Update:
2008-10-01 03:18 PM +0800
TIL
Folk Elements in Burmese Buddhism
ch01-folk-elem.htm
Maung Htin Aung. Printed and published by U Myint Maung, Deputy Director, Regd:
No (02405/02527) at the Religious Affairs Dept. Press. Yegu,
Kaba-Aye P.O., Rangoon, BURMA. 1981.
Set in HTML by the staff of TIL and edited by U Kyaw Tun, M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.).
Not for sale. Prepared for students of TIL Computing and Language Center,
Yangon, MYANMAR.
indx-myan | Top
indx-folk
Contents of this page
Folk Elements in Burmese Buddhism
Footnotes
UKT notes
• Alchemy
• Ari monks
• Astrology
• Chandi
• {Gau-ra.man~ta.}
• Nat
• Nat feast
• Planet
• Prison of the Gods
• Pyu
• Sakra
• Theravada Buddhism
• Vishnu
Contents of this page
p001
WHEN the great king Anawrahta of Pagan united the whole of Burma
into a single kingdom in the eleventh century and made
Theravada Buddhism the national religion, there were already
in existence a number of primitive religious cults,
the most important and the most popular of which were the worship of
Nat spirits,
Astrology, and
Alchemy.
In addition, although the Theravada Buddhism which had flourished
in the earlier kingdom of Prome (UKT: Sri Ksetra
{tha.ré-hkít~ta.ra} of the
Pyus) had died out long before, there also existed Mahayana Buddhism
and Tantric (or magical) Buddhism; according to the Chronicles,
however, these were debased and distorted, bearing strange fruit
from the fertile soil of native cults of magic and sorcery. All the
different cults were given an artificial unity by the fact that
they were all under the patronage of the
Ari monks [UKT:
{a.ræÑ: kri:}]. These Ari monks had some acquaintance with
the Buddhist scriptures, gloried in the name of the Buddha,
and wore dark-brown robes and conical hats. But they also presided
over the Nat spirit festivals, at which hundreds of animals
were sacrificed.
fn001-01
UKT: To understand the Folk Elements in Burmese Buddhism more fully,
we need to know the extent of the Eleventh century Pagan Empire of King Anawrahta.
Anawrahta not only "united the whole of Burma into a single kingdom", but did
try to bring unity to a much larger area which included the present day Cambodia,
Laos, Malaysia and Thailand. See map on the right adapted from: U Ba Than,
Myanmar Razawin (approved school text in Burmese), Yangon, printed in
1929, 1930, 1934, 1951, 1964, p.55.
It is not well known how Anawrahta brought the area of Cambodia, Laos,
Malaysia and Thailand under his influence, but as his name was mentioned in
the annals of some of these countries, we could be sure that he was respected
in these areas. In this sense we can compare the work of Anawrahta to that of
Asoka of Maurya Empire of Ancient India, who through his far-sightedness, did
brought a much larger area than his own empire under his influence.
The two kings who followed Anawrahta, Kyansisittha and Alaungsithu
brought the Pagan Empire to its height. On p076 of the Folk Elements in Burmese
Buddhism, Dr. Htin Aung its author wrote
Kyansittha's conciliatory policy
(ch06-2-byatta-byatwi.htm):
"Kyansittha, after suppressing the Pegu rebellion,
followed a policy of conciliation, in contrast to the stern discipline of Anawrahta.
Anawrahta, in his threefold task of uniting a medley of tribes into a nation,
of bringing under one rule the whole geographical unit of Burma,
and of replacing primitive cults by Buddhism, had to exercise a discipline
which was uncompromising, harsh and impatient.
But by Kyansittha's time, the seeds sown by Anawrahta
had developed into ripened grain, and Kyansittha reaped
the harvest by gentler methods."
Astrology to the Burmese meant not only the methods of tracing the courses of the
planets and their influence
on mortals, but also the ritual by which the planets were appeased and made to withdraw
their baneful influence. In other word, it involved a worship of the planets. As
Burmese astrology had its origins in Hindu astrology, so the worship of the planets
involved worship of at least some of the Hindu gods. [{p001end - p002begin}].
Contents of this page
Alchemy also came to Burma from India but Burmese alchemy became a religious
cult. The Burmese alchemist did not merely seek the power to transmute base metals
into gold, he also had the noble aim of evolving an eternally youthful body, which
would be an answer to the perpetual human lament that beauty and youth must pass.
The
worship of Nats was purely native in origin and developed
out of that form of animism which still prevails among
some of the hill peoples of the country. The term Nat originally meant a lord
and involved an idea similar to feudal overlordship. A Nat was a spirit who had
some dominion over a group of people or over a certain object or objects. The spirit
who had dominion over a small withered tree was as much a Nat as the spirit who
had dominion over a particular village or district. The suzerainty of a Nat was
both territorial and personal. The Nat guardian of a village had power over all
those who were born in the village or born of a village family, wherever they might
be, and he also had power over all who came to his village during the time they
remained there. He would inflict no harm, nay, he would even give his protection
to those who recognized his suzerainty, and such recognition could be expressed
by an offering of rice or fruit, a few words of supplication or a gesture of homage.
UKT: Nat worship -- To understand the nat
worship in Myanmar, we need to know the geographical area connected with the
stories of the nats. These are: Mount Popa, and ancient cities such Pagan, Pegu,
Sri Ksetra (Prome), Tagaung.
Map on right was redrawn from W. Klein, Burma, p.41
Go back
nat-worship-note-b
At first the Nats who were worshipped were impersonal and local, as, for example,
the Nats of the banyan tree, the hill, and the lake which were just outside the
village, and the guardian Nat of the village. Later on, thirty-six personal and
national Nats came into being who were distinct personages with their own life histories
and who were worshipped all over the country. They did not replace the local Nats,
but diminished their importance.
The most important of the thirty-six were the Lord of the Great Mountain
{ming:ma.ha gi.ri.} [UKT: {ming:} = "lord or king"; {ma.ha} = "great or grand";
{gi.ri.} = "mountain"] and his sister Lady Golden-Face
{rhwé-myak-nha} [UKT: {rhwé} = "gold"; {myak-nha} = "face"],
whose abode was on Mount Popa, an extinct volcano in central Burma.
