Mahamuni Buddha
Encyclopedia
The Mahamuni Buddha Temple is a Buddhist
temple and major pilgrimage site, located southwest of Mandalay
, Burma (Myanmar). The Mahamuni Buddha image (literal meaning: The Great Sage) is deified in this temple, and originally came from Arakan
. It is highly venerated in Burma and central to many people's lives, as it is seen as an expression of representing the Buddha's life.
Ancient tradition refers to only five likenesses of the Buddha, made during his lifetime; two were in India
, two in paradise, and the fifth is the Mahamuni Buddha image in Myanmar. According to the legend, the Buddha visited the Dhanyawadi
city of Arakan
in 554 BC. King Sanda Thuriya requested that an image was cast of him. After casting the Great Image, the Buddha breathed upon it, and thereafter the image became the exact likeness of the Mahamuni.
visited Dhanyawadi
, the capital city of Arakan
during his travels on a Proselytization mission to spread Buddhism. During the 26th anniversary of the King at the time, a devout Buddhist, the Buddha accompanied by Shin Ananda and 500 disciples landed at Salagiri mountain peak near Khaukrah town. The King of the Arakan kingdom
, along with his Chief Queen Sandra Mala (with her retinue of 1,600 ladies in waiting), and an entourage of ministers, generals and officials, paid homage to the Buddha. They were deeply moved by his teachings and upon his departure to Thawuthi (Sravasti
), the King insisted that he leave his image for people to worship. For this purpose, the Buddha then sat under a Bodhi tree
for a week of meditation. During this time Sakka (in Pāli
, the ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven in Buddhist cosmology
, supported by his assistant Vissakamma, moulded a life-like image of the Buddha using ornaments donated by the king and his people. It is also said that Sakka and Vissakamma (or Vishvakarman) created a separate pavilion for the Buddha to live and enjoy during these seven days. After looking at his own life-like image, believed at the time to have been his only true-likeness, Buddha was pleased and "imbued the image with his spiritual essence", or "enlivened and consecrated" the image, naming it "Candasara". He also stated that the image would last for five thousand years as his representative.
Historian Juliane Schober has very succinctly explained this legend and the cult worship that has evolved around the "living" double image of Mahamuni Buddha:
Another legend narrated in the Arakanese chronicle relates to the nine phenomena that occurred when the image was consecrated in the temple and continued to occur after the Buddha had departed. These nine phenomena were: holy water used for washing the image would not overflow the collecting vessels; the water from the tank that was used for washing the Buddha's head would retain its quality throughout the year; six coloured rays appeared when the devotees worshipped the image in the evenings; the rays faded in the presence of non-believers; the space in the temple would automatically accommodate any number of devotees; the leaves of trees would tilt in the direction of the Buddha image; birds would not fly over the temple; and the stone guardians at the entrance would sense the presence of evil doers and prevent them from entering the temple.
Another legend narrated is linked to the six Khmer
bronze statues (three lions–with heads substituted later in Burmese style, a three-headed elephant known as Airavata
, and two warriors in the form of Shiva
), which are installed in the temple in the northern end of the courtyard. These statues were originally at the Angkor Wat
temple complex in Cambodia
. Devotees believe that the statues have healing qualities to rub a particular part of the body against the statues to cure themselves of various ailments and diseases.
In the ancient history of Arakan, King Anawratha of Pagan
(r. 1044–1077) attempted to move the image to Pagan
, without success. In 1784, the Burmese
under the military leadership of Crown Prince Thado Minsaw
of Konbaung dynasty
conquered the Kingdom of Mrauk U
. The religious relics of the kingdom, including the Mahamuni Buddha image, were confiscated and installed in the Mahamuni temple or Pagoda at Amarapura
, on the outskirts of the old capital of Mandalay. As the Mahamuni image was too large to transport as a whole, it was cut into sections and later reassembled and housed in the new temple. Mandalay became the capital under King Mindon
(r. 1853–1878). It was also the capital under his son Thibaw
(r. 1878–1885) of the Konbaung Dynasty
(1752–1885). When the British annexed Upper Burma in 1885 to prevent the French from dominating it, monarchic rule ended. However, veneration of the Mahamuni image has continued, and is visited and idolised by many pilgrims, mainly Rakhine
, Mon
and Burmans
peoples.
