin Mon

Professor, Dr, Department of Anthropology, Yadanabon University

07/12/2017

2

ABSTRACTThispaperexaminestheroleofmonksandthesocialandreligiousactivitiesrelatedtotheancientmonasteries in Bagan today. This paper summarises research undertaken at Bagan between2008-2014, at six active monasteries: Taung-bi Nat-taung monastery, Nat-taung monastery,Minnanthu Lei-myet- hnaMonastery, ShinArahanOakkyaungMonastery, TamaniMonasteryand Eithipyinnyadewagurumonastery.Other activities ofmonks and laypeople include socialactivitieswhenmonksareinvitedtohousestocelebratetheseevents,thedailyfoodofferingatdawntoallthemonkswholiveinoldBaganareaintheEithipyinnyadewagurumonasterynearSarapaGateunder thesupervisionofTantKyiTaungYanAungChanThaSayadawandAshinPyinyaZawta,Eithipyinnyadewaguru,Bamboomonastery.Forlunch,thechiefmonkofTaung-bimonasteryarrangesthecarsforthemonkswholiveinOldBagantogototheNewBagan.Inaddition,atTaung-biNattaungmonastery,thereopensfreeofchargeclinicforlocalpeopleinBaganandotherneighbouringcities.Keywords:socialandreligiousactivities,Monks'involvement,dailyfoodoffering,freeofchargeclinic.

Fig1.ThechiefmonkannouncesthedonationlistsIntroductionThe chronology of Bagan is 1262 years from A.D 107 to A.D 1369 with 55 kings and theconstructionoftemples,pagodas,almshouses,theresthouses,librariesandreservoirs.Forthesupport of the Sangha or monkhood and the Buddhist monastic education system, manymonasteries were constructed. Many of these monasteries continue to serve an importantreligious,socialandeducationalroletodayasdescribedbelow.

07/12/2017

3

SocialactivitiesrelatedtotheancientmonasteriesThesocialsignificanceofmonksindailylifeisillustratedbythemanyvitalceremoniesinvolvingmonksthatoccuroutsidethemonastery.Forexample,ifBaganvillagerscelebratethefollowingoccasionstheywillinvitemonkstotheirhouse:funeralormarriageceremonies,anewbornbabyorcelebrationof100-daysafterbirth,anamingceremony for thenew-born,achild’sannualbirthday, their own or grandparents birthdays, the newly wedded couple’s donation for themonks,movingtoanewhouse(WaingThantPwe)(0dkif;oefYyGJ).Mostoftheseactivitiescelebrateaccordingtothesetways.Firstly,thedonorsrequestthemonksto visit their house and donate robes, rice, candles, the scanted sticks, bananas, coconuts,medicines,moneyandothernecessaries.Inreturn,themonksacceptfoodofferingsandrecitetheParrittas,preach the suitableBuddha’s life stories from the Jatakas, theSuttaPitakaandmeditation.Mostly,thedonorstakethefivepreceptsoreightpreceptsfromthemonksandsharetheirmeritwithwaterlibation.Previouslypeoplerequestthemonksforcastingtheirnewbornbaby’shoroscope,recordofone’sbirthdateandtimewithrelativepositionsoftheplanetsatthetimeofone’sbirthusuallywrittenonpalmleaf.ThistraditionalcustomcanbeseenintheancientmonasteriesinBaganevennowadays.Forafuneral,thedonorshouldinviteanevennumbersofthemonks,2or4or6or8or10or12or14or16andofferporkmeat,2or4or6slices,threetimes.Thefirsttimeisassoonasthepersondies,thesecondtimeistwodaysafterdeathandthethirdtimeissevendaysafterdeath.Thechiefmonkmakesthewaterlibationfirstforthedeceasedpersonandsharesthemerits.Then,theinvitedmonksrecitetheParrittas.Afterthat,thedonoroffersthemonkwithrobes,money,foodandothernecessarythings.Anexceptionalcaseisthatthedonorinvitesthenumberofthemonksequaltotheageofthedeceasedperson.Inweddingsorotherauspiciousactivities,thedonorhastoinviteanoddnumber,so3or5or7or9or11or13or15or17andofferthemonksporkmeat,5or7slices.ThemonkrecitestheParrittasfirstandafterthatmakesthewaterlibationforthedonor.Mostlythedonorsinvitethemonkswhomtheyrelyonorliveintheirneighbouringarea.IntheBaganareawhereresearchforthispaperwasundertaken,thesesocialactivitiesarecelebratedinactivemonasteriesatleasttentimesperyear.