They became, in the ninth century, the guardian [{p002end - p003begin}] gods
of the city of Pagan and its kings. [UKT: About two centuries before Anawratha
and the Mon incursion into central and northern Myanmar
which was populated by the Pyus and the Burmese who were different
ethnically from the Mons in the south.] There was an annual
Nat feast on Mount Popa itself, at which hundreds of animals
were offered as sacrifice to the Lord of the Great Mountain and
Lady Golden-Face. People came from afar to take part in the feast,
to get drunk with ecstasy and toddy-wine, and to dance with abandon,
believing themselves to have become possessed by the Nats.
There were spirit mediums in attendance at the Nat shrines,
who provided the wild music and led the wilder dances.
The Popa feast was held on a full moon day in December,
just as on other full moon days there were also feasts
connected with other pre-Buddhist cults.
When Anawrahta made Theravada Buddhism the national religion of the country
there was opposition from the
Aris,
as could be expected, and because they exercised great influence over the people,
the king had no choice but to resort to religious persecution. The Ari monks were
unfrocked (UKT: <disrobed>) and made to serve in the royal armies. [UKT: We could
expect the king and his supporters spreading around stories of debauchery and low
morality of the Ari to be circulated. This probably is the origin of story about
new brides being sent to the Aris to be de-flowered, {pan:U:hsak hkring:]. All the
images of the gods of the planets and the Hindu gods were seized and placed in a
Vishnu temple, which was renamed the "
Prison of the Gods" . All
the pre-Buddhist cults were suppressed. Spirit mediums left the shrines to become
strolling musicians, dancers, and actors.
UKT: It is evident that Anawratha did make many mortal enemies. He was probably
murdered by the nat-worshipers while out hunting single handed a wild buffalo
which was menacing the people. His body was never recovered, and the story that
a nat who had been offended took the form of a wild buffalo to wreak vengeance
on him. (point to be checked)
But the people found it difficult to discard old beliefs and old practices immediately
and resorted to stratagem. The followers of the cult of alchemy modified their conception
of an eternally youthful body to that of a body remaining youthful for thousands
of years in order to conform to the Buddhist doctrine that nothing is permanent,
and justified their search for the elixir of youth by saying that they wanted to
live until the coming of the next Buddha so that they could listen to his preaching.
The followers of the cult of astrology threw a veneer of Buddhism over their ritual
and ceremony, as, for example, in the case of the ceremony of the Nine Gods, where
the gods of the nine planets gave way to Buddha and his eight disciples.
Contents of this page
p004
As for Nat worship, the people, in spite of the king's edicts,
went on worshipping the Nats, and Anawrahta finally decided
to bring them over into Buddhism.
[UKT: This is more likely a political move rather than for religion.]
The figures of the Thirty-six Lords were taken from their shrines
and placed in the king's great pagoda in an attitude of worship;
he declared that the number was now thirty-seven, because
Sakra,
{thi.kra:ming:} (pronounced as {tha.kya:min:} which literally
would have meant the "Sugar-king"), the king of the gods
and \ guardian of Buddhism, was at the head of the pantheon.
The cult of \ Thirty-six Lords, therefore, became the cult of the Thirty-seven Lords,
and Anawrahta replaced some of the earlier lords with the Nat spirits of
some of his dead heroes.
UKT: The worship of
The Nine Gods (link to ch02-nine-gods.htm) was probably formulated
to subjugate Brahmanism, since the five Brahmanical gods/goddesses
are portrayed in the positions of worshipping the Buddha. They are:
1. Thurathati
{thu-rath~tha.ti} representing Saraswati.
Click on Buddhist pix to enlarge.
2. Sandi
{saN~ði} representing
Chandi,
the consort of Siva
{thi-wa.},
3. Paramay-thwa
{pa.ra.mé-thwa} representing Siva,
4. Maha-Peinne
{ma.ha-pain~nè:} representing
Ganesh, and,
5. Peikthano
{baith~tha.No:} representing
Vishnu.
It should be noted that of the five, only Thurathati is
"loved and revered" by the Burmese, because she is
considered to be the guardian of the Tipitaka or the Buddhist scriptures.
The reader should note that there are spelling variations of some names:
• Sandi: U Tun Myint in {pa-Li.thak-wau:ha-ra. a-Bi-Daan} p.62
(need to recheck)
{saN~ði}
{san~di}
• Peikthano:
{baith~tha.No:} -- Dr.Than Tun,
{bi.tha.no:} -- U Hoke Sein (UHS-Dict)
Wikipedia --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu 080828 gives:
IAST <viṣṇu>,
Devanagari विष्णु
from which I get {waith~tha.Nu.}.
It is to be noted that at least in one source, the name
{Gau-ra.man~ta.}
is listed. See {Bu.ra:ko:hsu pu-zau-næÑ:} by U Sein Pe (in Bur-Myan),
{ming:htwan:mo:}-Press, 1982. {Gau-ra.man~ta.} riding a Galon bird,
is listed in the place of
{baith~tha.No:}. My analysis given in the notes below points that U Sein Pe's
{Gau-ra.man~ta.} is probably no other than Vishnu.
My question at this point is: why are there only five gods/goddesses,
instead of say eight (one for each point of compass) with the Buddha
seated in the middle?
UKT: The dancing figure on the right is from '108 Names of Shiva',
\
http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articledt.php?art_id=170 080826
The website lists 108 names among which is: Parameshwara -
First Among All Gods.
All this was possible mainly because the Burmese concept of the Nat was a very
comprehensive one and took in under its wing Hindu gods as well as Buddhist figures.
As the Nats themselves were now shown to be worshippers of the Buddha it was deemed
proper for Buddhists to worship the Nats. The feasts of the full moon became festivals
of the full moon on being given a coating of Buddhism, just as pre-Christian feasts
of spring and midwinter in Europe became the great Christian festivals of Easter
and Christmas.
With the passing of time people came to forget the pre-Buddhist and primitive
origins of their folk beliefs in alchemy, astrology, and Nats, and learned to accept
them as part of their Buddhism, just as they thought that the pre-Buddhist belief
in the transmigration of souls was a doctrine of Theravada Buddhism. Thus at the
present time many Burmese (in rural and primitive areas the majority) still consult
their astrologer and make their offerings to the Nats, without ceasing to be good
Buddhists. At certain times of the year, dances are still held through which the
dancers try to become possessed by the Nat spirits; a few Burmese still even make
alchemic experiments.
