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Shwethalyaung
Buddha and
Kyaikpun
Buddha
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Shwethalyaung
Buddha and Kyaikpun Buddha,
Myanmar
travel, travel in
Myanmar, travel vacations, Burma
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A few minutes to the northwest of the Kayani Sima is
the temple housing the Shwethalyaung Buddha,
one of the largest
and most lifelike images in Myanmar. It is shown
to depict Gaudama Buddha on the eve of His entry
into ‘ Nirvana’. Built in A.D. 994 by King
Migadippa. It is 180 feet (55 meters) long and 52
feet (16 meters) high. Falling into a state of
neglect and disrepair for nearly five centuries, it
was repaired by King Dhammazedi and maintained by
King Bayintnaung until Bago was completely destroyed
in 1757.
The Shwethalyaung
Buddha was covered by
the dense forest and disappeared for 125 years.
In 1881 the Shwethalyaung
Buddha was unearthed by
a contractor who was building the Yangon-Bago
railway line for the British. The jungle and
undergrowth were cleared away and an iron open sided
‘tazaung (pavilion) was erected over the the
Shwethalyaung
Buddha figure, in 1906.
The Shwethalyaung
Buddha temple is
approached along a ‘zaung dan’ (covered
stairway) lined with many stalls. Passing through a
glass-mosaic hall, shining and all glitter, climbing
a flight of steps guarded by two striking ‘ nagas’
(mythological serpents) and arriving in His presence
- an enormous white reclining figure, garbed in a
gilded robe, His head resting on a collection of
gem-encrusted caskets and wearing a serene smile.
The dimension of the
Shwethalyaung
Buddha is posted
on the shown board and the soles of His feet have
been intricately carved to show the 108
distinguished marks of a Buddha. There are also
glass panels painted to show scenes from His live on
the wall below His head. |
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They have
been wrought in enamel and mosaic. Guardian
‘nats ‘ flank each side of the Shwethalyaung
Buddha and the immediate
vicinity is surrounded by attractive vegetation and
flora. The 108 distinguishing marks on both
soles of the Shwethalyaung
Buddha’s feet (see next
page) represents the three worlds in Buddhist
belief,
 
Shwethalyaung Buddah reclining Bago Myanmar
Shwethalyaung Buddah footprint Bago Myanmar
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Shwethalyaung Buddah head reclining Bago
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59 indicating
the inanimate world (Okassalawka), 21
indicating the animate world (Sattalawka)
and 28 indicating the world of the
conditioned (Sankharalawka). The
essence here is that Buddha is greater than
the 3 worlds. These marks became apparent
as soon as the Buddha was born.
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The Kyaikpun Buddha - Four 30 meter tall
sitting Buddha figures.
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About three km
before Bago, some 200 meters on a side road
leading from the main Yangon-Bago Road
stand the Kyaikpun Buddha. Four, thirty
meter high, sitting
Buddha
statues of Konagamana, Kakusandha, Kassapa
and Gautama placed back to back against
a large, square pillar. Built in 1476 under
King Dhammazedi. According to legend, four
sisters who took part in building this
pagoda made a pact that if one of them
should marry, one of the Buddha figures
would fall off. People who believe this were
sure that Kassapa Buddha collapsed because
one of the sisters got married.
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Coming back
to the main road and proceeding to Bago,
the sparse, scattered huts by the roadside
become continuous, the communities more
populous, the houses larger, grander, with
more brick buildings forming the suburban
area and we finally cross the Bago Bridge to
the east of the Bago River and enter the
town.
The Buddha
monument gets renovated from time to
time since the Myanmar people don't know how
to isolate the masonry orderly. |
Old
Portuguese Church about 17 Century |
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