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{{Short description|Thathanabaing of Burma during Pagan Dynasty}}
{{Burmese name|Shin}}
{{Burmese name|Shin}}

{{Infobox religious biography
{{Infobox religious biography
|name = Shin Arahan <br/> {{my|ရှင်အရဟံ}}
| name = Shin Arahan
| native_name = {{lang|my|ရှင်အရဟံ}} <br/> {{langx|mnw|မှာထေရ်အရဟံ}}
|image= Shin Arahan.JPG
| image = Shin Arahan.JPG
|caption = Statute of Shin Arahan at the [[Ananda Temple]]
| caption = Statue of Shin Arahan in Ananda Temple
|birth name =
|alias =
| birth name =
| alias =
|dharma name = Dhammadassī <br/> {{my|ဓမ္မဒဿီ}}
| dharma_name = {{IAST|Dhammadassī}} <br/> {{lang|my|ဓမ္မဒဿီ}} <br/> {{langx|mnw|ဓမ္မဒဿဳ}}
|birth_date = c. 1034
| birth_date = c. 1034
|birth_place = [[Thaton]]
| birth_place = [[Thaton]]
|death_date = 1115 (age 80)<ref name=geh-44>{{cite book | author=GE Harvey | title=History of Burma | pages=44–45 | publisher=Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. | year=1925 | location=London}}</ref>
| death_date = 1115 (age 80)<ref name=geh-44>{{cite book | author=GE Harvey | title=History of Burma | pages=44–45 | publisher=Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. | year=1925 | location=London}}</ref>
⚫
|death_place = [[Bagan|Pagan]]
|nationality = [[Pagan Dynasty|Burmese]]
| death_place = [[Bagan|Pagan]]
| nationality = [[Pagan Dynasty|Burmese]]
|religion = [[Buddhism]]
|school = [[Theravada]]
| religion = [[Buddhism]]
| school = [[Theravada]]
|lineage = [[Kanchipuram|Conjeveram]]-Thaton
| lineage = [[Kanchipuram|Conjeveram]]-Thaton
|title = [[Sayadaw]]
|location = [[Bagan|Pagan]]
| title = [[Sayadaw]]
⚫
| location = [[Bagan|Pagan]]
|education =
| education =
|occupation = [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]]
| occupation = [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]]
|teacher =
|predecessor =
| teacher =
| predecessor =
⚫
|successor = [[Shin Panthagu]]
|students = [[Shin Panthagu]]
| successor = [[Shin Panthagu]]
⚫
| students = [[Shin Panthagu]]
|website =
| website =
}}
}}
{{Buddhism}}
{{Buddhism}}