But such beliefs and practices cannot overwhelm Buddhism in any way for they
have been shorn of their primitive meaning, and philosophy. The Burmese who resort
to astrology, alchemy, or Nat worship do so for safety and success in their mundane
life, and the same Burmese will observe the Buddhist religious days and perform
deeds of merit in preparation for the countless existences that they must undergo
in the whirlpool of rebirth.
Contents of this page
approx p005
In the following pages an attempt is made to consider, first, the folk elements
that exist in Burmese Buddhism at the present day, and then to trace their origins
in the native cults which were flourishing in A.D. 1056 when the heavy hand of Anawrahta
fell on them. [{p005 end}].
UKT: p006 was blank
Contents of this page
fn001-01 For further details of the Ari monks
see Chapter 9.
Go back
fn001-01b
Contents of this page
The Burmese word for <alchemy>, the forerunner of <chemistry>,
is {ag~gi.rat}. It is almost equivalent to "the technique of fire".
Notice the word {ag~gi.} which in Pali-Latin is aggi
(PTS p004) meaning <fire>.
From AHTD
alchemy n. 1. A medieval chemical philosophy having as its
asserted aims the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of the panacea,
and the preparation of the elixir of longevity. 2. A seemingly magical power
or process of transmuting: “ He wondered by what alchemy it was changed, so that
what sickened him one hour, maddened him with hunger the next ” Marjorie K. Rawlings
[Middle English alkamie from Old French alquemie from Medieval
Latin alchymia from Arabic al-kīmiyā´al the kīmiyā´
chemistry ( from Late Greek khēmeia, khumeia) (perhaps from Greek Khēmia
Egypt) ]
Go back
alchem-note-b
Contents of this page
UKT: I intend to check with my peers in Yangon the factual contents
of the following note of mine -- 080826
The Burmese refer to these pre-Pagan <monks> as
{a.ræÑ:
kri:} (pronounced as {a.ri:gyi:}) literally meaning the "big Ari".
They were Burmese no doubt (and they would undoubtedly speak Burmese
and possibly write Burmese-Myanmar (if there had been one
derived directly from Brahmi before Pagan era), but their
faith was probably similar to Tibetan Lamaism. After Anawratha came to the throne
the Aris were uprooted because they did not support the new king who came to the
throne after killing his own foster brother in a dual. Anawratha was quite ruthless
and thorough in his work. He replaced the religion of the Aris with the Theravada
Buddhism of the Mons from the south (who of course spoke their own language which
had nothing to do with Burmese even though they may be using a similar script).
However, some scholars, such as {ma.ha-Dam~ma.thïn~krän} in his {tha-tha.na lïn~ka-ra.
sa-tam:}, are of the opinion that some Aris still remained as forest dwelling monks
who later resurfaced after the fall of Pagan. (What I am implying is that the script
of the Aris resurfaced to its full extent only after the fall of Pagan.)
However, Dr. Than Tun opines that these forest dwelling monks were not Aris,
but members of another sect known as {ma.ha-kath~tha.pa. geiN:}
(See History of Burma, AD 1300-1400, by [Dr.] Than Tun,
JBRS, V. 42, Part II, 1959, pp. 119-133 : "
In this research paper, Burma’s foremost authority on Pagan period looks at the
revival of the Burmese polity which took place after the fall of Pagan in the late
13th century. Some of the interesting topics the paper touches on include
the rise of the famous, three Burmanized Shan brothers, the monastic purchase of
land, Buddhist celebrations of land acquisition during which tons of brewed Toddy
palm juice flowed, etc. Than Tun concludes that this century was the most
troubled period in Burma’s (ancient) history. --
http://www.pyinnya.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/history-of-burma-1300-till-1400-ad.pdf
080826
In spite of what Dr. Than Tun thinks about this period, there is evidence that
a king of that period sent a delegation to Buddh Gya, in Behar, India. This delegation
left an inscription mentioned in "Translation of an Inscription in the Pali Character
and Burmese Language, on a stone at Buddh Gya, in Behar" - From Journal of the
Asiatic Society of Bengal May, 1834: republished as SOAS Bulletin of Burma
Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, Autumn 2003, ISSN 1479-8484 . Revised: 27 March 2004
http://web.soas.ac.uk/burma/1.2%20PDF%20FILES/1.2%2003%20inscription-revised.pdf
UKT: Knowing Dr. Than Tun, who did not mince his words (he had told me once
to my face that the research we did in the Chemistry department
was formulating boot polishes at which I just laughed),
I smile to think of what he would have said if he were to read this note of mine.
He was a person whom I would never forget!
Go back
Ari-monk-note-b |
Ari-monk-note-b2
Contents of this page
The Burmese word commonly used for <astrology> is {be-din} which probably came
from the Pali-Latin word veda(PTS p647). However, if we are to substitute
Pali-Latin [v] with Pali-Myanmar {wa.} we get {wé-da.} meaning "knowledge" (ModPMDict809).
Note that Pali-Latin [v] is sometimes equal to {ba.} as in the word for <consonant>
{byæÑ:} or
{byiñ~za.na.} [(vyañjana)]. Therefore, are {be-din} and {wé-da.}
([veda]) two separate words? ModPMDict637
gives another word {bé-dïn~ga.} meaning {be-din}.
There are many forms of astrology being practiced in Myanmar. At least
two forms, the {mahaboat} and the {nak~hkat bé-din} are built on solid foundations
with extensive literature behind them.
astrology n. Abbr. astrol. 1. The study of the positions
and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on
the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs.
2. Obsolete Astronomy.
[Middle English astrologie from Old French from Latin
astrologia from Greek astro- astro- -logia -logy ] -- AHTD
The words "astrology" and "astronomy" had meant the same thing at one time. At
present, we may view "astrology" as the predictive branch, and "astronomy" as the
calculative part supported by actual observations of the of the sky especially at
night. To these astronomer-astrologers, like the ones we find in Myanmar, a planet
is a luminary travelling against the background of fixed-stars, the constellations,
of the celestial sphere with the Earth at its centre. Thus, Sun and Moon are considered
to be planets.
From this position the astrologers go a step farther in identifying the planet
with a 'god', and as with other Hindu gods it must have a vehicle to ride on. Thus,
{ta.nïn~ga.nwé groh} means a 'god' with his own vehicle, the
{ga.Loan} (Garuda). Just because he is riding a {ga.Loan}, does not mean that
{ta.nïn~ga.nwé groh} is the Hindu god Vishnu,
{baith~tha.No:}, or
{Gau-ra.man~ta.}. Neither should he be described as the Sun just because he is sometimes
described as the Lord of the Sun.
