Buddhism
Burma is a land of Buddhism and pagodas. The pagodas are the shrines
of the Buddhists. They are found all over Burma in almost countless
numbers, in every condition from the newly-completed to the decayed
structure. On the higher hills and mountains they are usually built
on the most conspicuous spurs, where they can be seen to best effect
from all the region round about. In the low hills the same principle is
followed, the most conspicuous place being selected. On the flat plains
among the rice fields they make artificial mounds, to serve as the site
of their temples to be placed thereon.
In the Buddhistic system of religion the building of pagodas is
accounted one of the chief works of merit. Their preservation is
of little consequence, so that the country is dotted all over with
multitudes of abandoned pagodas, overgrown with jungle and in all
stages of decay. You can scarcely dig into any old mound anywhere in
Burma without finding the brick outlines of some ancient pagoda.
Pagodas are all always built after one pattern. This pattern allows of
a structure not higher than a man originally, being enlarged to the
size of the Great Pagoda at Rangoon without change of architectural
plan. In this respect the pagoda is probably the only style of building
ever planned by man that has been commonly adopted, in which this
structural possibility is found. The pattern is that of an irregular
cone built of brick and earth, most commonly of brick, with the outer
surface plastered. At the base is a little cavity, in which some
precious relic is placed, and over this rises the solid structure
of the pagoda. The base is usually circular, and the superstructure
retains the same shape, excepting that it curves irregularly to
smaller circles. The top is always finished with an umbrella-like
structure often with rings suspended from its outer rim. The rims of
the umbrellas are usually made of some kind of metal, from which are
suspended a great number of bells. The bells are usually rung by a
brass imitation of the leaf of the peepul-tree, the sacred tree of
Buddhism. This leaf is loosely, suspended alongside of the bell, and as
the gentle breeze peculiar to the tropics, especially Burma, puts them
in motion, they gently tap the exterior of the bells. You are likely to
be charmed with the delicate melodies of the bells until you come to
feel what a hollow, comfortless system Buddhism is. A pagoda is a tomb,
or at least a receptacle of relics of some revered personage. The ashes
of a priest’s body that has been cremated are often put into a pagoda.
Reputed remains of Gautama are, of course, the most valued. However
extravagant the fiction that surrounds these cherished objects, the
credulous Burman professes to believe in them absolutely. This is
conspicuously true of the great temple at Candy in Ceylon, and the
great Sway Dagon Pagoda of Rangoon. The managers of the former profess
to have in their possession one of Gautama’s eyeteeth, which is shown
to pious, or noted visitors. A story is invented accounting for the
disappearance of three of these useful dentine members, but the fourth
and only possible one, not accounted for otherwise, has found its way
by the traditional route to the temple of Candy. It is there the object
of great reverence, and pilgrimages, often from long distances, are
made to this shrine in order to look upon and worship this tooth. That
which is shown as the eyetooth of Gautama is a piece of bone about two
inches long, and half an inch thick. It is as large as the tooth of a
horse, and could not by any possibility ever have been one of any man’s
set of teeth. It is in appearance much like a piece of smoked ivory.
Yet this piece of bone is reverenced to a degree that perhaps no other
relic of Buddhist tradition possesses. After making great offerings to
their own pagodas, the Burmese, two years ago, made a beautiful golden
casket and sent a pretentious commission to Candy with this casket,
the gift of the Burmese Buddhists, as the permanent receptacle of this
much-lauded tooth.