Several old bronze statues that line the courtyard of the temple have a long history as war loot. They were originally Khmer statues, found at Angkor Wat
in Cambodia
, and were taken to Ayutthaya
in 1431 by the Siamese
. In 1564, the Burmese king Bayinnaung
conquered Ayutthaya and took thirty such statues to Bago (Pegu). In 1599, King Razagri of Mrauk U
invaded Bago and brought the statues to Mrauk U. Finally, Thado Minsaw took them to Amarapura in 1785. According to local belief, many more of these statues were brought from Arakan. However, King Thibaw
melted many of them to cast cannons for fortification of his palace. Of the thirty statues Bayinnaung brought from Siam, only six remain today, and are displayed in the temple complex. They are a major attraction because of their purported healing qualities.
In 1996, the military rulers in Burma undertook renovation work on the Mahamuni Pagoda. During this period, the Mahamuni Buddha image was damaged in 1997 when A hole appeared in the belly of the Great Image. It was believed that thieves had drilled the hole in an attempt to steal jewels believed to be secreted within the image. It was reported that a military officer had requested to open the temple in the night, resulting in a meeting of all the senior monks from major monasteries in the area to discuss the matter. Whilst the meeting was in progress, attention was diverted to a purported rape incident committed by a Muslim man on a Buddhist girl. A major riot broke out but It turned out afterwards that the Buddhist girl had not been raped at all. It was a coverup to divert attention away from the Buddha so it could be repaired. However, the mystery remains as to whether any jewellery did exist and was actually removed from the Great Image at all.
to the eastern gate of the temple, although only remnants of this road can still be seen. A major teaching monastery of some 400 monks, known as 'Thudhamma', is one among the many monasteries which are adjacent to the Pagoda. The temple has a central shrine and is framed by an extensive grass lawn. The arcades leading to the main shrine have many kiosks, selling religious paraphernalia such as incense, candles, rosaries, flowers, robes, sandals etc., and various restaurants and tea shops. The sanctum sanctorum
, where the large Mahamuni image is deified, is a small chamber and has a roof covering made up of seven pyatthat
meaning tiered roofs (derivative of the Sanskrit word prasada). The ceiling has an ornate mosaic covering. The arcades are supported by 252 gilded and carved columns adorned with fine frescoes.
. This posture or mudra symbolises Buddha's vanquishing of Mara
). The legs are crossed with feet turned inwards, and the right hand touches the ground ritualistically, as a witness of his past deeds. The image is cast in bronze
and weighs 6.5 tonnes and is erected on a 1.84 metres (6 ft) high pedestal and reaches a height of 3.82 metres (12.5 ft). Its shoulders measure 1.84 metres (6 ft) and its waist measures 2.9 metres (9.5 ft). It is draped in royal costumes with "Brahmanic cords and regalia crossing his chest". The image is crowned, bejewelled with diamond
s, rubies
and sapphire
s. The left hand appears imprecise, unusually large, and is seen resting in the lap with an upturned palm.
Gold leaves
are regularly applied to the face of the Mahamuni Buddha by male devotees. Consequent to the frequent application of gold leaves, the coating of gold (thickness 15 centimetres (5.9 in)) has given a shapeless contour to the Mahamuni image. However, it is also noted that the right hand, crown and other iconographic characteristics of royalty are free of gold leaf covering, which gives an impression that these were later additions to the original image of the Mahamuni. In 1884, when the pagoda was burnt down, 91 kilogram of gold was recovered from the site, which represents the continued historical veneration and perpetuation of the cult of Mahamuni.
s by the large number of pilgrims who visit the temple every day. Adjacent to the Buddha temple is the Mahamuni Museum, which contains displays of Buddhism throughout Asia
.
and Pitaka Kyaung initiated the ritual of daily face washing of the deity at dawn. This ritual commences every morning at 4 am or 4.30 am when monks wash the face and brush the teeth of the Buddha image.). It is an elaborate ritual performed for over an hour by a senior monk dressed in monastic attire, assisted by several lay helpers, dressed in white and wearing formal headdress. As soon as the drums are struck, the senior monk residing in the adjoining monastery enters the sanctum and starts the formal face washing ritual with a succession of fresh towels, offered by devotees. He then performs the act of cleaning the Mahamuni's teeth with a large brush followed by one more sequence of cleaning with fresh towels. After this, sandalwood
paste is applied to the image and it is again cleaned with towels and finally sprinkled with scented water. After the ceremony is completed, the used towels are returned to the devotees who keep these towels with reverence in their home shrines.