To the Burmese astrologer, "planet" or
{groh} is not the mass of extra-terrestrial matter, but its spirit ruler.
According to PMDict196, UHS-Dict166 and ModPMDict341,
it came from Pali-Myanmar {ga.ha.} which also means
"a house". However, PTS247 gave the meaning of gaha
as "seizer", a demon, any being or object
having a hold upon a man. U Hoke Sein, on
{gra.ha.pa.ti.} gave the meaning as <sun>,
whereas PTS248 as Vedic grhapati , where pati
is still felt in its original meaning of <lord>, <master>,
implying dignity, power and auspiciousness. " PMDict196 gives
{ga.ha.pa.ti.} as "master of the house".
It seems that the [r] sound in
{groh} is attributable to Sanskrit and not to Pali.
Go back astrology-note-b |
planet-note-b
Contents of this page
While gentle Thurathati
{thu-rath~tha.ti} representing Saraswati is probably the only Hindu goddess who
bears no arms, Chandi
{san~di} is a violent goddess, and is equated to Durga, Parvathi, Uma
and Kali. My question is why is Chandi included in the list of Hindu gods and goddess
doing homage to the Buddha. I now have a suspicion that the worship of Thurathati
might not only be pre-Buddhistic, but also pre-Bramanical Aryan, because during
my study of linguistics, I have found that Thurathati could very well be the personification
of the human ability to speak.
UKT: Insert right: Brahmani duck is supposed to be the modern representative of Hamsa
{hïn~tha} of
{thu-rath~tha.ti}.
Thinking in the same vein, it is possible that Chandi
is the personification of motherhood - the mother who would fight to death to protect
her children while being the most gentle to her own little ones. A possible answer
to my question could be found in a work by Pradyot Kumar Maity in Human Fertility
Cults and Rituals of Bengal, Abhinav Publications, 1989, SBN 8170172632, 9788170172635,
pp. 216. It is more interesting when you realized that the areas of Bengal and Assam
in the west, and Burma (Myanmar) in the east, have a common border across which
people having crossing even in prehistoric times.
From: Vahanas of the Consorts
http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/associates/carriers/consorts.htm 080826
Shiva's
{thi-wa.} consort, Durga (Parvathi, Uma, Chandi and Kali),
uses a lion as her vehicle. The lion represents her heroic prowess.
As she rides on the lion to trample down Mahisasura,
she represents the subduer of vices. Durga is often shown placed between
Laksmi and Sarasvati, representing mundane opulence and mundane knowledge.
Saraswati rides Hamsa
{hïn~tha} the Swan, or sometimes a peacock.
The swan
{Bè:ngan:} is a symbol of spiritual purity, and those who have transcended the material
nature are sometimes called supreme swans, or "paramaharnsa". [UKT:
The Burmese
{hïn~tha}
is yellow and is different from the swan aka
{Bè:ngan:}
which is white. Both are water fowls but are different. The reader should note
that there are differences in meaning attached to the same word when used by the
Burmese and when used by the Indians. In cross cultural and linguistic studies
such as mine you are bound to meet such difference.]
Lakshmi rides on an owl named Uluka. Uluka, which means
'owl' in Sanskrit, is also one of the names of lndra, the king of the demigods,
who personifies wealth, power and glory. Thus, Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune,
rides on a fitting carrier. The comparison of Indra's glory to a partially blind
bird speaks to the difference between material and spiritual wealth, as Lakshmi
is the goddess of spiritual wisdom.
Excerpt from: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati 080827
Parvati (Sanskrit: Pārvatī,
पार्वती),
sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu goddess and nominally
the second consort of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and rejuvenation. However,
she is not different from Satī, being the reincarnation of that former consort of
Shiva. She is also the mother of Ganesha and Skanda (Kartikeya). Some communities
also believe her to be the sister of Lord Vishnu and Shaktas consider her
as the ultimate Divine Shakti - the embodiment of the total energy in the universe.
In many interpretations of the scriptures, Parvati is also regarded as a representation
of Shakti, albeit the gentle aspect of that goddess because she is a mother goddess.
She is regarded the daughter of the Himalayas.
UKT: One of my aims is to come up with a way to integrate the various writing
systems. Here is a chance to convert Devanagari to Myanmar. The name
Pārvatī, पार्वती ,
is a suitable candidate because it involves the {ra.thût}-{wa.}.
My method of conversion is to find out the ASCII decimals for each akshara,
convert them to Unicode hexadecimals, and then identify each character from Devanagari
table and then to find its equivalent in Myanmar.
The following is the step by step rendering with my method:
1. पार्वती
2. पार्वती
3. प = Hex 092A प
ा = Hex 093E ा
र = Hex 0930 र
् = Hex 094D ्
व = Hex 0935 व
त = Hex 0924 त
ी = Hex 0940 ी
4. Checking: प ा र ् व त ी
5. Deleting the white spaces gives पार्वती
Therefore, the Myanmar equivalent is: {pa-wra.ti.}
Parvati when depicted alongside Shiva appears with two arms, but when alone,
she is shown having four arms, and astride a tiger or lion. Generally considered
a benign goddess, but also has fearful aspects like Durga, Kali, Chandi and the
Mahavidyas as well as benevolent forms like Mahagauri, Shailputri and Lalita. Sometimes,
Parvati is considered as the supreme Divine Mother and all other goddesses are referred
to as her incarnations or manifestations. Among Shaivas, Parvati and Durga are same,
but followers of Shakti and Vishnu consider Durga, Chandi and Kali as fearful aspects
of Parvati, considering her as Supreme goddess.
Go back
chandi-note-b
Contents of this page
Ganesh or
{ma.ha pain~nè:}
The Myanmar name is {ma.ha pain~nè:}. So far (080828) I haven't found its equivalent
in Sanskrit.
Excerpt from:
http://nayna.in/blog/divine-grace/lord-ganesh-the-worlds-most-popular-deity/
080828
Myanmar: Myanmar was previously known as Burma. The Hindu traders
came here and brought along with them their deities and different modes of worship.
This was inculcated by natives. The Theravada Buddhism (A.D. 1044-77) which was
prevalent at that time was a tolerant religion and accepted all different kinds
of practices.
