パガン, ピンヤ, インワ時代のビルマ人仏教徒の功徳

Abstract

Burmese chronicles give up an information that the religion of Burma has been Theravada Buddhism since King Anawrahta conquered Thaton, capital of the Mon Kingdom, in 1057. This information does not, however, coincide with any description of the Burmese inscriptions written in Pagan, Pinya and Ava periods. According to these inscriptions, the religion of Burma in those days was, no doubt, Theravada Buddhism descended from Ceylon. The Burman as the buddhist in those days manufactured Buddha's images with gold and silver, copied the Pali Canon, Tipitaka, built Pagodas and monasteries, and offered various dedications such as agricultural lands and human beings as the Pagoda slaves. In making such a religious offerings to Three Gems, the Lord Buddha, the Law and the Monk, donors expected to liberate from the fear of rebirth in Samsara, to attain Omniscience and to realize Nirvana. They prayed not only for themselves but also for others. This attitude of donors can be called Mahayanistic in theory. An inscription written in 1278 A. D. (pl. no. 289 of the Inscriptions of Burma compiled by U Pe Maung Tin and G. H. Luce) reveals the existence of the Sanskrit Vyakarana as well as the Pali Canon. Lokanatha (Avalokitesvara), one of the Mahayana Bodhisattva, was also worshipped by the Burman in those days. It is, therefore, evident that Mahayana sect of Buddhism had once been fairly powerful in Burma.