On special occasions, such as Uposatha
day, an orange stoll is placed around its shoulders by the presiding monk and is fanned. A major congregation of devotees witness the rituals; some men sit in the front enclosure while others including women and children sit in the middle and rear end of the foyer. Devotees offer food and other items brought by them on a tray to the deity and chant prayers while the rituals are being performed. During the winter season, the image is covered by a cloak of the monastic order.
During the reign of Burmese monarchs, offerings were made daily to the Great Image in a formal way. Food and other offerings, sheltered by a Royal white umbrella, were taken in a procession from the palace, escorted by a Minister, as an honour due to a sovereign head of the state.
to celebrate the history of the pagoda. during this festival, aside from the daily rituals, the Patthana
from a "Book of Conditional Relations" is recited. This book is a philosophical text which Buddha recounted to his mother in a sermon in Tavatimsa heaven and is a sacred scripture in the Pali language
. The Pattana recitation is a special feature, which continues for several days. Monks recite from the scriptures, in groups of two or three. The festivities also include various forms of entertainment programmes such as dance, music, theatre etc., and there is also a social event, allowing families and friends gather to greet each other. Given that large crowds of pilgrims are attracted during the festive season, guards are posted near the Great Image and video cameras are placed in many parts of the temple precincts to protect it.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
temple and major pilgrimage site, located southwest of Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
, Burma (Myanmar). The Mahamuni Buddha image (literal meaning: The Great Sage) is deified in this temple, and originally came from Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
. It is highly venerated in Burma and central to many people's lives, as it is seen as an expression of representing the Buddha's life.
Ancient tradition refers to only five likenesses of the Buddha, made during his lifetime; two were in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, two in paradise, and the fifth is the Mahamuni Buddha image in Myanmar. According to the legend, the Buddha visited the Dhanyawadi
Dhanyawadi
Dhanyawadi was a town in Northern Rakhine State, Myanmar.The site is approximately 80 miles north by north east of Sittwe, and lies between the Kaladan River and Thare Chaung . Like much of Northern Rakhine State, it is in a hilly locale...
city of Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
in 554 BC. King Sanda Thuriya requested that an image was cast of him. After casting the Great Image, the Buddha breathed upon it, and thereafter the image became the exact likeness of the Mahamuni.
Origins
According to legend, the Gautama BuddhaGautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
visited Dhanyawadi
Dhanyawadi
Dhanyawadi was a town in Northern Rakhine State, Myanmar.The site is approximately 80 miles north by north east of Sittwe, and lies between the Kaladan River and Thare Chaung . Like much of Northern Rakhine State, it is in a hilly locale...
, the capital city of Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
during his travels on a Proselytization mission to spread Buddhism. During the 26th anniversary of the King at the time, a devout Buddhist, the Buddha accompanied by Shin Ananda and 500 disciples landed at Salagiri mountain peak near Khaukrah town. The King of the Arakan kingdom
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, along with his Chief Queen Sandra Mala (with her retinue of 1,600 ladies in waiting), and an entourage of ministers, generals and officials, paid homage to the Buddha. They were deeply moved by his teachings and upon his departure to Thawuthi (Sravasti
Sravasti
Śrāvastī or Sāvatthī , a city of ancient India, was one of the six largest cities in India during Gautama Buddha's lifetime. The city was located in the fertile Gangetic plains in the present day Gonda District of Uttar Pradesh near Balrampur some 120 km north of Lucknow...
), the King insisted that he leave his image for people to worship. For this purpose, the Buddha then sat under a Bodhi tree
Bodhi tree
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo , was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree located in Bodh Gaya , under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, is said to have achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi...
for a week of meditation. During this time Sakka (in Pāli
Páli
- External links :* *...
, the ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven in Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries.-Introduction:...
, supported by his assistant Vissakamma, moulded a life-like image of the Buddha using ornaments donated by the king and his people. It is also said that Sakka and Vissakamma (or Vishvakarman) created a separate pavilion for the Buddha to live and enjoy during these seven days. After looking at his own life-like image, believed at the time to have been his only true-likeness, Buddha was pleased and "imbued the image with his spiritual essence", or "enlivened and consecrated" the image, naming it "Candasara". He also stated that the image would last for five thousand years as his representative.