Pagan (Bagan) has the largest archaeological site in Asia with over nine square
miles of pagodas dating from the 11th to 13th century. The
most remarkable shrine here is the Shwesandaw
Pagoda, also known as the Temple of Ganesh. Ramannadesa
or Mon kingdom based in lower Myanmar too entertained Hindu traders and the worship
of the Lord was introduced to them. They believed that Lord Ganesh would give them
good harvest, wealth, prosperity and keep them away from evil and so they named
Him Maha Peinne. His festival is
celebrated with grandeur in the month of November.
Excerpt from:
http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-bagan/shwesandaw.htm
080828
King
Anawrahta built Shwesandaw Pagoda after his conquest of Thaton in 1057. This graceful
circular pagoda was constructed at the centre of his newly empowered kingdom. The
pagoda was also known as Ganesh or Mahapeine after the elephant-headed Hindu god
whose images once stood at the corners of the five successive terraces.
The five terraces once bore terracotta plaques showing scenes from the jalakas,
but traces of these, and of other sculptures, were covered by lather heavy-handed
renovations.
The pagoda's bell rises from two octagonal bases which top the five square terraces.
This was the first monument in Bagan to feature stairways leading from the square
bottom terraces to the round base of the pagoda itself. This pagoda supposedly enshrines
a Buddha hair relic brought back from Thaton.
There are image housing at four sides. In them are hard stone images of Buddha
in the posture of Jhana mudra, the intense concentration of mind posture. On the
palms and soles of the images were incised eight petal lotus flowers. Below these
images are stone slabs with grooves to let water go out. It is therefore assumed
that lustral water was poured on these images.
... ... ...
Previously there were stone idols of deva placed back to back at the corners
of the terraces. But they are now all damaged due to vandalism. Broken pieces are
kept in the image house. Some of these idols are found to be Maha Peinhne devas
(Ganesha). That is why local people call this pagoda Maha Peinhne Pagoda. On the
west of Shwe Sandaw Pagoda stands a huge reclining Buddha image of 70 feet long,
heading towards south. It is sheltered inside an image house. On the walls of the
house are original Bagan frescoes in a fair state of preservation.
... ... ...
Go back Ganesh-note-b
Contents of this page
Who is
{Gau-ra.man~ta.}? You must note that Hindu gods have more than one name. In various
Sanskrit verses extolling them, they are referred to by their attributes, their
accomplishments, their relationships to others, etc. For example, in The One
Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu -
http://www.salagram.net/names1000v.html#trans
080828, Vishnu is given as (taken arbitrarily):
001) vishvam: He who is the universe, the virat-purusha
002) vishnuh: He who pervades everywhere
005) bhoota-krit: The creator of all creatures
006) bhoota-bhrit: He who nourishes all creatures
168) madhuh: Sweet
175) mahaa-shaktih: All-powerful
187) govindah: The protector of the cows
188) govidaam-patih: The Lord of all men of wisdom
190) damanah: He who controls rakshasas
191) hamsah: The swan
192) suparnah: Beautiful-winged (Two birds analogy)
209) guruh: The teacher
210) gurutamah: The greatest teacher
222) netaa: The leader
233) vahnih: Fire
234) anilah: Air
287) aushadham: Medicine
288) jagatas-setuh: A bridge across the material energy
289) satya-dharma-paraakramah: One who champions heroically for truth and righteousness
290) bhoota-bhavya-bhavan-naathah: The Lord of past, present and future
354) garudadhvajah: One who has Garuda on His flag
361) lakshmeevaan: The consort of Laksmi
403) dharmah: The law of being
404) dharmaviduttamah: The highest among men of realisation
532) kritajnah: The knower of the creation
539) govindah: One who is known through Vedanta
542) guhyo: The mysterious
543) gabheerah: The unfathomable
544) gahano: Impenetrable
545) guptah: The well-concealed
546) chakra-gadaadharah: Bearer of the disc and mace
550) krishnah: Dark-complexioned
558) bhagavaan: One who possesses six opulences
566) gatisattamah: The ultimate refuge for all devotees
591) gohitah: One who does welfare for cows
592) gopatih: Husband of the earth
593) goptaa: Protector of the universe
628) bhooshayah: One who rested on the ocean shore (Rama)
661) brahmanyah: Protector of Brahman (anything related to Narayana)
662) brahmakrit: One who acts in Brahman
663) brahmaa: Creator
664) brahma: Biggest
665) brahma-vivardhanah: One who increases the Brahman
666) brahmavid: One who knows Brahman
667) braahmanah: One who has realised Brahman
668) brahmee: One who is with Brahma
685) poornah: The complete
686) poorayitaa: The fulfiller
687) punyah: The truly holy
805) mahaabhootah: The great being
839) gunabhrit: One who supports
989) devakee-nandanah: Son of Devaki
997) gadaadharah: Carrier of Kaumodakee club
The name given by U Sein Pe begins with Burmese-Myanmar {Ga.kri:} or in Romabama
{Ga.} which in Devanagari is घ . However, the website does not give Devanagari characters,
so I am unable to find the name that would have {Ga.} on it. The pronunciation IPA
[g] points out that the akshara is either ग [Ga] or घ [Gha]. The possible candidates
in above list are: 187) govindah: The protector of the cows and 188) govidaam-patih:
The Lord of all men of wisdom. However, since 'cow' is spelled with {ga.}, we can
remove 187 from the list of possible candidates. However, at this stage (080827)
my knowledge of Sanskrit and Pali is almost nil. The only clues I can rely on are:
'Laksmi' and 'Garuda', and I must conclude provincially that
{Gau-ra.man~ta.} is Vishnu.
Go back Gau2ra1man-ta1-note-b
Contents of this page
The Burmese word
{nat.} probably
came from the Pali-Latin deva (PTS p239), however {nat.} covers many things
besides deva
{dé-wa.}
such as māra (PTS p530)
{maar} (in
{maar nat}) and <spirits> (used in the Western sense). However, it does not cover
<ghosts> and <goblins>. The word can be applied to the head of the household --
{ain-U: nat} and the king of the country. Therefore, it should be understood as
the provider and the guardian, in which sense it would be equivalent to the English
<god>. However {maar nat} or māra to the Buddhist is the <evil one> or the
<tempter>. This is because the aim of the Buddha was total liberation from every
thing and every one including {maar nat}. This aim of the Buddha made {maar nat}
felt that Buddha was taking his <slaves> away from him.