'''The Venerable [[Burmese honorifics|Shin]] Arahan''' ({{lang-my|ရှင်အရဟံ}} {{IPA-my|ʃɪ̀ɴ ʔəɹəhàɴ|}}; formally, '''Dhammadassī Mahāthera''', {{my|ဓမ္မဒဿီ မဟာထေရ်}} {{IPA-my|dəma̰dəθì məhàtʰḛi|}}; {{circa}} 1034 – 1115) was [[Thathanabaing of Burma ]] of the [[Pagan Kingdom]] from 1056 to 1115. The monk, a native of [[Thaton Kingdom]], was the religious adviser to four Pagan kings from [[Anawrahta]] to [[Alaungsithu]]. He is credited with converting Anawrahta to [[Theravada Buddhism]], and overseeing the subsequent reformation of the Buddhist school throughout the kingdom.<ref name=Coedes>{{cite book|last= Coedès|first= George|authorlink= George Coedès|editor= Walter F. Vella|others= trans.Susan Brown Cowing|title= The Indianized States of Southeast Asia|year= 1968|publisher= University of Hawaii Press|isbn= 978-0-8248-0368-1}}</ref>{{rp|149,156,166}} However, evidence strongly suggests that the Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan and early Pagan was one strongly influenced by Hinduism as compared to later more orthodox standards. Within 75 years of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the [[Mahavihara|Mahavihara school]] of [[Ceylon]] although his Conjeveram-Thaton school lasted 200 more years before finally dying out.
'''The Venerable [[Burmese honorifics|Shin]] Arahan''' ({{langx|my|ရှင်အရဟံ}} {{IPA-my|ʃɪ̀ɰ̃ ʔəjəhàɰ̃|}}; formally, '''Dhammadassī Mahāthera''', {{lang|my|ဓမ္မဒဿီ မဟာထေရ်}} {{IPA-my|dəma̰dəθì məhàtʰḛi|}}; {{circa}} 1034 – 1115) was [[Thathanabaing of Burma]] of the [[Pagan Kingdom]] from 1056 to 1115. The monk, a native of [[Thaton Kingdom]], was the religious adviser to four Pagan kings from [[Anawrahta]] to [[Alaungsithu]]. He is credited with converting Anawrahta to [[Theravada Buddhism]], and overseeing the subsequent reformation of the Buddhist school throughout the kingdom.<ref name=Coedes>{{cite book|last= Coedès|first= George|author-link= George Coedès|editor= Walter F. Vella|others= trans.Susan Brown Cowing|title= The Indianized States of Southeast Asia|year= 1968|publisher= University of Hawaii Press|isbn= 978-0-8248-0368-1}}</ref>{{rp|149,156,166}} However, evidence strongly suggests that the Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan and early Pagan was one strongly influenced by Hinduism as compared to later more orthodox standards. Within 75 years of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the [[Mahavihara|Mahavihara school]] of [[Ceylon]] although his Conjeveram-Thaton school lasted 200 more years before finally dying out.


Nonetheless, his conversion of Anawrahta is viewed as a key turning point in the history of Theravada Buddhism. The powerful king's embrace greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had hitherto been in retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia. The success of Pagan Empire made the Buddhist school's later spread in [[mainland Southeast Asia]] in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.
Nonetheless, his conversion of Anawrahta is viewed as a key turning point in the history of Theravada Buddhism. The powerful king's embrace greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had hitherto been in retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia. The success of Pagan Empire made the Buddhist school's later spread in [[mainland Southeast Asia]] in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.


==Biography==
==Biography==
''The story of Shin Arahan first appeared in the chronicle [[Maha Yazawin]] of 1724, and was repeated in the chronicle [[Hmannan Yazawin]] of 1832. Although some modern historians have vigorously questioned the accuracy of the story,<ref name=mat>{{cite book | title=The Mists of Ramanna | author=Michael Aung-Thwin | publisher=University of Hawaii Press | year=2005 | isbn=0-8248-2886-0 | page=291}}</ref><ref name=tt-24>{{cite book | author= Than Tun| title=Essays on the History and Buddhism of Burma | publisher=Kiscadale Publications | year=1988 | page=24}}</ref> most historians continue to accept the story as a genuine artifact of Burmese tradition.''<ref name=am>{{cite web | author=Avery Morrow | url=http://avery.morrow.name/studies/shin-arahan | title=Shin Arahan’s Legendary Sangha Purification | accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref>
''The story of Shin Arahan first appeared in the chronicle [[Maha Yazawin]] of 1724, and was repeated in the chronicle [[Hmannan Yazawin]] of 1832. Although some modern historians have vigorously questioned the accuracy of the story,<ref name=mat>{{cite book | title=The Mists of Ramanna | author=Michael Aung-Thwin | publisher=University of Hawaii Press | year=2005 | isbn=0-8248-2886-0 | page=291}}</ref><ref name=tt-24>{{cite book | author= Than Tun| title=Essays on the History and Buddhism of Burma | publisher=Kiscadale Publications | year=1988 | page=24}}</ref> most historians continue to accept the story as a genuine artifact of Burmese tradition.''<ref name=am>{{cite web | author=Avery Morrow | url=http://avery.morrow.name/studies/shin-arahan | title=Shin Arahan's Legendary Sangha Purification | accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref>