Historian Juliane Schober has very succinctly explained this legend and the cult worship that has evolved around the "living" double image of Mahamuni Buddha:
Another legend narrated in the Arakanese chronicle relates to the nine phenomena that occurred when the image was consecrated in the temple and continued to occur after the Buddha had departed. These nine phenomena were: holy water used for washing the image would not overflow the collecting vessels; the water from the tank that was used for washing the Buddha's head would retain its quality throughout the year; six coloured rays appeared when the devotees worshipped the image in the evenings; the rays faded in the presence of non-believers; the space in the temple would automatically accommodate any number of devotees; the leaves of trees would tilt in the direction of the Buddha image; birds would not fly over the temple; and the stone guardians at the entrance would sense the presence of evil doers and prevent them from entering the temple.
Another legend narrated is linked to the six Khmer
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
bronze statues (three lions–with heads substituted later in Burmese style, a three-headed elephant known as Airavata
Airavata
Airavata is a mythological white elephant who carries the Hindu god Indra. It is also called 'Ardha-Matanga', meaning "elephant of the clouds"; 'Naga-malla', meaning "the fighting elephant"; and 'Arkasodara', meaning "brother of the sun". 'Abharamu' is the elephant wife of Airavata. Airavata has...
, and two warriors in the form of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
), which are installed in the temple in the northern end of the courtyard. These statues were originally at the Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
temple complex in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Devotees believe that the statues have healing qualities to rub a particular part of the body against the statues to cure themselves of various ailments and diseases.
Transportation
Pagan Kingdom
The Pagan Kingdom or Pagan Dynasty was the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute the modern-day Burma...
(r. 1044–1077) attempted to move the image to Pagan
Bagan
Bagan , formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana and also known as Tambadipa or Tassadessa , it was the capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma...
, without success. In 1784, the Burmese
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
under the military leadership of Crown Prince Thado Minsaw
Thado Minsaw
Thado Minsaw was crown prince of Burma from 13 July 1783 to 9 April 1808, during the reign of his father King Bodawpaya of Konbaung dynasty. Prince of Shwedaung and Dabayin was entrusted by the king to manage the day-to-day affairs of the kingdom, and when necessary, to lead the Royal Army against...
of Konbaung dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
conquered the Kingdom of Mrauk U
Mrauk U
Mrauk U is an archaeologically important town in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. It is also the capital of Mrauk-U Township, a sub region of the Sittwe District. It was the capital of Mrauk U Kingdom, the most important and powerful Rakhine kingdom from 1433 to 1784.-Geography:Mrauk U lies...
. The religious relics of the kingdom, including the Mahamuni Buddha image, were confiscated and installed in the Mahamuni temple or Pagoda at Amarapura
Amarapura
Amarapura is a former capital of Myanmar, and now a township of Mandalay. Amarapura is bounded by the Ayeyarwady river in the west, Chanmyathazi township in the north, and the city of Innwa in the south...
, on the outskirts of the old capital of Mandalay. As the Mahamuni image was too large to transport as a whole, it was cut into sections and later reassembled and housed in the new temple. Mandalay became the capital under King Mindon
Mindon
Mindon may refer to:*mindon - hypothetical spirit particles for telepathy*Mindon Min -King of Burma*Mindon, Burma - a town...
(r. 1853–1878). It was also the capital under his son Thibaw
Thibaw
Thibaw may refer to:* Thibaw Min , last king of Burma, Konbaung Dynasty* Thibaw , Myanmar...
(r. 1878–1885) of the Konbaung Dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
(1752–1885). When the British annexed Upper Burma in 1885 to prevent the French from dominating it, monarchic rule ended. However, veneration of the Mahamuni image has continued, and is visited and idolised by many pilgrims, mainly Rakhine
Rakhine people
The Rakhine , is a nationality in Myanmar forming the majority along the coastal region of present day Rakhine State or Arakan State. They possibly constitute 5.53% or more of Myanmar's total population but no accurate census figures exist. Rakhine people also live in the southeastern parts of...
, Mon
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
and Burmans
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
peoples.