In Myanmar, {maar nat} is sometimes equated to the Christian Devil. However,
this is a wrong comparison, because the Burmese-Myanmar {maar nat} is one of the
most powerful of all devas, residing in the top-most deva-world or Heavens, whereas
the Christian Devil resides in Hell.
Secondly, it would surprise many ordinary Burmese-Buddhist to know that the world
of {maar nat} is above that of
{thi.kra:
ming:} who is a {dé-wa.} himself. {thi.kra: ming:} is the over-lord of the so-called
Four Guardians, Four Great Kings, or
{sa.tu.ma.ha-riz nat}. See UMK-USL below:
Catumahārājika - n. the fifth plane [counting downwards] on Mount Meru and
celestial abode of the four guardian deities of the world:
1. Dhataraṭṭha
{Da.ta.raT-Hta.}
2. Virūpakkha
{wi.ru-pak~hka.}
3. VirūỊhaka
{wi.ru-Lha.ka.}
4. Kuvera
{ku.wé-ra.}
-- UMK-USL-043.
Excerpt from Caturmahārāja :
http://visiblemantra.org/kings.html
080902
The Four Great Kings are devas in the Indian pantheon where they occupy
the lowest of the devalokas (god realms). They feature in some of the earliest
Buddhist scriptures, representing a strand of Indian religous thought which
was being adopted and adapted by Buddhists, probably in the first few centuries
after the death of the Buddha. Each one presides over one of the four directions
of space, and is associated with a particular type of non-human being. ...
1. Dhṛtarāṣṭra - King of the East. White in colour, holding a lute.
King of the Gandharvas (celestial musicians). Dhṛtarāṣṭa means "watcher of lands".
There is a king Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Mahābhārata. The war amongst his children
and those of his younger brother Pāndhu for the throne of the Kurus - the Kauravas
and the Pāndavas - forms the main action of the Mahabhārata war around which
the epic revolves (Basham : 408). It is thought that the story recount a real
war, although the dates are disputed.
2. Virūḍhaka - King of the South. Green in colour and holding a sword.
King of the Kumbhāṇḍas, his name means "ever growing". The Kumbhāṇḍas according
to Sutherland are "a grotesque group of demons with testicles in the shape of
a kumbha or pitcher". The Pāli commentaries describe them as having "huge stomachs,
and their genital organs were as big as pots, hence their name". (DA.iii.964)
3. Virūpākṣa - King of the West. Red in colour; holding a stūpa, and
snake (or nāga). King of the Nāgas. His names means something like "all seeing".
Virūpākṣa's association with serpents and water suggests a connection with the
Vedic god Varuṇa. Initially a solar god, often paired with mitra, Varuṇa was
the guardian of ṛta - the cosmic order. Later, in the Hindu Epics, he was relegated
to being a protector of water and was associated with water spirits, such as
nāgas. Some scholars point to similarities with the Greek Titan Uranus (the
names are phonetically similar).
4. Vaiśravaṇa - King of the North. Yellow in colour. Holding a (victory)
banner and mongoose spitting jewels. King of the Yakṣas . The name means.....
Vaiśravaṇa is also known as Kubera under which name he appears in the Śatapatha
Brāhmaṇa. He goes by the name Vaiśravaṇa in the Mahābharata where he is the
son of Pulstya, and half brother of Rāvaṇa. Kunera is a god of wealth and good
fortune - which is what the mongoose spitting out jewels symbolises. Vaiśravaṇa
is the patron deity of the city of Khotan.
... ... ...
The Lokapālas, or Mahārajas, feature widely in the Pāli texts (where
they are known as the Cātummahārājikā), often visiting the Buddha at crucial
times, or to hear the Dharma. In Pāli the names are: Dhataraṭṭha, Virūḷhaka,
Virūpakkha, Vessavana. A summary of the Great Kings in the Pāli texts is available
in the
Dictionary of Pāli Names. One of the key texts featuring the Four Kings
is the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta (DN 32). This is one of the traditional paritta texts
which are chanted for protection from misfortune, and the Āṭānṭiya is particularly
concerned with protection from harmful 'spirits' ie yakṣas etc. Yakṣas etc were
minor gods with their own cults and shrines. Several yakṣa (Pāli yakkha) shrines
are mentioned in the Pāli texts. Initially they were not much distinguished
from nāgas and were nature spirits associated with water or trees. In one text
there is a story of an
anger
eating yakkha (SN 11.22).
{sa.tu.ma.ha-riz nat} are the overlords of the 37 Nats covered by Dr. Htin Aung.
In this sense, the 37 Burmese-Myanmar nats are not devas, but "lost souls" of real
people who had met violent or sudden deaths. They are sometimes known as
{nat-saim:}
literally meaning the "green-nats", and they are considered to be just above the
level of ghosts.
Go back nat-note-b
Contents of this page
The Myanmar lunar month
{nat-tau}
falling during November-December is probably the harvest festival celebrated by
the peoples of the Northern Hemisphere. It probably has its counter-part in the
Halloween of the West. As such it is probably related to ancestral worship.
Go back Nat-feast-note-b
Contents of this page
See Pagan Hindu Temple
or Nat-hlaung Kyaung in my review of GHORAMANTA (alias)
GORAVINDA (A BURMESE GOD) by DEVAPRASAD GUHA, ASIATIC SOCIETY, CALCUTTA, in
Journal of the Burma Research Society, XLIII, i, June 1960
Go back prison-god-note-b
Contents of this page
Excerpt from: Historical Geography of Burma by Janice Stargart,
http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/25/theme/25T6.html
author of The Ancient Pyu of Burma, Vol. I, Early Pyu Cities in a Man-Made Landscape,
Cambridge & Singapore: PACSEA & ISEAS (1990; repr. 1991), pp. 52, 145-90, 297-310,
344.
Pyu civilization flourished during most of the first millennium
AD at an urban and complex level, and three patterns established by the Pyu were
to leave major imprints on the historical geography of Burma that endured until
the late nineteenth century, when the colonial conquest transformed the country
demographically and economically. Firstly, the Pyu preferred settlement in the Dry
Zone, particularly in the valleys of the tributaries of Burma's greatest rivers;
secondly, there was development of a repertoire of Pyu irrigation works operating
on a variety of scales and firmly imbedded in social structures as well as in these
particular environments and economies; and thirdly, at a time of dominance of Mahayana
sects in Indian Buddhism, the Pyus adopted Theravada Buddhism, thereby striking
a note that has reverberated in Burma ever since.
