FACETS OF LIFE AT SHWEDAGON PAGODA
by Khin Myo Chit
Of the many things that intrigue the visitor to the precincts of the
Shwedagon Pagoda, nothing is so baffling and complicated as the
figurines of mythical animals, each perched on its red signboard at the
eight points of the compass.
Keeping the great stupa on the right, the visitor starts at the
northeast comer, where the figure of the mythical garuna bird
represents the sun, the ruling celestial body on Sunday. The unwary
visitor probably does not have an inkling that he or she is being taken
on a tour through the planetary regions, at least not yet.
A well-meaning friend may tell the visitor that the days of the week
are assigned respectively to each point of the compass, each with its
ruling planet or celestial body and its mythical symbol.
"But there are only seven days in the week. One point of the compass
will be vacant," the visitor ventures to comment; of course has not
taken into account Myanmar ingenuity in taking liberties with the days
of the week. The midweek day, Wednesday, is split into two parts so
that the distribution is even.
"Well, so far so good," muses the visitor, as he walks following the
sequence of days. First comes the east, or Monday, comer with its
ruling sign of the moon and the tiger as its mythical symbol. Southeast
is the Tuesday comer with the planet Mars and the symbol of the lion.
South is the Wednesday morning comer with planet Mercury and the symbol
of an elephant with tusks.
By this time, the visitor's mind is already conditioned to expect the
next comer, the southwest, to stand for Wednesday afternoon. So the
visitor will be surprised to learn that the southwest comer is the
Saturday comer, with its planets, Saturn and its mythical symbol, a
fire-breathing dragon.
From there on more inconsistencies follow. The next point, west, is the
Thursday comer; its planet is Jupiter and its symbol is the mouse. The
northwest comer belongs to Wednesday afternoon with its planet, Rahu
(an idiosyncrasy of Myanma astrology), and its symbol, an elephant
without tusks. The last point, north, is the Friday corner with its
planet, Venus and its symbol, the guinea pig.
The only thing that seems to make sense is that Myanmar Buddhists go to
pray at the comer assigned to the day of their birth. As Shway Yoe says
in his book The Burman: His Life and Notions: "A Bumman's birthday
occurs once a week." When a Myanmar says 's birthday", he means the day
of the week on which he was born.
It is quite impossible for a Myanmar to survive without knowing on
which day of the week he or she was born or, as the Myanmar says, "what-
day-born" one is. Without this basic information, a Myanmar would not
know which point of the compass on the pagoda platform to go to for
prayer. Important decisions in life, like choosing a spouse, a best
friend or a business partner, are made based on "birthday" information.
Without this knowledge, one would not even know on which day
of the week to have a haircut or to shampoo one's hair.
This last is no exaggeration. Shway Yoe says: "There are regulations as
to the days proper for washing one's head you must remember it is
unlucky to wash your head on a Monday or a Friday or a birth day. In
the same way, parents sending their boy to the monastery must remember
not to cut his hair on a Monday, a Friday or his birthday. A Bumman's
birth day, it must not be forgotten, occurs once a week."
As for choosing spouses and friends and business partners, there are
sets of rhymes that are supposed to be repositories of ancient wisdom.
Here is an example:
Friday's daughter
It means that Monday and Friday are hostile pairs, even if it is a
Friday son and Monday daughter. There is also a saying that a Wednesday
and Saturday couple will never know hunger "even if they are a couple
of lunatics".
Now, to go back to the pagoda platform. the bemused visitor wonders why
there are more pilgrims on the southwest than elsewhere; perhaps there
is a higher percentage of Saturday-born here among the Myanmars? One
can hardly blame the visitor if he or she begins to think in that way:
The explanation is simple (to the Myanmar). The planet ruling Saturday
is Saturn, a powerful one, and it can bode evil to the person whose
horoscope comes under its influence, which often happens when the
planets go around in their orbits. What this means in practice is that
when an astrologer reads a horoscope and sees Saturn in this situation,
the person concerned must go and make an offering at the southwest
comer. This piece of information is often couched in astrological
terms, together with predictions, propitiation rites, traditional
beliefs and superstitions.