07/12/2017

4

Fig.2.Offeringriceandcurrytothenovices

Fig3.Offeringmoneytothenovice

ReligiousactivitiesrelatedtoancientmonasteriesThereisareligiousactivitythatthedailyfoodofferingatdawntoallthemonkswholiveinoldBaganareaintheEithipyinnyadewagurumonastery,nearSarapaGate,OldBagan.ThisactivityisunderthesupervisionofTantKyiTaungYanAungChanThaSayadawandAShinPyinyaZawta(Eithipyinnyadewaguru,Bamboomonastery).Theproceduresforofferingthedailyfoodareasfollows:

(1) Firstly,thecookingteamcooksriceandcurriesat3:00a.m.

07/12/2017

5

(2) Aftercookingthefood,undertheleadershipofthemonksandnuns,thefoodisdisplayedonthetablesandallthedonorsstandinqueueforwaitingthemonks.

(3) At5:00a.m., therebeats thewoodenpolethreetimesandthechiefmonk(Sayadaw)announcesthelistsofthedonorsandcalls“Sadu(Welldone)”threetimes.Afterthatthemonksandnovicesalsostandinqueuesystematicallyandgoaroundinprocession.

(4) The donation items include rice, three main curries with vegetables, snacks, fruits,biscuits, tooth paste, robe, soap and soap powders, blades, nail clippers,money andMyanmartraditionalmedicines.(Fig.1,2.)

(5) Most of the donors come from the whole country; Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyi daw,Pindaya,Monywa, Bagan and even abroad. The daily food offering for thewhole life(Hsun;Padethapin)(qGrf;ya'omyif )cancost30000kyats.

Forthemorevenerable,thedonorsgivethesamerobecolour(darkbrowncolour),thesamebowl,andthesamefoodboxes.Theydonateatleasttworobesforeachoneeveryyear.In2011,donorsfortherobeswerefromSingapore.

Fig4.InterviewwiththechiefmonkTantkyiTaungYanAungChanThaSayadawForthisdonationactivity,TantkyiTaungYanAungChanThaSayadawsaid:

“BecauseofKingAnawrhatha’sgratitude,themonkscanhavethechancetogetthefoodandmaintaintheBuddhistSasanaforlongtime.About2000yearsago,mostoftheleadersintheworldkilledtheirrivalsatthattime.ButKingAnawrhathadidnotkilltheMonKing;ManuhaforcarryingthethreePitakasfromThatontoBaganand paid respect for him and his followers. So, we can say that the mutualunderstandingforeachotherbetweenthehumanbeingsstartedfromMyanmarcountryintheworld.”

07/12/2017

6

Inthismonastery,allBuddhistpeople,localandforeigner,canstayandmeditate.Themeditationcentre opens every year. The chiefmonk and his assistant teach theway ofmeditation andpreachtheBuddhisttextsforthelaypeople.NatTaungmonastery(Myataungtaik)andTaung-biNattaungmonasteryarenearthismonasteryandthemonksandnovicescometothedonationatdawn.Butforlunch,thechiefmonkofTaung-bimonasteryarrangesthecarsforthemonkswho live in Old Bagan to go to the New Bagan. Because of the maintenance of ancientmonuments,mostofthevillagesintheOldBaganmovedtotheNewBaganareaandthelocalBuddhistpeoplewantedtoofferthefoodfortheirmonksdaily.(SeeinFig.6).AboutmovingtheirresidencestotheNewBaganarea,oneofthekeyinformantssaid:

“Atfirst,wewerenotconvenientwiththenewsurroundings.Theelectricitycouldnot get, water was scare and transportation was not good. But nowadays, thetransportationandelectricitybecomegoodandotherneedsareconvenient.”