===Visit to Pagan===
===Visit to Pagan===
According to the tradition, Shin Arahan was a Theravada Buddhist monk from [[Thaton Kingdom]]. ''(His origins are unclear. The Burmese chronicles report that Shin Arahan was born of a Brahmin’s virgin wife. He is generally believed to be of [[Mon people|Mon]] descent<ref name="mha-32"/> though when asked, he did not say that he was Mon; instead he replied that he was of the race of Buddha and that he followed Buddha’s dhamma.)''<ref name=am/>
According to the tradition, Shin Arahan was a Theravada Buddhist monk from [[Thaton Kingdom]]. ''(His origins are unclear. The Burmese chronicles report that Shin Arahan was born of a Brahmin’s virgin wife. He is generally believed to be of [[Mon people|Mon]] descent<ref name="mha-32"/> though when asked, he did not say that he was Mon; instead he replied that he was of the race of Buddha and that he followed Buddha’s dhamma.)''<ref name=am/>


At 22, he left for the northern kingdom of [[Pagan Kingdom|Pagan]] because was dissatisfied with the decaying state of Theravada Buddhism, and an increasing influence of [[Hinduism]] at Thaton. The [[Mon people|Mon]] chronicles corroborate the story, hinting that King [[Manuha]] of Thaton was reprehensible for making a compromise with Hinduism.<ref name=mha-36>{{cite book | title=A History of Burma | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofburma00htin | url-access=registration | publisher=Cambridge University Press | location=New York and London | year=1967 | author=[[Htin Aung|Maung Htin Aung]] | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofburma00htin/page/36 36–37]}}</ref> At Pagan, the young monk met the king of Pagan, Anawrahta, and converted him to Theravada Buddhism from his native [[Ari Buddhism]]. The king had been dissatisfied with the state of Buddhism at Pagan. He considered the Ari monks, who ate evening meals, drank liquor, presided over animal sacrifices, and enjoyed a form of ''[[ius primae noctis]]'',<ref name=vbl-115>{{cite book | author=Victor B Lieberman | title= Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context, c. 800–1830, volume 1, Integration on the Mainland | year=2003 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | pages=115–116 | isbn=978-0-521-80496-7}}</ref> depraved.
At 22, he left for the northern kingdom of [[Pagan Kingdom|Pagan]] because was dissatisfied with the decaying state of Theravada Buddhism, and an increasing influence of [[Hinduism]] at Thaton. The [[Mon people|Mon]] chronicles corroborate the story, hinting that King [[Manuha]] of Thaton was reprehensible for making a compromise with Hinduism.<ref name=mha-36>{{cite book | title=A History of Burma | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofburma00htin | url-access=registration | publisher=Cambridge University Press | location=New York and London | year=1967 | author=Maung Htin Aung | author-link=Htin Aung | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofburma00htin/page/36 36–37]}}</ref> At Pagan, the young monk met the king of Pagan, Anawrahta, and converted him to Theravada Buddhism from his native [[Ari Buddhism]]. The king had been dissatisfied with the state of Buddhism at Pagan. He considered the Ari monks, who ate evening meals, drank liquor, presided over animal sacrifices, and enjoyed a form of ''[[ius primae noctis]]'',<ref name=vbl-115>{{cite book | author=Victor B Lieberman | title= Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context, c. 800–1830, volume 1, Integration on the Mainland | year=2003 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | pages=115–116 | isbn=978-0-521-80496-7}}</ref> depraved.