Several old bronze statues that line the courtyard of the temple have a long history as war loot. They were originally Khmer statues, found at Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, and were taken to Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
in 1431 by the Siamese
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
. In 1564, the Burmese king Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was the third king of the Toungoo dynasty of Burma . During his 30-year reign, which has been called the "greatest explosion of human energy ever seen in Burma", Bayinnaung assembled the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia, which included much of modern day...
conquered Ayutthaya and took thirty such statues to Bago (Pegu). In 1599, King Razagri of Mrauk U
Mrauk U
Mrauk U is an archaeologically important town in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. It is also the capital of Mrauk-U Township, a sub region of the Sittwe District. It was the capital of Mrauk U Kingdom, the most important and powerful Rakhine kingdom from 1433 to 1784.-Geography:Mrauk U lies...
invaded Bago and brought the statues to Mrauk U. Finally, Thado Minsaw took them to Amarapura in 1785. According to local belief, many more of these statues were brought from Arakan. However, King Thibaw
Thibaw
Thibaw may refer to:* Thibaw Min , last king of Burma, Konbaung Dynasty* Thibaw , Myanmar...
melted many of them to cast cannons for fortification of his palace. Of the thirty statues Bayinnaung brought from Siam, only six remain today, and are displayed in the temple complex. They are a major attraction because of their purported healing qualities.
Damage
The Mahamnuni image and its precincts suffered damage from fires in 1879 and 1884. In the fire that broke out during the reign of King Thibaw, the seven-tiered spire on the brick temple, devotional halls, causeways and others were burnt down, although the Great Image itself was saved. Gold recovered after the fire was made into a robe that currently adorns the image. In 1887, Minister Kinwun Mingyi U Kaung took charge of the site and in1896 constructed the present temple around the original shrine built by King Bodawpaya.In 1996, the military rulers in Burma undertook renovation work on the Mahamuni Pagoda. During this period, the Mahamuni Buddha image was damaged in 1997 when A hole appeared in the belly of the Great Image. It was believed that thieves had drilled the hole in an attempt to steal jewels believed to be secreted within the image. It was reported that a military officer had requested to open the temple in the night, resulting in a meeting of all the senior monks from major monasteries in the area to discuss the matter. Whilst the meeting was in progress, attention was diverted to a purported rape incident committed by a Muslim man on a Buddhist girl. A major riot broke out but It turned out afterwards that the Buddhist girl had not been raped at all. It was a coverup to divert attention away from the Buddha so it could be repaired. However, the mystery remains as to whether any jewellery did exist and was actually removed from the Great Image at all.
Main Temple/Pagoda
The Mahamuni Temple or Pagoda is a complex of structures located along a road from Mandalay leading to the southwest. It was originally located on A brick paved road which was constructed from the Royal Palace of King BodawpayaBodawpaya
Bodawpaya was the sixth king of the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma. Born Maung Shwe Waing and later Badon Min, he was the fourth son of Alaungpaya, founder of the dynasty and the Third Burmese Empire. He was proclaimed king after deposing his nephew Phaungkaza Maung Maung, son of his oldest brother...
to the eastern gate of the temple, although only remnants of this road can still be seen. A major teaching monastery of some 400 monks, known as 'Thudhamma', is one among the many monasteries which are adjacent to the Pagoda. The temple has a central shrine and is framed by an extensive grass lawn. The arcades leading to the main shrine have many kiosks, selling religious paraphernalia such as incense, candles, rosaries, flowers, robes, sandals etc., and various restaurants and tea shops. The sanctum sanctorum
Sanctum sanctorum
The Latin phrase sanctum sanctorum is a Latin translation of the biblical term: "Holy of Holies" which generally refers in Latin texts to the Holiest place of the Tabernacle of Ancient Israel and later the Temples in Jerusalem, but also has some derivative use in application to imitations of the...
, where the large Mahamuni image is deified, is a small chamber and has a roof covering made up of seven pyatthat
Pyatthat
Pyatthat is the name of a multi-tiered and spired roof commonly found in Burmese royal and Buddhist architecture, especially pagoda compounds, monasteries and palace buildings. The pyatthat is made of successive roofs, with a box-like structure between each roof called the lebaw...
meaning tiered roofs (derivative of the Sanskrit word prasada). The ceiling has an ornate mosaic covering. The arcades are supported by 252 gilded and carved columns adorned with fine frescoes.
Mahamuni image
The Mahamuni Buddha image is housed in a small chamber, seated on a throne in a divine posture known as the Bhumisparsa MudraMudra
A mudrā is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers...
. This posture or mudra symbolises Buddha's vanquishing of Mara
Mara (demon)
In Buddhism, Māra is the demon that tempted Gautama Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the "death" of the spiritual life...