That which makes the great Sway Dagon Pagoda famous above all others,
is that it contains relics of Gautama. The story is that Burmese
merchants made their way to India, while Gautama was alive, and
becoming converts of his teachings, or system of belief, they were
about to return to Burma, when Gautama gave them some relics of his
person, saying that while they kept these relics they would observe
his system of doctrine. He then tore off a small piece of his priestly
robe, gave them his simple begging bowl, and pulled eight hairs out
of his head, and gave them these also as keepsakes and reminders of
his teaching. These gifts they brought back to Burma, and over them
erected a small pagoda, which formed the original portion of the
present great structure that has become so far famed in the Buddhist
world. The original structure must have been as insignificant as many
that are seen elsewhere. But as time went on, and the invention, for
it could have been nothing else as in the case of the eyetooth at
Candy, was accepted, the pagoda became more and more famous, and its
size was increased until its present dimensions were reached. It is
now 1,350 feet round its base, and rises to the towering height of
328 feet. Its height is exceeded only by the pagoda at Pegu, but its
general dimensions are far greater than the latter, and its fame has no
rival. Reliable accounts of the time of building the original pagoda
are wanting. But it is pretty certain that its present dimensions were
reached some five hundred years ago. I have been unable to learn when
it was first covered with gold leaf.
[Illustration: SHRINE, SWAY DAGON PAGODA]
The structure of this pagoda has many other important features.
Round its base are found many forms of elephants, and small pagodas
that fairly line the lower circle. There are four shrines at the
cardinal points of the compass. It will have been noted that the
pagoda, unlike all other designs of sacred buildings given to worship,
has no interior chamber. Excepting the small cavity given to the
relic, there is solid masonry throughout the vast structure. But the
most striking display of the pagoda is its covering of gold leaf. From
base to top every inch is covered with this golden coat. The devout
Buddhists are always renewing this gilding. No provision is made to
prevent the rains that beat upon the pagoda for six months of each
year from washing away this golden covering. Its rusty appearance on
any part simply calls for more offerings for more regilding, by which
the devout Buddhist expects to gain much merit. I have been unable to
learn the cost of gilding the exterior, though it must be very great.
The pagoda is regilded about twice in ten years. It is difficult to
determine the cost, as the gilding is put on in patches. The renewal
has never been done systematically, but by piece-meal. Besides this,
the umbrella that crowns the pagoda and its pendent rings are studded
with precious stones and jewelry to the value of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. The four shrines are ornamented with hand-carving
wrought out with great pains and skill. There are two very large chests
near the entrance to the pagoda area, into which all devout Buddhists
visiting at this temple drop their offerings. These gifts are taken
care of by the trustees of the pagoda, and expended on its maintenance.
Round about the temple is an open court, which would accommodate many
thousands of visitors, and ofttimes it is crowded to its fullest
capacity. On the outside of this court, and inside the walls that make
up the four sides of the square known as pagoda hill, there is a grove
of palms and peepul-trees. The latter is the sacred tree of Buddhism,
and it is usually found wherever pagodas have been built. Underneath
these trees, and entirely surrounding the pagoda inclosure, there are
many large pavilions, most of them open to all comers, where images
of Gautama are numbered by the hundreds. A few images of Gautama are
in closed structures behind glass and iron bars. Other symbols of
the Buddha or his teaching are there also; but images of Gautama are
by far the most numerous. Gautama is represented as reclining on his
right side, with his head supported by his hand; as sitting, which is
the accepted position; and standing. These are three chosen attitudes.
These three postures are all that are commonly used. The images are
made of brass, of marble, and of alabaster. Some of them are of the
normal size of a man, and some of them are many times larger, but all
bear the impassive features of a man absorbed in meditation. These
images always bear distinctly Burmanized features.
There are also great bells about the Sway Dagon Pagoda. The larger
bells are supported on great wooden beams, and are rung by all the
worshipers, and even by the idle passer-by. But the strange thing about
all this area of the pagoda is that it is open to all peoples, and no
objects except the inclosed images are protected in any way. This is
not true of either Mohammedan mosques or Hindu temples. All Buddhists
take off their shoes or sandals before going up the steps. And if any
Asiatic should attempt to go up the stairs with shoes on, he would be
ordered to make bare his feet. Europeans are not so restricted. But
this appears to be the only special requirement for admission to the
pagoda area. So it comes to pass that the devout Buddhist strikes the
great bells with the wooden beam, or horns of an elk that are kept for
that purpose, and the next passer-by may be an idle globe-trotter, who
strikes the bell to only test the melody of its sound.