AboutgoingtotheNewBaganareafordailyfoodoffering,oneofthekeyinformants;thechiefmonkoftheTaung-biNattaungmonasterysaid:“MostofthemonkswholiveintheOldBaganareadidnotgetenoughfoodbecauseoftheirdonorsmovedtotheNewBaganarea.SohearrangedforcarstogototheNewBaganareadaily,withtheoilforthecarsexpenseat least200000kyatspermonthandthecostbornebyhim.Therefore,nowheputsthedonationboxinfrontofthemonasteryandthiscoverstheexpense.Moreover, someofhismaindonorssupport thisproblem.Nowadays, thevisitors fromothercitiesandabroadvisittothemonasteryanddonatesomemoneyforthemaintenanceofthismonastery.”

Fig5.Offeringfoodtothemonkandotherlaypeoplewhopractisemeditation

07/12/2017

7

Fig6.DonatedcartogoaroundtotheNewBaganareafordailyfoodofferingin2011Intheselectedactivemonasteries,somenativepeoplebuythenewhouseorvehiclesandopenthenewbusinessoffices.Whentheybuythenewhouseorvehicles, they inviteoneormoremonkstoamealattheirhouseandofferfoodandvariousarticlestothemonks.ThemonksrecitetheSuttaandacclaimthemtogetthegoodbenefit.Afterthepreachingofthemonks,thedonorsspraystheSuttawaterforthenewhouseorthenewvehicleswiththeleavesoftheEugeniatreeforittoescapefromanydangerandevilspirits.Similarly,whendonorsopentheirnewbusinessoffices, theyrequestthemonkstotheirnewofficesandacceptthefoodofferingsandothernecessaryitems.ThemonksrecitetheParittasandSuttasforthedonorsandprayforthemtoimprovetheirnewbusiness.PeoplemakethewatertobeendowedwithpowersthroughrecitationofSuttaandsprayaroundthecornersoftheirofficesforescapingthedangerandanyevilorsinfuldeed.Ifthedonorinvitesthemonksinthemorning,theyofferthericeandcurrytothemonksandiftheyinvitethemonksintheeveningtheyonlyofferthemonkswithcolddrink.Mostoftheopeningsofthenewbusinessarenewshopornewhotelopenings.OpeningfreeofchargeclinicIn2013,Dr.UHlaTun,doctorofAyeyarwaddyRiverPleasureBoatopenedafreeofchargeclinicfor localpeople inBaganandotherneighbouringcitiesattheTaung-biNattaungmonastery.Firstly,hemadeandputadonationboxonhisboatandsavedsomemoneytoopenclinicatthecompound of Taung-biNat taungmonastery in Bagan. Peoplewho took his boatmostly aretouristsandlocalpeopleinMyanmarwhodonatedmoneytotheneedypersonsfortheirhealthandwell-being.

