The Burmese Empire
a hundred years ago
As described by Father Vincenzo Sangermano
Edited and with notes by U Kyaw Tun, M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.). Set in html by UKT
and staff of TIL Computing and
Language Center, Yangon, for students and staff of TIL. Not for sale.
Burmese Cosmography
Chapter 02
Of the world and its parts fn003-01
Section 01
The world is called logha
{lau:ka.}, a word which signifies alternate destruction and
reproduction. The Burmese admit a world, not everlasting, but having a beginning
and an end; and this beginning and end they do not attribute to the power and
will of a superior being, but merely to fate, which they call Dammatà [Dharma]
{Dam~ma.ta}.
The world is divided into three parts, the superior, the inferior, and the
middle. In the superior part is situated the seat of the Nat, in the inferior
are the infernal regions, and in the middle is the seat or abode of men and
animals. Of these beings and their abodes we shall treat lower down. The middle
part is conceived to be flat and circular, though somewhat elevated in the
centre, and bounded by a chain of very high mountains called Zacchiavalà [Sakwala]
{sa.kra-wa.La},
which gird it all round and form an impenetrable barrier. These mountains rise
82,000 juzenà
{yu-za.na} [yojana, reckoned at 10 miles by Hardy] above the surface of the
sea, and have an equal depth in the sea itself. The diameter of this middle part
is 1,203,400 juzenà. The half of this depth entirely consists of dust; the other
half, or the lower part, is a hard, compact
juzenà [yojana]
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fn003-01 For fuller information on the subjects of this and the next two chapters, the reader may consult Spence Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, ch. i., and his Legends and Theories of the Buddhists, p. 80, which are used by Dr. Kern of Leyden as the most complete review of the mystic cosmology of the Southern Buddhists. Geschiednis van Het Buddhisme in Indie, p. 289, Haarlem, 1882. The Buddhist system of the universe is fundamentally that of the Hindus, as is remarked by Yule in his Narrative of the Mission to Ava, London, 1858, p. 237, in a learned note. fn003-01b
stone called Silapatavi . This enormous volume of dust and stone is supported by a double volume of water, under which is placed a double volume of air; and beyond this there is nothing but vacuity.
Section 02
In the centre of this middle part, above the level of the sea, the largest of the mountains, called Miemmò, fn005-01 rises to the height of 84,000 juzenà, having an equal depth within the sea. Two truncated cones, united at their bases, may give an idea of the figure of this mountain. The diameter of the superior plane of Miemmò is 48,000 juzenà, and its circumference three times the diameter. Three enormous rubies, 3000 juzena in height, serve as feet to this immense mass, and connect it with the great stone Silapatavi. The part of the mountain looking to the east is of silver, that looking to the west of glass, the side exposed to the north is of gold, and finally that to the south of dark ruby. Seven concentric chains of mountains enclose within them this celebrated eminence, and in their intermediate spaces run seven great rivers called Sità [Sidanta], whose waters are transparent and clear as crystal, and so very light that the feather of the smallest bird, if thrown into them, will sink to the bottom. These mountains are not of an equal height, nor are their rivers of equal breadth and depth. While the first range, called Jugantò, is 84,000 juzenà high, and the first river as many juzenà wide and deep, the second chain has half that height, that is to say, 42,000 juzenà, and just so wide and deep is the second river.
Section 03
At the four cardinal points of Mount Miemmò, between the Zacchiavalà mountains and the last enclosure of Jugantò, in the midst of an immense sea, are situated four great islands, the abodes of men and animals. The eastern island has the form of a half-moon, and is 21,000 juzenà in circumference. The western island bears a circular figure like the full moon, and has likewise 21,000 juzenà in circumference. The northern island has 24,000, and is of a square figure; and lastly, the southern one, which is lozenge-shaped, is called Zabudibà [Jambudwipa], and is 30,000 juzenà in circumference. In this
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fn005-01 The Mount Myen-Mo of the Burmans is the Mount Meru of the Hindu cosmogony. fn005-01b
island the Burmese doctors place their kingdom, those of Siam and China, the coast of Coromandel, the island of Ceylon, and other parts with which they are acquainted. They likewise say that this island, with 500 smaller ones which belong to it and will be mentioned in the next paragraph, is inhabited by a hundred and one nations. Excepting, however, the Chinese, Tartars, Siamese, Cassè [Manipur], and Aracan, the names by which they denominate these nations do not correspond to those known in our geography. These four great islands take their names from certain large trees which grow in them and are considered their sacred emblems. For example, because its sacred tree is the Zabù, the southern island is called Zabudibà, or the Island of Zabù.
Section 04
Besides these four great islands, they admit likewise 2000 of smaller dimensions (allotting 500 to each of the great ones) scattered here and there, but not widely apart, and bearing respectively the same figure as the larger islands. We have observed in sec002 (Ch02) that the eastern side of Mount Miemmò is of silver, the western of glass, the northern of gold, and the southern of dark ruby. Now, these four sides communicate their colour to the great and small islands and their inhabitants, as well as to the sea that surrounds them; and consequently the eastern island and its inhabitants will be of a silver colour; the southern, together with its inhabitants, rivers, trees, etc., will have the colour of the dark ruby; and the same is to be said of the other islands. In like manner the great ocean is divided into four seas, that is to say, the white, the green, the yellow, and the dark red. These seas, however, are not everywhere of the same depth: that which is interposed between the small islands is shallow and almost always quiet, so that ships may conveniently sail in it; but the seas in the midst of which the great islands lie have a depth of even 84,000 juzenà, and their waves rise to the height of 60 or 70 juzenà. Terrible whirlpools are here to be met, capable of swallowing up large ships. These seas abound with monstrous fishes of the length of 500 and even 1000 juzenà. When these merely move in the waters they agitate them to a considerable degree, but when they shake their whole body they excite a horrible tempest to the distance of even 500 and 800 juzena.
UKT: Burmese doctors -- Doctors of Learning, not confined to medicine.
Hence it follows that there can be no communication whatever between the inhabitants of the different great islands; and the European ships that arrive in the Indies are supposed by the Burmese to come from some of the 500 small islets which surround the great southern island of Zabudibà. Hence they generally style them inhabitants of the small islands.