Pyu settlement in Burma undoubtedly goes back to late prehistory, to the
centuries from c. 400 100 BC1. Throughout c. 1,400 years, the Pyu
demonstrated a consistent preference for a particular environmental niche in
Burma: the perennial, but highly seasonal tributary streams of Burma's Dry Zone,
which flow into its great rivers, the Irrawaddy, the Sittang, the Chindwin, and
the Mu. In research published in 19902, I first delineated this
preference on the basis of my knowledge of site distribution along the side
valleys of the Irrawaddy from Pagan southwards to Prome and eastwards into the
Kyaukse area, and along parts of the Chindwin, the Mu, and Samon Rivers, and
predicted that many more Pyu sites would be discovered in such niches. Further
research on the Pyu in the 1990s by Professor Than Tun, U Win Maung, U Nyunt
Han, U Sein Maung Oo, and other Burmese scholars has revealed Pyu sites in the
tributary valleys of the central Irrawaddy in the heartland of traditional
Burmese settlement from Pagan to Ava and Mandalay, including the Sagaing
District, and also in the tributary valleys of the northern parts of the Sittang
River. This means that when, in the last centuries of the first millenium AD,
the Burmese settled in these valleys, they were inheriting and perpetuating a
pattern already established by the Pyus. These areas together formed the Mranma
[mod. pronunciation Myanmar] of the Pagan inscriptions. They remained the core
territory of the Burmese kingdoms and of Burmese history until the terrible
conquest of Upper Burma in the third Anglo-Burmese war of the 1880s.
(Read the downloaded paper
hist-geogr-Pyu.htm
Go back Pyu-note-b
Contents of this page
Sakra {thi.kra:ming:} (pronounced as {tha.kya:min:} which literally would have
meant the "Sugar-king"), the king of the gods and guardian of Buddhism, and Indra
are not the same even though they are given to be the same in MEDict495 and elsewhere.
Sakra is the king of gods in Buddhist mythology, whereas Indra is his counterpart
in Hindu mythology. It was probable that Anawratha also did not take the two characters
to be the same. Otherwise, making Indra (the Hindhu) the overlord of the 36 Burmese
nats would have the effect of making the Burmese nats to adopt the Hindu religion.
See also Dictionary of Pali Language, R. C. Childers, 1909, which unfortunately
I have left behind in Canada and is not available to me in Singapore where I am
writing this note on 080827.
Excerpt from: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra
080827
Indra (Sanskrit: इन्द्र or इंद्र Indra, Malay: Indera, Thai:
พระอินทร์ Phra-Intra, Japanese: Taishakuten) is the god of War and
Weather, also the King of the gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or
Svargaloka in Hinduism. Mentioned first as the chief deity in the sacred Hindu
text of Rig Veda, Indra is bestowed with a heroic and almost brash and amorous character.
He has always remained significant in Indian mythology, from Vedic to Puranic times,
as the primary ruler of all devas, even as his reputation and role diminished in
later Hinduism with the rise of the Trimurti. However his is still active
in the Pali canon, where he is addressed as Sakka (from Sanskrit Śakra).
Excerpt from: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti
080827
The Trimurti (English: ‘three forms’; Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a
concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and
destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Viṣṇu the maintainer
or preserver, and Śiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have been
called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity". They are often looked at as the
creator, preserver and destroyer respectively. Freda Matchett characterizes the
Trimurti system as one of "several frameworks into which various divine figures
can be fitted at different levels."
One type of depiction for the Trimurti shows three heads on one neck, and often
even three faces on one head, each looking in a different direction.
The Trimurti (literally indicating three forms or trinity), is the representation
of the three projections of the Supreme Reality, each with a specific cosmic function.
These manifestations are that of Brahma (serving the cosmic function of creation),
Vishnu (serving the cosmic function of renewal and preservation), and Shiva (serving
the cosmic function of dissolution or destruction that precedes re-creation) – the
three popular Hindu gods. Our daily existence reflects these three cosmic functions
as birth, life and death.
The trinity is interpreted in various forms in Hindu philosophy. A widely accepted
belief is that it represents earth, water, and fire. The earth, or Brahma, is seen
as the originator of all life and hence is regarded as the Creator. Water is the
sustainer of life and hence is the Preserver and is represented as Vishnu. Fire
destructs life and hence is the Destroyer and is represented as Shiva.
Go back Sakra-note-b
Contents of this page
It is important to realize that what Anawratha introduced into his kingdom in
Upper Burma was Theravada Buddhism which became separate as a religion only at the
Second Buddhist Council. See the following account of Buddhist councils from Wikipedia.
If we are to give credence to the story of Tagaung that is mentioned in the Chronicles,
Buddhism must have reached upper Burma even in the life time of the Buddha via overland
routes -- not through the Mons of Lower Burma. Therefore to call the religious beliefs
of the pre-Arawratha period as pre-Buddhistic is not really correct. Surely, the
adherents of the pre-Anawratha religious order headed by the Aris would resist what
they would consider to be a foreign religion. Moreover, the element of nationalism
of the Burmese-Pyus would be hostile to that of the Mons. The reader should note
that my interest is not on the beliefs of Aris and the reformers but on the language
of Aris and that of the reformers. To be specific how would the Aris pronounce the
akshara r6c5 - IPA [θ] or [s].
From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils
080901
First Buddhist Council
According to the scriptures of all Buddhist schools, the first Buddhist Council
was held soon after the nirvana of the Buddha in 483 BC under the patronage of king
Ajatasatru, and presided by the monk Mahakasyapa, at Rajagaha (today's Rajgir).
Its objective was to preserve the Buddha's sayings (sutta) and the monastic discipline
or rules (Vinaya). The Suttas were recited by Ananda, and the Vinaya was recited
by Upali. According to some sources, the Abhidhamma Pitaka, or its matika, was also
included. Also the Sangha made the unanimous decision to keep all the rules of the
Vinaya, even the lesser and minor rules.
According to the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2004),
[1]:
"... its historicity is questioned by virtually all Buddhist scholars. They
argue that while it was not unlikely that a small group of Buddha's intimate disciples
gathered after his death, a council in the grand style described in the scriptures
is almost certainly a fiction."