It turned out to be a perfect partnership. Shin Arahan found in Anawrahta a powerful monarch that could help implement his dream of purifying the religion. Anawrahta found in Theravada Buddhism, a substitute to break the power of the clergy, and in Shin Arahan, a guide who could help him accomplish it.<ref name=mha-32>Htin Aung, p. 32</ref>
It turned out to be a perfect partnership. Shin Arahan found in Anawrahta a powerful monarch that could help implement his dream of purifying the religion. Anawrahta found in Theravada Buddhism, a substitute to break the power of the clergy, and in Shin Arahan, a guide who could help him accomplish it.<ref name=mha-32>Htin Aung, p. 32</ref>
Line 49: Line 50:
Next, Shin Arahan, who deemed the Thaton Buddhism itself was impure, helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism by inviting Buddhist scholars from neighboring states to Pagan. Under his guidance, Anawrahta invited scholars from the Mon lands and [[Ceylon]], as well as India where Buddhist monks were fleeing the Muslim conquerors.<ref>Htin Aung, pp. 36–37</ref> The scholarship helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism.
Next, Shin Arahan, who deemed the Thaton Buddhism itself was impure, helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism by inviting Buddhist scholars from neighboring states to Pagan. Under his guidance, Anawrahta invited scholars from the Mon lands and [[Ceylon]], as well as India where Buddhist monks were fleeing the Muslim conquerors.<ref>Htin Aung, pp. 36–37</ref> The scholarship helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism.


He also oversaw the training of the [[Sangha (Buddhism)|sangha]] and founding of over a thousand monasteries across the kingdom in order to spread the religion. He traveled extensively across the kingdom, as far down as Tenasserim.<ref name="geh-26–27">Harvey, pp. 26–27</ref>
He also oversaw the training of the [[Sangha (Buddhism)|sangha]] and founding of over a thousand monasteries across the kingdom in order to spread the religion. He traveled extensively across the kingdom, as far down as [[Tanintharyi Region|Tenasserim]].<ref name="geh-26–27">Harvey, pp. 26–27</ref>


When his royal patron Anawrahta died in 1077, the reforms Shin Arahan helped initiate had been in place for some two decades. He stayed on as the religious adviser for the next three kings--[[Saw Lu]], [[Kyansittha]] and [[Alaungsithu]], and assisted in their coronation ceremonies.<ref name=geh-44/>
When his royal patron Anawrahta died in 1077, the reforms Shin Arahan helped initiate had been in place for some two decades. He stayed on as the religious adviser for the next three kings--[[Saw Lu]], [[Kyansittha]] and [[Alaungsithu]], and assisted in their coronation ceremonies.<ref name=geh-44/>


===Death===
===Death===
Shin Arahan died at age 80 (81st year) in 1115, during the reign [[Alaungsithu]] at Pagan. He was succeeded as primate by his student [[Shin Panthagu]].<ref>Harvey 1925: 46</ref> Shin Arahan [[prophecy]] will [[samsara]] next [[ millennium ]], as [[mon people|mon]] [[ethnographic group]] within [[ British rule in Burma ]] and [[Internal conflict in Myanmar]] period <ref>https://books.google.com.my/books?id=B4NocToiDNUC&pg=PA165#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>
Shin Arahan died at age 80 (81st year) in 1115, during the reign [[Alaungsithu]] at Pagan. He was succeeded as primate by his student [[Shin Panthagu]].<ref>Harvey 1925: 46</ref> Shin Arahan [[prophecy]] will [[samsara]] next [[millennium]], as [[mon people|mon]] [[ethnographic group]] within [[British rule in Burma]] and [[Internal conflict in Myanmar]] period<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B4NocToiDNUC&pg=PA165|title=Rethinking Visual Narratives from Asia: Intercultural and Comparative Perspectives|isbn=9789888139101|last1=Green|first1=Alexandra|date=January 2013}}</ref>


