CHAPTER VIIIBuddhism
Burmais 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 thana 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 fictionthat 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 Burmesemerchants 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.
Shrine, Sway Dagon Pagoda
Shrine, Sway Dagon Pagoda
The structure of this pagoda has many otherimportant 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 droptheir 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 theworshipers, 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 inNirvana. Continued existence is considered a calamity. To extinguish personality inNirvanais the supreme goal. In that loss of personal identity man passes from underthe 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 ofneikban. 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 toNirvanaand 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 thedreary and weary struggle there is no eye to pity and no hand to help to attain this goal of spiritual suicide.
Front of a Gautama Temple
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. Fromthe 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.