07/12/2017

8

LocalpeopleinBaganwhocannotaffordtothehospitalfeesstartedtocometohisclinic,about100-200everyFriday,SaturdayandSundayabout9:00amuntilaftermidnight12:00pm.Thenumbersgraduallyincreasedandnowadays2000patientstocomeregularlynotonlyBaganareasbutalso fromMandalay,Hpa-an,Tarchilat,Kyaing-ton,MyaikandDawei.Dr.UHlaTun isanOrthoSpecialistsohecuresmoatpatientswhoaresufferingabouttheirbackandknees.Somepatientswhoneed to attendhospital becauseof amajordisease are assisted to sent to thegovernmenthospital.Previously,alloftheexpenseswerefreeofchargebutnowadayspatientsneedtopayhalfasonepatientcangetonemonth’smedicine,alargeexpense.Itislikethegovernmenthospitalabout"Sayeikhmyapay"(p&dwfrQay;). HalfpaytheexpensewiththepatientandhospitalsystembutthemainfundisbasedonthedonationboxofDr.UHlaTun'sAyeyarwaddyRiverPleasureBoat.ThemedicalworkerswhohelpDr.HlaTunarenowabout20personsincluding4youngdoctors,nursesandphysio-therapyhelpers.TheyallarevolunteersandreceivenosalarybutthechiefmonkUThanwaragivesthemtoaplacetheycanstayandsometimesgivespocketmoneytothegirlvolunteerswhoarefromMandalay,Loikaw,Myit-kyi-naandBamaw.Previously,volunteerscamefromYangontohelpedandparticipatetheactivitiesconcernedwiththeclinic.Nowadays,theydonotcomeregularlybecauseasimilarclinicopenedinYangon.PatientsfromothercitiescometothecliniconWednesdayandwaituntilFriday.Theyneedtotaketokensandaccordingtotokensdoctorstreatandcuretheirdisease.ThepatientsaremanysothatDr.HlaTunlooksthemaftermidnightandgoesbacktohis jobonSundaymorningat10:00am.Eventhoughverytiredheloveshisjobanddothebestforhispatients.ThechiefmonkofTaung-biNattaungmonasterySayadawUThanwaraalsosupportsalottothepatients. He and his juniormonks entertain the visitors (patients) with lunch and dinner onWednesdayandThursday.ForFriday,SaturdayandSunday,thechiefmonkdonatebreakfasttothem.Hearrangestheplacetheystay.Healsoneedstomaintainhismonasterysothatheputdonation box in front of his monastery and visitors from local and foreign donate money.Nowadays,someforeigners(tourists)alsoparticipatetothedonationtothepatientsandotherparticipants.Theyalsowanttolearntheclinicactivitiesandmonks'supportthem.

07/12/2017

9

Fig.7.Taung-biNattaungmonastery,Bagan

Fig.8.KeyInformantInterviewwiththeChiefMonkofTaung-biNattaungmonastery,Bagan

07/12/2017

10

Fig.9.DonationoffoodtothemonksinTaung-biNattaungmonasterybytouristsfromvariouscountriesandlocalpeople

Fig.10.Themonksdonatefoodtothelocalpatientsfromremotecitieswhoarewaitingforthemedicaltreatment

07/12/2017

11

Fig.11.Thelocalpatientsfromremotecitieswhoarewaitingforthemedicaltreatment

Fig.12.ThelocalpatientsfromremotecitieseatingtheirlunchinthecompoundofTaung-biNattaungmonastery

07/12/2017

12

Fig.13.ThelocalpatientsfromremotecitieseatingtheirlunchinthecompoundofTaung-biNattaungmonastery

Fig.14.MonksandnovicesofTaung-biNattaungmonasteryhavingtheirlunch

07/12/2017

13

Fig.15.MonksofTaung-biNattaungmonasterytreatthelocalpatientsfromremotecitieswithfoodConclusionBystudyingthesocialandreligiousactivitiescelebrateintheactiveancientmonasteriesinBagan,onecanlearnthatmostoftheMyanmarBuddhistpeoplepractisethefiveoreightpreceptsandmeditation.TheseareanessentialpartofthevaluesystemsofMyanmarculture.Basedontheseprecepts,otherculturalvaluesystemssuchasgenerosity,hospitality,compassion,forgiveness,propriety and decency, knowledge andwisdom, peace and tranquillity and sympathy can bepractised.Thesecultural,socialandreligiousvaluesandsystemsprovideguidingprinciplestoagoodlifefortheMyanmarpeople.ThestudyfindingsshowedthatancientmonasteriesinBaganarestillplayingkeyrolesinperformingMyanmarBuddhistfaithandrelatedsocialactivities.Monks and local lay people connections can be seen in the donation of food and othernecessariesforthemonks.ItisneededtosupportbyBuddhistMyanmarpeoplefromothercitiesandnativepeoplesandmuchknowledgecanbegiventotheyoungergenerations.Inaddition,manymeditationcentershaveopenedthroughouttheBaganarea.Thegovernmentandnon-governmentalorganizationsalsohavetosupportthedonationsforthemonksandthelongevityoftheBuddhistSasanaandsustainabilityoftheintangiblenationalculturalheritage.