==Buddhism of Shin Arahan==
==Buddhism of Shin Arahan==
Line 61: Line 62:
Indeed, evidence for the reform attested to him cannot be found at Pagan. The evidence, if anything, points in the opposite direction. The monk advocated for a stronger link between Burmese Buddhism and the Hindu god [[Vishnu]].<ref>Htin Aung, p. 41</ref> The frescoes in of Nandaminnya Temple, which Shin Arahan dedicated, in Pagan are "patently Ari".<ref name=geh-26/> The full range of stories in Burmese cultural memory demonstrates that his reform was not so neat and tidy as the post-medieval narrative suggests. Burmese historian [[Than Tun]] writes: “Buddhism during the Buddha’s lifetime was in a sense pure, but as time went by it was modified to suit the time and place. Burma is no exception.”<ref>Than Tun, p. 23</ref>
Indeed, evidence for the reform attested to him cannot be found at Pagan. The evidence, if anything, points in the opposite direction. The monk advocated for a stronger link between Burmese Buddhism and the Hindu god [[Vishnu]].<ref>Htin Aung, p. 41</ref> The frescoes in of Nandaminnya Temple, which Shin Arahan dedicated, in Pagan are "patently Ari".<ref name=geh-26/> The full range of stories in Burmese cultural memory demonstrates that his reform was not so neat and tidy as the post-medieval narrative suggests. Burmese historian [[Than Tun]] writes: “Buddhism during the Buddha’s lifetime was in a sense pure, but as time went by it was modified to suit the time and place. Burma is no exception.”<ref>Than Tun, p. 23</ref>


Indeed, within the century of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the [[Mahavihara|Mahavihara school]] of [[Ceylon]], away from his Conjeveram-Thaton school.<ref name=dgeh>{{cite book |author=[[D.G.E. Hall]] |title=Burma |edition=3rd |year=1960 |publisher=Hutchinson University Library |page=23 |isbn=978-1-4067-3503-1}}</ref> (The Conjeveram school originated in [[Kanchipuram]], [[Tamil nadu]] in 5th century AD, based on the writings of monk [[Dhammapala]].<ref>Harvey, p. 7</ref>) By 1192, the Mahavihara school became the predominant school of Burmese Buddhism by the efforts of [[Shin Uttarajiva]].<ref>Harvey, pp. 55–56</ref> But Shin Arahan's order did not yield easily. The [[Schism (religion)|schism]] lasted two centuries before Shin Arahan's Conjeveram Buddhism finally died out.
Indeed, within the century of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the [[Mahavihara|Mahavihara school]] of [[Ceylon]], away from his Conjeveram-Thaton school.<ref name=dgeh>{{cite book |author=D.G.E. Hall |author-link=D.G.E. Hall |title=Burma |edition=3rd |year=1960 |publisher=Hutchinson University Library |page=23 |isbn=978-1-4067-3503-1}}</ref> (The Conjeveram school originated in [[Kanchipuram]], [[Tamil nadu]] in 5th century AD, based on the writings of monk [[Dhammapala]].<ref>Harvey, p. 7</ref>) By 1192, the Mahavihara school became the predominant school of Burmese Buddhism by the efforts of [[Shin Uttarajiva]].<ref>Harvey, pp. 55–56</ref> But Shin Arahan's order did not yield easily. The [[Schism (religion)|schism]] lasted two centuries before Shin Arahan's Conjeveram Buddhism finally died out.