The visitor by this time must be lost in this labyrinth, and this is
where the present writer humbly begs to come in and help. The writer
has perhaps foolishly rushed in where wise men keep their distance.
Let me begin with a somewhat trite statement. Visits to pagodas are
important to Myanmar Buddhists. The guiding force is faith in the
efficacy of one's own karmic deeds. For example, contemplation of the
infinite compassion of Buddha, as one makes one's way to Shwedagon's
great stupa, is a good karmic deed.
Thus merit is gained even before one gets to the pagoda. On the pagoda
platform, offerings of flowers and candles are made in honor of the
stupa where the 16 relics of Buddha are enshrined. Donations are also
given for the upkeep of the stupa. All these add up to the meritorious
deeds that give one strength in facing life's problems.
Along with this Buddhist way of life and thought there exist many
traditional beliefs, tribal customs and ancient rites. Buddhism is
tolerant of traditional customs so long as they do not clash with basic
Buddhist teachings. So it is possible for a person to be a good
Buddhist without severing himself from his animistic roots.
A Myanmar Buddhist's life is rather mixed up. One goes to the pagoda
not only to take refuge in Buddha and his teaching, but also to spread
good-will and loving kindness to fellow beings who are on different
planes of existence. There are nats, a term that embraces all beings of
the spirit world, high and low, good and not so good, sharing the same
range of qualities as people in the human world. Many of the nats
are represented on the pagoda precincts in paintings and sculptures.
A Myanmar Buddhist goes to the pagoda and performs deeds of merit not
only for himself but also to share the merit with other fellow beings,
both nats and humans. Making offerings at certain comers is a means to
enhance the good deed.
Sometimes the pilgrim is guided by a professional astrologer as to
which comer he should go to for making his offerings; more often he has
the basic knowledge of his horoscope, that is, the day of the week on
which he was born. This is usually good enough if there are no urgent
problems. If, however, there are particular problems, there are special
corners at which to make offerings, and the advice of a professional
astrologer may be needed. But the basic principles are easy to
learn. The first thing to know is how the days of the week and the
planets are assigned to the points of the compass, and, of course, the
day of the week on which one was born.
Now let's look at a chart of the week-days and planets.
Following this system of counting, one can draw charts for anyone born
on any day of the week.
As the chart shows, the "birthday" comer is the one for honor and
position. One goes there for all general purposes, as well as when one
is trying to get a position or promotion in one's career. The
inauspicious comer is usually a comer to avoid, and in fact this
direction is useful in places other than the pagoda platform. For
example, when a Sunday-born is beset with ill luck he will throw his
old shoes and lags to the south of his abode.
Special corners counted from the "birthday" corner and their purpose
may be listed as follows.
The next one is a chart combining the eight-weekday system: the
cardinal point, the celestial body, and the animal sign. Counting clock-
wise start from the day of birth as follows:
Following this system of counting, one can draw charts for anyone born
on any day of the week. For a Sunday-born the chart will be like the
last one shown.
It is also important not to lose one's bearings, and one should always
know the points of the compass wherever one is, even on a train.
Myanmar peasants always know where they are, and what is more, they are
often appalled by the backwardness of urbanites who speak in terms
of "left and right" and not the points of the compass. Once, on a local
train on a trip to my hometown in the provinces, I had the odd
experience of being told '; You want to go to the toilet? It's down
west. Go west, then turn south."
To the Myanmar, the days of the week are important-and points of
direction more so. Without this basic knowledge, visits to the pagoda
are no longer meaningful. And it is always a marvel how beautifully
things work out when one acts according to the guiding chart.
Professional aspirations can be achieved, love affairs put
right, marriages saved and, above all, a sense of security and peace of
mind will be maintained.
