I was invited to read and share comments on academia.edu paper / presentation Myanmar people’s belief system of the Shwedagon Pagoda by panhtwa myosein
My comment:
Learned a lot from this work, thanks. In the introduction I’m unclear on the meaning of “as well as the living in the view of reality.” Other questions: How are the relics enshrined inside the temple? How was the design chosen or conceived especially the portions distinguishing it from other stupas and pagodas in the country? What are the symbolic meanings/significance of each unique feature on the pagoda? Are there and/or were there places at the pagoda to meditate that are socially acceptable? Why or why not?
And a reply:
Hi! Please accept my late reply to my presentation.Your questions improve my knowledge. Thank you.
People are chanting, meditating at the Shwedagon pagoda; it is a freedom of religious practice on the social space at the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Myanmar.
Relics were excavated by labourers when building barracks on the site of an old pagoda east of the Shwedagon Pagoda in 1855 and is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
I would like to answer the meaning of reality – either living in what appears to be or living in an emptiness from the Buddha’s perspective. If you don’t accept both, it’s up to you.
For your other questions (I couldn’t spot what you want to know exactly – How was the design chosen or conceived, especially the portions distinguishing it from other stupas and pagodas in the country? What are the symbolic meanings/significance of each unique feature on the pagoda?
However, I can answer only that is – the design of Shwedagon Pagoda is unique and it includes an umbrella crown, banana bud and the belled-shape stupa is covered with over 20,000 gold bars.
Best Regards,
Pa Htwa
What’s also interesting is the pagoda’s massive public display of wealth:
- Shwedagon is very rich in one of the wonderful religious world. The belled-shape stupa is covered with over 20,000 gold bars.
- The top of the stupa is encrusted with approximately 5,500 diamonds, 2,300 rubies, 4,000 golden bells and other precious gemstones;
- At the very top of the crown, the diamond bud which is tipped with a 72 carat (15 g) diamond. The asset of its diamond crown is estimated at more than US$ 3 billion.
Now consider the Buddhist prohibition of public display of psychic powers, which if I remember right was instated after a monk levitated to the top of a pole in a contest to retrieve a sandalwood bowl
How might such displays of material and spiritual abundance factor into the the political situations in Myanmar Burma?
Somewhat related by mere means of its popularity, in regards to the coup situation in Myanmar Burma, even if it is heavy propaganda, why don’t Westerners seem to ever see and hear about any reasoning behind why the coup happened in popular corporate, governmental and social media?
Also, please see the subsection Another Shutdown from the prior post Another Buddhist forum post shutdown: (Buddhist) origin of tobacco and its relation to Native American use(?) to learn about my potential censorship surrounding Burma Myanmar related topics.
Integrating Presence 