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
The Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan might not be as pure as the Burmese cultural memory recalls but his legacy looms large in Burmese history nonetheless. His conversion of Anawrahta is seen as a key turning point. The powerful king's embrace of Theravada Buddhism greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had been retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia until then. In 1071, Ceylon, the birthplace of Theravada Buddhism, had to ask Pagan, which became Theravada only some 15 years earlier, for the religious texts because their war with the Hindu [[Chola]]s had wiped out the entire clergy base. In Southeast Asia, only Pagan was Theravadin. The other mainland power, [[Khmer Empire]], was Hindu. The patronage of Pagan Empire provided the Buddhist school with a safe shelter, and made its spread to Siam, Laos and Cambodia in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.
The Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan might not be as pure as the Burmese cultural memory recalls but his legacy looms large in Burmese history nonetheless. His conversion of Anawrahta is seen as a key turning point. The powerful king's embrace of Theravada Buddhism greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had been retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia until then. In 1071, Ceylon, the birthplace of Theravada Buddhism, had to ask Pagan, which became Theravada only some 15 years earlier, for the religious texts because their war with the Hindu [[Chola]]s had wiped out the entire clergy base. In Southeast Asia, only Pagan was Theravadin. The other mainland power, [[Khmer Empire]], was Hindu. The patronage of Pagan Empire provided the Buddhist school with a safe shelter, and made its spread to [[Siam]], [[Laos]] and [[Cambodia]] in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.


==References==
==References==
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{{S-rel|bu}}
{{S-rel|bu}}
{{S-bef|before=None}}
{{S-bef|before=None}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[ Thathanabaing of Burma ]] of [[Pagan Kingdom]]|years=1056–1115}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Thathanabaing of Burma]] of [[Pagan Kingdom]]|years=1056–1115}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Shin Panthagu]]}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Shin Panthagu]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{S-end}}


{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Buddhism topics}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Arahan, Shin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arahan, Shin}}
[[Category:1030 births]]
[[Category:1030s births]]
[[Category:1115 deaths]]
[[Category:1115 deaths]]
[[Category:Theravada Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Theravada Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Burmese Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Burmese Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Pagan dynasty]]
[[Category:Pagan dynasty]]
[[Category:Burmese people of Mon descent]]
[[Category:Burmese Mon people]]
[[Category:11th-century Burmese people]]
[[Category:12th-century Burmese people]]

Latest revision as of 22:47, 19 November 2024

In this Burmese name, Shin is an honorific, not a given name.
Shin Arahan
ရှင်အရဟံ
Mon: မှာထေရ်အရဟံ
Statue of Shin Arahan in Ananda Temple
TitleSayadaw
Personal
Bornc. 1034
Thaton
Died1115 (age 80)[1]
Pagan
ReligionBuddhism
NationalityBurmese
SchoolTheravada
LineageConjeveram-Thaton
Dharma namesDhammadassī
ဓမ္မဒဿီ
Mon: ဓမ္မဒဿဳ
OccupationBuddhist monk
Senior posting
Based inPagan
SuccessorShin Panthagu
Students
Part of a series on
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The Venerable Shin Arahan (Burmese: ရှင်အရဟံ [ʃɪ̀ɰ̃ ʔəjəhàɰ̃]; formally, Dhammadassī Mahāthera, ဓမ္မဒဿီ မဟာထေရ် [dəma̰dəθì məhàtʰḛi]; c. 1034 – 1115) was Thathanabaing of Burma of the Pagan Kingdom from 1056 to 1115. The monk, a native of Thaton Kingdom, was the religious adviser to four Pagan kings from Anawrahta to Alaungsithu. He is credited with converting Anawrahta to Theravada Buddhism, and overseeing the subsequent reformation of the Buddhist school throughout the kingdom.[2]: 149, 156, 166  However, evidence strongly suggests that the Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan and early Pagan was one strongly influenced by Hinduism as compared to later more orthodox standards. Within 75 years of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the Mahavihara school of Ceylon although his Conjeveram-Thaton school lasted 200 more years before finally dying out.

Nonetheless, his conversion of Anawrahta is viewed as a key turning point in the history of Theravada Buddhism. The powerful king's embrace greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had hitherto been in retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia. The success of Pagan Empire made the Buddhist school's later spread in mainland Southeast Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.