When Myanmar Buddhists go to the pagoda, they know in their hearts that
they are treading the noble path to that state where the best of human
nature will have a fair chance to manifest it self in deeds of
generosity, loving kindness and compassion for one's fellow beings.
The pilgrim, on his way up the steps of the pagoda, buys flowers,
candles, coloured flags and streamers. They are to be offered in honour
of the great stupa wherein are enshrined the relics of Buddha. this act
is the act of dhana, or giving, an important aspect of Buddhist
teaching. The donation boxes around the pagoda receive offerings large
and small, given to the pagoda for general purposes. All donations are
voluntary, from the smallest coin put into the box to the priceless
jewels hung on the top of the pagoda. No fees are ever requested at
pagoda for use of the lifts or for the minding of footwear. The pilgrim
can- make whatever donation he chooses and may even make none if he
wishes.
For the Myanmar Buddhist to go to the pagoda is to rejoice: to rejoice
in the good deeds of others and in one's own good fortune to be able to
do good deeds. I only pray that this little piece of writing will give
rejoicing to others.
With the help of the basic directional chart and the special chart
drawn for the subject of the horoscope, anyone can determine which
directions are auspicious for what purpose. It is, of course, essential
to know the day of the week on which one was born.
It is also important not to lose one's bearings, and one should always
know the points of the compass wherever one is, even on a train.
Myanmar peasants always know where they are, and what is more, they are
often appalled by the backwardness of urbanites who speak in terms
of "left and right" and not the points of the compass. Once, on a local
train on a trip to my hometown in the provinces, I had the odd
experience of being told ';You want to go to the toilet? It's down
west. Go west, then turn south."
To the Myanmar, the days of the week are important-and points of
direction more so. Without this basic knowledge, visits to the pagoda
are no longer meaningful. And it is always a marvel how beautifully
things work out when one acts according to the guiding chart.
Professional aspirations can be achieved, love affairs put
right, marriages saved and, above all, a sense of security and peace of
mind will be maintained.
When Myanmar Buddhists go to the pagoda, they know in their hearts that
they are treading the noble path to that state where the best of human
nature will have a fair chance to manifest it self in deeds of
generosity, loving kindness and compassion for one's fellow beings.
The pilgrim, on his way up the steps of the pagoda, buys flowers,
candles, coloured flags and streamers. They are to be offered in honour
of the great stupa wherein are enshrined the relics of Buddha. this act
is the act of dhana, or giving, an important aspect of Buddhist
teaching. The donation boxes around the pagoda receive offerings large
and small, given to the pagoda for general purposes. All donations are
voluntary, from the smallest coin put into the box to the priceless
jewels hung on the top of the pagoda. No fees are ever requested at
pagoda for use of the lifts or for the minding of footwear. The pilgrim
can make whatever donation he chooses and may even make none if he
wishes.
For the Myanmar Buddhist to go to the pagoda is to rejoice: to rejoice
in the good deeds of others and in one's own good fortune to be able to
do good deeds. I only pray that this little piece of writing will give
rejoicing to others.
Khin Myo Chit
Didn't oughter
Marry a Monday's son.
Northeast
Sunday
SUN
Garuna
North
Friday
VENUS
Guinea pig
Northwest
Wednesday afternoon
RAHU
Tuskless
elephant
West
Thursday
JUPITER
Mouse
East
Monday
MOON
Tiger
Southeast
Tuesday
MARS
Lion
South
Wednesday morning
MERCURY
Tusked elephant
Southwest
Saturday
SATURN
Dragon
Northeast
Sunday
Honor and Position
East
Monday
Longevity
Southeast
Tuesday
Kingdom
North
Friday
Grace and Splendour
Northwest
Wednesday afternoon
Permanence
South
Wednesday morning
Inauspiciousness
West
Thursday
Power and Glory
Southwest
Saturday
Wealth