Worship at a pagoda is a study. The idea of worship in Buddhism
differs so widely from that of any other religion, that it makes the
student of comparative religions pause with astonishment. Buddhism is
very much a religion of negations at best. There is little that is
positive in it. There is no God according to pure Buddhism. It does
not teach an unending personal immortality. The character of existence
beyond death is believed to be through various transmigrations of
beasts, demons, and elevated spirits to final extinction of personal
existence in _Nirvana_. Continued existence is considered a calamity.
To extinguish personality in _Nirvana_ is the supreme goal. In that
loss of personal identity man passes from under the necessity of being
reborn. In all the struggle in which man is engaged he has no aid from
without himself. His own meritorious acts must bring him through all
lower existences, and finally drop him into the oblivion of _neikban_.
Before men can reach this goal, they must have passed through myriads
of existences, many of these lives being spent in hells filled with
all tortures. The hells of Buddhism are filled with terrors measured
only by the wildest imagination, lasting through millions of years.
Buddhism is a system in which there is no God to hear a prayer or
speak a consoling word. Then what is worship under such a religion, if
indeed it be a religion? The people and the yellow-robed priests fill
the spaces before these several shrines, and there offer flowers and
food to the images of Gautama. Or they sit upon their heels about the
open court that surrounds the pagoda, and offer their flowers toward
the pagoda, lifting them toward the top of the gilded dome, while they
laud the great teacher of Buddhism. In none of these acts is there any
real prayer. There is no confessing of sin or need, nor hope even that
Gautama can hear, as he is supposed to have ascended to _Nirvana_ and
to have attained to annihilation of conscious self. The whole of their
worship seems to be made up of laudations of the name and character of
Gautama, and his law, and the Buddhist priesthood. All worship consists
in praise of an extinct personality on the part of a man whose highest
hope is to attain unto like personal extinction! But in all the
dreary and weary struggle there is no eye to pity and no hand to help
to attain this goal of spiritual suicide.
[Illustration: FRONT OF A GAUTAMA TEMPLE]
One of the incongruities about this great pagoda I found in the fact
that the watchmen are Hindus. Perhaps no temple of non-Christians,
save that of Buddhists, is cared for by men of other faiths. Christian
Churches in Southern Asia do often employ Hindus or Mohammedans to care
for them and act as collectors of their funds. But none but Mohammedans
go into a Mohammedan mosque, and only Hindus enter a Hindu temple.
There sits a Mohammedan also inside the pagoda area selling coffee and
bread to all who wish to buy. Bishop Thoburn once remarked that perhaps
only in Burma, and that at a Buddhist place of worship, could such an
incongruous sight be witnessed.
Another feature of the pagoda area is that at its four sides, east,
west, north, and south, it is bounded by brick walls, rising four or
five feet above the pagoda area, and of several feet in thickness.
The Burmese fortified the pagoda, and the English have done likewise.
At the base is another higher wall, and inside of this a moat. The
English soldiery guard the pagoda hill, and the ordnance department
of the British garrison stationed at Rangoon is inside the outer wall
on the west of the pagoda. The guard is not seen about the court. In
the northeast corner of the pagoda area are several graves of British
officers and soldiers who fell in storming that fortress in 1852. From
the southeast corner of the inclosure you see the slope up which that
band of soldiers charged, and half down the hillside are a number of
graves which are unnamed, and around them a wall is built. Here the
common soldiers fell in that charge. They died for “Greater England.”
From the pagoda wall you can get one of the finest views in Lower
Burma. To the south and southeast lies the greater part of the city
of Rangoon. At the lower extremity of the city the Pegu and Rangoon
Rivers unite their ample breadth of waters. The great rice mills line
the river and its larger tributaries, and lift their tall chimneys
above every other building of the city. To the left the beautiful Royal
Lakes reflect the tropical sunlight in dazzling brightness, while to
the northward the sweep of vision includes many stately houses of the
residents of Kokine, the fashionable suburb of the city.