Biography

[edit]

The story of Shin Arahan first appeared in the chronicle Maha Yazawin of 1724, and was repeated in the chronicle Hmannan Yazawin of 1832. Although some modern historians have vigorously questioned the accuracy of the story,[3][4] most historians continue to accept the story as a genuine artifact of Burmese tradition.[5]

Visit to Pagan

[edit]

According to the tradition, Shin Arahan was a Theravada Buddhist monk from Thaton Kingdom. (His origins are unclear. The Burmese chronicles report that Shin Arahan was born of a Brahmin’s virgin wife. He is generally believed to be of Mon descent[6] though when asked, he did not say that he was Mon; instead he replied that he was of the race of Buddha and that he followed Buddha’s dhamma.)[5]

At 22, he left for the northern kingdom of Pagan because was dissatisfied with the decaying state of Theravada Buddhism, and an increasing influence of Hinduism at Thaton. The Mon chronicles corroborate the story, hinting that King Manuha of Thaton was reprehensible for making a compromise with Hinduism.[7] At Pagan, the young monk met the king of Pagan, Anawrahta, and converted him to Theravada Buddhism from his native Ari Buddhism. The king had been dissatisfied with the state of Buddhism at Pagan. He considered the Ari monks, who ate evening meals, drank liquor, presided over animal sacrifices, and enjoyed a form of ius primae noctis,[8] depraved.

It turned out to be a perfect partnership. Shin Arahan found in Anawrahta a powerful monarch that could help implement his dream of purifying the religion. Anawrahta found in Theravada Buddhism, a substitute to break the power of the clergy, and in Shin Arahan, a guide who could help him accomplish it.[6]

Reforms

[edit]

From 1056 onwards, Anawrahta, under Arahan's guidance, implemented a series of religious reforms throughout his kingdom. The reforms gained steam after Pagan's conquest of Thaton, which brought much needed scriptures and clergy from the vanquished kingdom. Shin Arahan housed the scriptures in the Tripitikataik library, which is still to be seen at Pagan.

Anawrahta broke the power of the Ari monks first by declaring that his court would no longer heed if people ceased to yield their children to the priests. Those who were in bondage of the priests gained freedom. Some of the monks simply disrobed or followed the new way. But the majority of the monks who had wielded power for so long would not go down easily. Anawrahta banished them in numbers; many of them fled to Popa Hill and the Shan Hills.[9] (However, the Aris did not die out. Their descendants, known as forest dwelling monks, remained a powerful force patronized by the royalty down to the Ava period in the 16th century. Likewise, the nat (spirit) worship continued down to the present day.)

Next, Shin Arahan, who deemed the Thaton Buddhism itself was impure, helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism by inviting Buddhist scholars from neighboring states to Pagan. Under his guidance, Anawrahta invited scholars from the Mon lands and Ceylon, as well as India where Buddhist monks were fleeing the Muslim conquerors.[10] The scholarship helped revitalize a more orthodox form of Theravada Buddhism.

He also oversaw the training of the sangha and founding of over a thousand monasteries across the kingdom in order to spread the religion. He traveled extensively across the kingdom, as far down as Tenasserim.[11]

When his royal patron Anawrahta died in 1077, the reforms Shin Arahan helped initiate had been in place for some two decades. He stayed on as the religious adviser for the next three kings--Saw Lu, Kyansittha and Alaungsithu, and assisted in their coronation ceremonies.[1]

Death

[edit]

Shin Arahan died at age 80 (81st year) in 1115, during the reign Alaungsithu at Pagan. He was succeeded as primate by his student Shin Panthagu.[12] Shin Arahan prophecy will samsara next millennium, as mon ethnographic group within British rule in Burma and Internal conflict in Myanmar period[13]

Buddhism of Shin Arahan

[edit]

Historians contend that even the reformed religion of Shin Arahan, Anawrahta and other Pagan kings was one still strongly influenced by Hinduism when compared to later more orthodox (18th and 19th century) standards. Tantric, Saivite, and Vaishnava elements enjoyed greater elite influence than they would later do, reflecting both the relative immaturity of early Burmese literacy culture and its indiscriminate receptivity to non-Burman traditions. Indeed, even today's Burmese Buddhism contains many animist, Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu elements.[8] They also question Shin Arahan's contribution to the reformation (purification) of the religion, raising doubt that the Buddhism of Thaton was more rigid than that in Pagan.[4]