07/12/2017

14

Theopeninga freeofchargeclinic for localpeople inBaganandotherneighbouringcitiesatTaung-biNattaungmonasteryshowstherelationshipofthechiefmonkandlocalneedypeopleunderadoctor’scare.Scholarscanlearnthattouristsfromvariouscountriesandreligiousbeliefswouldliketoparticipateinsocialandreligiousactivitiessuchashowtodonatefoodformonksineverydaylife.TheyalsoseehowthevolunteerdoctorsinBagantreatvariouskindsofpatientsfromthewholecountryandhowthemonks'involvementtosupportlocalcommunityneeds.RecommendationThelocalpeopleinBagan-NyaungOoareaarecohesiveandperformvarioussocialandreligiousactivities related to the ancientmonasteries. Based on the community organization, there isneeded to establish local civic organization for maintenance and preservation of ancientmonasteriesinBaganandalsothelocalpeopleneedsandtheirwell-being.Thesefunctionsareneededtosupportbythegovernmentandnon-governmentalorganizationsbecausetheseneedfunds to fill;also thesocialvalueon theancientmonasteries isneeded toencourage for theyounger generation. Further researches on the social and religious activities related to theancientmonasteriesandMonks'involvementinBaganandtheactivitiesperformedbythemonksaswellastheroleofthemonksinBagan-NyaungOoareameritfurtherresearch.ResearchpostscriptInthisresearch,HistoricalismandSymbolismtheorywereused.DatacollectionsweredoneasDesk Review, Key Informant Interview (KII), ParticipantObservation, taking photographs andrecording with video for special activities associated with the monasteries under study wascarriedout.Thedatawereassessedbysymbolicapproachtointerpretandanalyzethedatafromaculturalanthropologypointofview.Theethicalclearancefromtheinformants’consentswasobtained.Thedurationofthisresearchwasfrom2008-2009to2011-2012.

07/12/2017

15

References1. AlexandraGreen&T.RichardBlurton,BurmaArtandArchaeology,(London:TheBritishMuseumPress),20022.AungThaw,HistoricalSitesinBurma,(Yangon:MinistryofCulture,SarpayBeikmanPress,FirstEdition),19773.Clifton,JamesA.,IntroducingAnthropologyAnIntegratedApproach,(Boston:HoughtonMifflinCompanyPress),19684.Fraser-Lu,Sylvia,SplendourinWood:TheBuddhistMonasteriesofBurma,(HongKong:OdysseyPublications),19995.HarrisonInstitute,PolicyonCommunityInvolvementinTourism(CIT),(www.harrison-institute.org>Community...),Accessed16May2017)6.KhinMaungNyunt,Dr.,(2005)MyanmarTraditionalMonthlyFestivals,(Yangon:InnwaPublishingHouse),20057.KhinMyoChit,FlowersandFestivalsRoundtheBurmeseYear,(Yangon:TheikdiSarzinPress,FirstEdition),19808.KhinMyoChit,ColourfulMyanmar,(Yangon:TetlanSarpay),ThirdEdition,19959.KurinRichard,SafeguardingIntangibleCulturalHeritageinthe2003UNESCOConvention:acriticalappraisal,(Oxford:BlackwellPublishing),200410.KyawWin&KhinAye,Dr.,TheattemptsofthemaintenanceofnationalCulturalcharacteristics,UniversityofYangon,200111.MinBuAungKyaing,ArchitectureofBaganperiod,(Yangon:AungChanThaPress,ThirdEdition),199712.MinBuAungKyaing,GuidetoBaganmonuments,(Yangon:ZawPress),200713.PierrePichardandFrancoisLagirarde,(2003)TheBuddhistMonastery:Across-culturalsurvey,(Bangkok:AmarinPrintingandPublishingPublicCompany),200314.StrachanPaul,Pagan:Art&ArchitectureofOldBurma,(Scotland:2nded.,KiscadalePublications),1996