). The legs are crossed with feet turned inwards, and the right hand touches the ground ritualistically, as a witness of his past deeds. The image is cast in bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and weighs 6.5 tonnes and is erected on a 1.84 metres (6 ft) high pedestal and reaches a height of 3.82 metres (12.5 ft). Its shoulders measure 1.84 metres (6 ft) and its waist measures 2.9 metres (9.5 ft). It is draped in royal costumes with "Brahmanic cords and regalia crossing his chest". The image is crowned, bejewelled with diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s, rubies
Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
and sapphire
Sapphire
Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
s. The left hand appears imprecise, unusually large, and is seen resting in the lap with an upturned palm.
Gold leaves
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
are regularly applied to the face of the Mahamuni Buddha by male devotees. Consequent to the frequent application of gold leaves, the coating of gold (thickness 15 centimetres (5.9 in)) has given a shapeless contour to the Mahamuni image. However, it is also noted that the right hand, crown and other iconographic characteristics of royalty are free of gold leaf covering, which gives an impression that these were later additions to the original image of the Mahamuni. In 1884, when the pagoda was burnt down, 91 kilogram of gold was recovered from the site, which represents the continued historical veneration and perpetuation of the cult of Mahamuni.
Other features
A large number of 'inscription stones' collected by King Bodawpaya are seen in a long gallery in the southeastern corner of the temple courtyard. These inscriptions, some of which are made from gilded marble and sandstone, have been collected from many regions of the country. There is also a large water tank in the southeast direction of the temple where fish and turtles are fed with rice cakeRice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia. The origin of rice cake seems to be...
s by the large number of pilgrims who visit the temple every day. Adjacent to the Buddha temple is the Mahamuni Museum, which contains displays of Buddhism throughout Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Daily rituals
On February 17, 1988, the present Ven Sayadaw Buddhanta Panya Vamsa of Htilin MonasteryHtilin Monastery
Htilin Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Mandalay, Burma. It is located in Western Thiri Khema Ward in Chanayethazan Township. The monastery is divided into several hermitages by geographical location such as West Htilin Monastery, South Htilin Monastery etc. During the 8888 Uprising several...
and Pitaka Kyaung initiated the ritual of daily face washing of the deity at dawn. This ritual commences every morning at 4 am or 4.30 am when monks wash the face and brush the teeth of the Buddha image.). It is an elaborate ritual performed for over an hour by a senior monk dressed in monastic attire, assisted by several lay helpers, dressed in white and wearing formal headdress. As soon as the drums are struck, the senior monk residing in the adjoining monastery enters the sanctum and starts the formal face washing ritual with a succession of fresh towels, offered by devotees. He then performs the act of cleaning the Mahamuni's teeth with a large brush followed by one more sequence of cleaning with fresh towels. After this, sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
paste is applied to the image and it is again cleaned with towels and finally sprinkled with scented water. After the ceremony is completed, the used towels are returned to the devotees who keep these towels with reverence in their home shrines.
On special occasions, such as Uposatha
Uposatha
The Uposatha is Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time , and still being kept today in Buddhist countries. The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy...
day, an orange stoll is placed around its shoulders by the presiding monk and is fanned. A major congregation of devotees witness the rituals; some men sit in the front enclosure while others including women and children sit in the middle and rear end of the foyer. Devotees offer food and other items brought by them on a tray to the deity and chant prayers while the rituals are being performed. During the winter season, the image is covered by a cloak of the monastic order.
During the reign of Burmese monarchs, offerings were made daily to the Great Image in a formal way. Food and other offerings, sheltered by a Royal white umbrella, were taken in a procession from the palace, escorted by a Minister, as an honour due to a sovereign head of the state.
Festival
A major annual festival known as the 'Mahamuni Paya pwe' ('pwe' means: "festival") is held in early February, at the end of the Buddhist LentVassa
Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, or Buddhist Lent, is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners...
to celebrate the history of the pagoda. during this festival, aside from the daily rituals, the Patthana
Patthana
The Patthana is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka.Translation: Conditional Relations, 1969- , in progress, 2 volumes so far tr U Narada, Pali Text Society, Bristol...
from a "Book of Conditional Relations" is recited. This book is a philosophical text which Buddha recounted to his mother in a sermon in Tavatimsa heaven and is a sacred scripture in the Pali language
Pali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
. The Pattana recitation is a special feature, which continues for several days. Monks recite from the scriptures, in groups of two or three. The festivities also include various forms of entertainment programmes such as dance, music, theatre etc., and there is also a social event, allowing families and friends gather to greet each other. Given that large crowds of pilgrims are attracted during the festive season, guards are posted near the Great Image and video cameras are placed in many parts of the temple precincts to protect it.