Second Buddhist Council
The historical records for the so-called 'Second Buddhist Council' derive primarily
from the canonical Vinayas of various schools (Theravāda, Sarvāstivāda, Mūlasarvāstivāda,
Mahāsanghika, Dharmaguptaka, and Mahīśāsaka). In most cases, these accounts are
found at the end of the 'Skandhaka' portion of the Vinaya. While inevitably disagreeing
on points of details, they nevertheless agree on roughly the following.
About 100 or 110 years after the Buddha's Nibbana, a monk called Yasa,
when visiting Vesālī, noticed a number of lax practices among the local monks. A
list of 'ten points' is given; the most important was that the Vesālī monks, known
as Vajjiputtakas, consented to accepting money. Considerable controversy erupted
when Yasa refused to follow this practice. He was prosecuted by the Vajjiputtakas,
and defended himself by quoting in public a number of canonical passages condemming
the use of money by monastics. Wishing to settle the matter, he gathered support
from monks of other regions, mainly to the west and south. A group consented to
go to Vesāli to settle the matter. After considerable maneuvering, a meeting was
held, attended by 700 monks. A council of eight was appointed to consider the matter.
This consisted of four locals and four 'westerners'; but some of the locals had
already been secretly won over to the westerners' case [
citation needed]. Each of the ten points was referred to various canonical
precedents. The committee found against the Vajjiputtaka monks. They presented this
finding to the assembly, who consented unanimously. The canonical accounts end there.
Third Buddhist Council
In striking contrast to the uniform accounts of the Second Council, there are records
of several possible 'Third Councils'. These different versions function to authorize
the founding of one particular school or other.
According to the Theravāda commentaries and chronicles, the Third Buddhist
Council was convened by the Mauryan king Ashoka at Pātaliputra (today's Patna),
under the leadership of the monk Moggaliputta Tissa. Its objective was to purify
the Buddhist movement, particularly from opportunistic factions which had been attracted
by the royal patronage. The king asked the suspect monks what the Buddha taught,
and they claimed he taught views such as eternalism, etc., which are condemned in
the canonical Brahmajala Sutta. He asked the virtuous monks, and they replied that
the Buddha was a 'Teacher of Analysis' (Vibhajjavādin), an answer that was confirmed
by Moggaliputta Tissa. The Council proceeded to recite the scriptures once more,
adding to the canon Moggaliputta Tissa's own book, the Kathavatthu, a discussion
of various dissenting Buddhist views now contained in the Theravāda Abhidhamma Pitaka.
Also, emissaries were sent to various countries in order to spread
Buddhism, as far as the Greek kingdoms in the West (in particular the neighboring
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, and possibly even farther according to the inscriptions
left on stone pillars by Ashoka). According to Frauwallner (Frauwallner, 1956),
several of these missionaries were responsible for founding schools in various parts
of India: Majjhantika was the father of the Kasmiri Sarvastivādins; Yonaka Dhammarakkhita
may have been the founder of the Dharmaguptaka school; Mahādeva, sent to the Mahisa
country may have been the founder of the Mahisasakas; and several teachers travelled
to the Himalayas where they founded the Haimavata school, including a certain Kassapagotta,
who may be connected with the Kasyapiyas. Relics of some of these monks have been
excavated at Vedisa. (Willis, 2001) The most famous of the missionaries, and the
main focus of interest for these Theravada histories, is Mahinda, who travelled
to Sri Lanka where he founded the school we now know as Theravada.
[UKT: We should check whether the site of Alaungtaw Kathapha, near
Monywa, has anything to do with the Kassapagotta of Haimavata school mentioned above.]
The Theravāda's own Dipavamsa records a quite different Council called
the 'Great Recital' (Mahāsangiti), which it claims was held by the reformed Vajjiputtakas
following their defeat at the Second council. The Dipavamsa criticizes the Mahasangitikas
(who are the same as the Mahasanghikas) for rejecting various texts as non-canonical:
the [Vinaya] Parivāra; the 6
books of the Abhidhamma; the
Patisambhida; the
Niddesa; part of the
Jatakas; and some verses. (Dipavamsa
76, 82)
The Mahāsanghika,
for their part, remember things differently: they allege, in the Sāriputraparipriccha
that there was an attempt to unduly expand the old Vinaya. The Mahasanghikas' own
vinaya gives essentially the same account of the Second Council as the others, i.e.
they were on the same side.
An entirely different account of Mahāsanghika origins is found in the
works of the Sarvāstivāda group of schools.
Vasumitra
tells of a dispute in Pātaliputra at the time of Ashoka over five heretical points:
that an Arahant can have nocturnal emission; that he can have doubts; that he can
be taught by another; that he can lack knowledge; and that the path can be aroused
by crying 'What suffering!'. These same points are discussed and condemned in Moggaliputta
Tissa's Kathavatthu, but there is no mention of this Council in Theravadin sources.
The later
Mahavibhasa develops this story into a lurid smear campaign against the Mahasanghika
founder, who it identifies as 'Mahadeva'.
This version of events emphasizes the purity of the Kasmiri Sarvastivadins, who
are portrayed as descended from the arahants who fled persecution due to 'Mahadeva'.
Go back thera-buddh-note-b
Contents of this page
There are two spelling variations for Peikthano:
1.
{baith~tha.No:} -- Dr.Than Tun,
2. {bi.tha.no:}
-- U Hoke Sein (UHS-Dict)
To decide which of the two is more appropriate, I am rendering the Devanagari
into Romabama from which I can write Burmese-Myanmar.
Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu
080828 gives:
IAST <viṣṇu>, Devanagari विष्णु
My rendering into Romabama:
1. विष्णु
2. विष्णु
3. व = Hex0935 व
ि = Hex093F ि
ष = Hex0937 ष
Note that there are three sibilant fricatives: श 0936 Sha ; ष 0937 Ssa; स 0938
Sa. in Devanagari, the last of which स is almost invariably written as Myanmar
{tha.}/{þa.} with the IPA [θ] sound. It is said that at present most of the
Hindi speakers pronouce all the three sibilant fricatives as स 0938 Sa, from
which I conclude that the middle character should be written as {tha.kri:} horizontal
conjunct.
् = Hex094D ्
ण = Hex0923 ण
ु = Hex0941 ु
4. व ि ष ् ण ु
5. विष्णु = {waith~tha.Nu.}
Apart from consonant {wa.} vs. {ba.}, and vowel {u} vs. {o}, I will have to conclude
that Dr. Than Tun's spelling is more appropriate.
Go back Vishnu-note-b
Contents of this page
End of TIL file
