Before Shwedagon Pagoda In Burma

Before Shwedagon Pagoda In Burma, few figures were as significant as Taphussa and Bhallika, traditionally regarded as the first lay disciples of the Buddha, their story is a fascinating blend of devotion and development of Buddhism across ancient lands. it could be said they were the instigators of what has become one of the greatest monuments honouring the Buddha in Burma known as Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

According to myth and legend, the Buddha was known to the people of Myanmar during the Buddha’s lifetime. The oldest account of Buddhism in Myanmar is related to the story of two merchant brothers Taphussa and Bhallika from the region of Ukkala, near the Irāvatī river in what is now Myanmar.

Whilst on a business trip to Rajagaha (Rajgir) in India, the two brothers on hearing stories about the Buddha wanted to see him. On seeing the Buddha he preached the Dhamma to them and when the Buddha had finished his teachings he gave to the two brothers eight sacred hairs from his head and seeds from the Bodhi tree under which he attained enlightenment. These relics would later be enshrined in stupas, sacred structures containing relics, constructed at the city gate of Balkh, their home city. This stupa in Balkh is considered by some accounts to be the first-ever Buddhist stupa, built under the guidance of the Buddha.

After offering food to the Buddha, they took refuge in the Dharma, the Buddha’s teaching, at a time when the Sangha, or Buddhist monastic community, had not yet been established. This act of faith made them the first individuals to formally adopt the teachings of the Buddha.

On his return to Mon country, Taphussa built a Ceti to honour the Buddha on what was then known as Tampaguta Hill, now referred to as Shwedagon Pagoda where they enshrined the eight sacred hairs of the Buddha inside. Over time the Ceti became overgrown with vegetation.

Between 1472-1492 AD a stone inscription written in old Mon was dedicated by King Dhammazedi of the Hanthawady Kingdom to the Shwedagon pagoda. The inscriptions mention that Bhallika is said to have taken monastic vows and achieved the state of arahant, a person who has attained enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism. Taphussa, on the other hand, remained a layperson but reached the stage of sotāpanna, the first stage of awakening.

Two hundred and thirty-five years later, and after the Buddha entered into parinirvana (died), and during the reign of King Thirimathawka, the Ceti built by Taphussa was discovered by Maha Theras Shin Sona and Shin Uttara who declared it a sacred site, this Ceti has now grown into what is now known as the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

The Arrival of the Tipitaka in Bagan

The Buddhist teaching referred to as the Tipitaka translated and written in Sri Lankan language was the first written form of the Tipitaka introduced into Myanmar, it was presented to King Dhammapala of Thaton in lower Burma around 386 A.D. (Buddhist year 930).

From the arrival of the Tipitaka in 386 A.D. until 1057 A.D. Buddhism flourished but went into decline due to famines, wars, disease, and civil unrest, this is also mentioned in the inscription on the Kalyani stone plaque in the Shwedagon Pagoda.

Archaeological evidence unearthed in the ancient Pyu City States such as Beikthano, Halin and Sriksetra testify to the presence and practice of Buddha Sasana from the 1st century and was practised mostly in Sriksetra,  Vesali, in Rakhine state and Ramanna Desa.

Many archaeological finds such as terracotta votive plaques with images of Vishnu and the four-headed Brahma indicate that the Mahayana form of Buddhism practised in India co-existed with Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar.

There was a Buddhist revival when King Anawrahta of Bagan with the help of Maha Thera Shin Arahan a native monk from Thaton brought the Tipitaka to Bagan making a concerted effort to formalize the Theravada school of Buddhism and to make it the main form of worship in the country, resulting in the beautiful monuments seen in Bagan today.

Before the Shwedagon Pagoda in Burma, there was an abundance of myths, and legends surrounding the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda. This website gives a nice concise history with a panoramic view from the air