Myanmar 47 Mandalay Kuthodaw (Royal Merit) Pagoda

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Myanmar
MANDALAY
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Kuthodaw (Royal Merit) Pagoda
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Scale model
Kuthodaw Pagoda (literally Royal Merit, and
formally titled Mahalawka Marazein) is a Buddhist
stupa that contains the world's largest book. It
lies at the foot of Mandalay Hill and was built
during the reign of King Mindon. The stupa
itself, which is gilded above its terraces, is
188 feet (57 m) high, and is modelled after the
Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U near Bagan.
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In the grounds of the pagoda are 729 kyauksa gu
or stone-inscription caves, each containing a
marble slab inscribed on both sides with a page
of text from the Tipitaka, the entire Pali Canon
of Theravada Buddhism.
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The pagoda itself was built as part of the
traditional foundations of the new royal city
which also included a pitakat taik or library for
religious scriptures, but King Mindon wanted to
leave a great work of merit for posterity meant
to last five millennia after Gotama Buddha who
lived around 500 BC.
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When the British invaded southern Burma in the
mid-19th century, King Mindon Min was concerned
that Buddhist Teachings would also be
detrimentally affected in the North where he
reigned. As well as organizing the Fifth Buddhist
Council in 1871, he was responsible for the
construction in Mandalay of the world's largest
book, consisting of 729 large marble tablets with
the Tipitaka Pali canon of Theravada Buddhism
inscribed on them in gold. One more was added to
record how it all came about, making 730 stone
inscriptions in total.
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One of 729 marble slab inscribed on both sides
with a page of text from the Tipitaka,
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After the annexation of Mandalay by the British
in 1885, the walled city with Mandalay Palace
became Fort Dufferin, and troops were billeted
all around Mandalay Hill in the monasteries,
temples and pagodas. They became off-limits to
the public and Burmese were no longer allowed to
visit their religious sites. One revenue surveyor
called U Aung Ban then came up with the idea of
appealing direct to Queen Victoria since she had
promised to respect all religions practised by
her subjects. To their amazement and great joy
the British queen promptly ordered the withdrawal
of all her troops from religious precincts in
1890.
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Saungdan (covered approach) to Kuthodaw from the
south
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Saungdan (covered approach) to Kuthodaw from the
south
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This however turned to great sadness when they
found that the pagoda had been looted from the
hti, left lying on the ground stripped of its
bells, gold, silver, diamonds, rubies and other
precious stones, down to the marble tiles from
its terraces. The zayats (rest houses) lay in
utter ruin and the bricks had been used to build
a road for the troops. All the brass bells from
all the kyauksa gu stupas were gone, 9 on each
making it 6570 in total. The gold ink from the
letters as well as the sides and top of each
marble slab had also disappeared. All the biloos
along the corridors had lost their heads, and the
marble eyes and claws from the masonry chinthes
gone.
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Doors
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the kyauksa gu stupas
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chains for the Buddha
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Saungdan (covered approach) to Kuthodaw from the
south
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The stupa itself, which is gilded above its
terraces, is 188 feet (57 m) high, and is
modelled after the Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U
near Bagan.
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Thirty four brick zayats (rest houses) stood all
around except on the east side of the pagoda.
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Zayats (rest houses) stood all around except on
the east side of the pagoda.
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Zayat (rest house)
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Temple bell
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Chinthe, the mythical lion is the Burmese temple
guardian
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Inga nan paya - the small Buddha shrine for the
planetary post Mars (Tuesday)
Chinthe, the mythical lion is the Burmese temple
guardian
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The main shrine at the end of the southern
approach
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Glasswork
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Ceiling
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Glasswork
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Mimusops elengi (Star Flower, Spanish Cherry) Its
timber is valuable, the fruit is edible, and it
is used in traditional medicine. As the trees
give thick shade and flowers emit fragrance. The
wood is a luxurious wood that is extremely hard,
strong and tough, and rich deep red in color. The
heart wood is sharply defined from the sapwood.
It works easily and takes a beautiful polish.
Flowers have light fragrance which is retained
even after flowers are dried and are used to make
ornamental garlands
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Mimusops elengi (Star Flower, Spanish Cherry)
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Adenium obesum. Desert rose
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There is, unfortunately no corresponding entry
for the rock-carved books at the nearby Sandamuni
Pagoda, which contains not just the Tipitaka, but
the commentaries and sub-commentaries as well.
How it is that the former is classed as the
World's Largest Book and not the one at the
Sandamuni is a mystery. The history of the Pagoda
is written up in stone .. In M.E. 1275 C.E.
1913, in the compound of Sandamuni Pagoda,
Venerable Hermit U Khanti managed to inscribe
Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma from Tipitaka with
complete explanation (Atthakatha and Tika) on
1772 stone slabs and a historical record was
inscribed on an iron sheet and a stone slab.
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Sandamuni
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The pagoda was erected on the location of King
Mindons provisional palace. It was built as a
memorial to King Mindons younger half-brother
Crown Prince Kanaung, who had helped him seize
power from Pagan Min in 1853.
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Poor Crown Prince Kanaung was assassinated by 2
of Mindons sons who were disappointed being
excluded from the succession. In 1874, King
Mindon had the pagoda built near the graves of
the Crown Prince .
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Additionally there are 1774 marble slabs
inscribed with Commentaries and Sub-commentaries
on the Tipitaka (Pali spelling, or Tripitaka, in
Sanskrit Each is 5.5 ft high 3.5 ft wide and .5
ft thick. The project and the housings of the
slabs were the result of the successful campaign
in 1913 by the famous Hermit of Mandalay Hill, U
Khanti (or Kanti), who also designed the iron
covered causeways and devotional halls and the
book-like layout of the tablets.
Atthakatha Slabs, Sandamuni
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A renovation underwent in 1991 uncompleted
stupas housing the slabs were completed and the
existing ones were repaired. In addition, the
tombs of the Crown Prince and the three princes
were moved to a mausoleum.
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Sandamuni
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Sandamuni
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Text Internet Pictures Sanda Foisoreanu
Internet All  copyrights  belong to their
 respective owners Presentation Sanda
Foisoreanu
2014
Sound Sein Bo Tint - Burmese
Traditional Orchestra leader