Indeed, evidence for the reform attested to him cannot be found at Pagan. The evidence, if anything, points in the opposite direction. The monk advocated for a stronger link between Burmese Buddhism and the Hindu god Vishnu.[14] The frescoes in of Nandaminnya Temple, which Shin Arahan dedicated, in Pagan are "patently Ari".[9] The full range of stories in Burmese cultural memory demonstrates that his reform was not so neat and tidy as the post-medieval narrative suggests. Burmese historian Than Tun writes: “Buddhism during the Buddha’s lifetime was in a sense pure, but as time went by it was modified to suit the time and place. Burma is no exception.”[15]

Indeed, within the century of Shin Arahan's death, the Buddhism of Pagan would be realigned with the Mahavihara school of Ceylon, away from his Conjeveram-Thaton school.[16] (The Conjeveram school originated in Kanchipuram, Tamil nadu in 5th century AD, based on the writings of monk Dhammapala.[17]) By 1192, the Mahavihara school became the predominant school of Burmese Buddhism by the efforts of Shin Uttarajiva.[18] But Shin Arahan's order did not yield easily. The schism lasted two centuries before Shin Arahan's Conjeveram Buddhism finally died out.

Legacy

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The Theravada Buddhism of Shin Arahan might not be as pure as the Burmese cultural memory recalls but his legacy looms large in Burmese history nonetheless. His conversion of Anawrahta is seen as a key turning point. The powerful king's embrace of Theravada Buddhism greatly helped stabilize the Buddhist school, which had been retreat elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia until then. In 1071, Ceylon, the birthplace of Theravada Buddhism, had to ask Pagan, which became Theravada only some 15 years earlier, for the religious texts because their war with the Hindu Cholas had wiped out the entire clergy base. In Southeast Asia, only Pagan was Theravadin. The other mainland power, Khmer Empire, was Hindu. The patronage of Pagan Empire provided the Buddhist school with a safe shelter, and made its spread to Siam, Laos and Cambodia in the 13th and 14th centuries possible.

References

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  1. ^ a b GE Harvey (1925). History of Burma. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. pp. 44–45.
  2. ^ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
  3. ^ Michael Aung-Thwin (2005). The Mists of Ramanna. University of Hawaii Press. p. 291. ISBN 0-8248-2886-0.
  4. ^ a b Than Tun (1988). Essays on the History and Buddhism of Burma. Kiscadale Publications. p. 24.
  5. ^ a b Avery Morrow. "Shin Arahan's Legendary Sangha Purification". Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  6. ^ a b Htin Aung, p. 32
  7. ^ Maung Htin Aung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 36–37.
  8. ^ a b Victor B Lieberman (2003). Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context, c. 800–1830, volume 1, Integration on the Mainland. Cambridge University Press. pp. 115–116. ISBN 978-0-521-80496-7.
  9. ^ a b Harvey, p. 26
  10. ^ Htin Aung, pp. 36–37
  11. ^ Harvey, pp. 26–27
  12. ^ Harvey 1925: 46
  13. ^ Green, Alexandra (January 2013). Rethinking Visual Narratives from Asia: Intercultural and Comparative Perspectives. ISBN 9789888139101.
  14. ^ Htin Aung, p. 41
  15. ^ Than Tun, p. 23
  16. ^ D.G.E. Hall (1960). Burma (3rd ed.). Hutchinson University Library. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-4067-3503-1.
  17. ^ Harvey, p. 7
  18. ^ Harvey, pp. 55–56
Buddhist titles
Preceded by
None
 Thathanabaing of Burma of Pagan Kingdom
1056–1115 		Succeeded by
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