By Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Sithu Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt
CONTINUED FROM
YESTERDAY’S ARTICLE
The other evidence is as follows: -
Great King Asoka was very lavish in charity. He built 84,000 stupas and dug 84,000 wells and constructed 84,000 tanks among other works of religious merit. He promoted Buddhism by sending out Buddhist missionaries to the four corners of the world. One day he asked his guru monk Shin Moggaliputta whether he deserved to be the inheritor of Buddha Sasana. The guru monk replied that although the King’s religious givings were incomparably plenty he was only the contributor to the support of Buddhism and that only when he ordained his own offsprings would he become the inheritor of Buddha Sasana. On hearing that his son Prince Mahinda and daughter Princess Sanghamitta offered themselves up to their royal father for ordination.
In the time of Myanmar Kings, ordination in Waso was the great festive event of the month. The Hluttaw or the King’s Council arranged the ordination festival. It made a list of names of candidates to be ordained, names of donors who would bear the expenses of the ordination ceremony, names of persons who would support the ordained monks, and names of monasteries the ordained monks were to reside. At this ceremony, Byaw music was played. Byaw is a kind of drum. Byaw music is played on the occasion of religious charity. Byaw musicians were appointed by the King and were quartered in a separate village. The ordination festival of the Innwa Period was graphically described in the Lawka Byu Har In-Yone Sardan, a Treatise on Court Ceremonies and Festivals compiled by Minister Thiri Uzana of In-Yone as follows:
“First the list of candidates to be ordained was submitted to the Hluttaw. The Crown Prince, Senior Prince, Minister of Royal Granary, Ministers, Governor of town, Minister of Cavalry, Minister of Elephantry, Minister of Treasury, Minister of Gunnery, Minister of Artillery, Minister of the Palace Precincts, Minister of Royal, Shield, Minister of Justice, Junior Ministers, wealthy men etc. each took care of one candidate for ordination.”
“The Minister of Royal Treasury provided umbrellas and eight priestly utensils namely three pieces of the yellow robe, an alms bowl, a girdle, a short handle adz, a needle, and a water dipper. These were sent to the monasteries where the ordained monks would reside. An allotment of K 50/- for each candidate was issued from the Royal Treasury to bear the cost of celebrating the occasion at his house. On the 9th waning of Waso, candi dates for novitiation and ordination were dressed in fine clothes and in the early hours of that day they were taken to the Innwa Shwezigon Pagoda. They wore a gold-coloured headdress and gold chains provided by the Royal Treasury. They were carried on the palanquins in the ceremonial procession which included gunners, musicians, palanquins bearing Kamma Vaca or Plates of Scriptures to be recited at the ordination service, bearers of four ceremonial white umbrellas shading the Kamma Vaca, bearers of eight priestly utensils, bearers of betel boxes, tea containers, and water goblets and several other paraphernalia. After paying homage to the Pagoda the procession turned to the Palace. Except for the gunners, all entered the Palace City through the right Marabin Gate.”
“After making a round of the Palace podium they went up to the Northern Samok (Gatehouse in a palace) Building where the King was waiting with his Ministers and attendants. The royal drums were being struck to mark the occasion. The officer-in-charge of the ceremony submitted the list of Candidates to be ordained by reading it out to the King. His Majesty gave the candidates his exhortation as follows: -
“To have been born human is a rare opportunity.
To be literate and knowledgeable is a rare opportunity.
To have been born a human male during the period of Buddha Sasana is a rare opportunity and
To be an ordained monk is a rare opportunity.
“These five rare opportunities were pointed out by the Lord Buddha himself. You should therefore be aware that you have now got all these five rare opportunities. You should therefore strictly abide by Viinaya, the Priestly Disciplines, and faithfully follow the teachings of the Lord Buddha.”
“After delivering his words of admonition the King performed the libation ceremony by pouring out lustral water from the golden ewer. Then the royal drum was struck and religious music Byaw was played. The procession returned to the Shwezigon Pagoda and at the big rest house, the King’s admonition was read out in public. The procession then went on to the Sima or Ordination Hall where the candidates were formally ordained by the Chapters according to the prescribed procedure”.
The following is the account given in the Myanma Chronicle called Konbaung Set Maha Yazawin Vol.3 page 219 of the Ordination Ceremony performed in the time of King Mindon.
“... 500 candidates for the priesthood (Upasampada= Being ordained to monkhood) and 500 candidates for novice (Samenera) altogether one thousand were dressed up in fine clothes and were carried on the caparisoned elephants followed by a retinue of attendants lined up in procession. They went round in the Palace City and eventually stopped at the entrance of the pavilions set up on either side of the Mye Nan Taw Palace Buildings. In the pavilions were gathered 100 senior monks and eight priestly utensils for each of the 1,000 candidates about to be novitiated or ordained. Other offertories were artistically displayed in the pavilions. The candidates sat down respectfully in front of the monks. The Queen Mother entered the pavilions and performed the libation ceremony. Celebrations followed after it.”
“In the evening of that day, King Mindon, Chief Queen and the whole Court came out in state and made a ceremonial presentation of 1,000 candidates in the service of Buddha Sasana. The following day the King and Chief Queen offered rice to the novices and newly ordained monks.”
The festive atmosphere of Waso is created by devotees who come to the monasteries to watch with reverence and piety the performance of the Waso rite by the monks. They wear colourful garments and jewellery carrying candles, flowers, robes and other alms to be offered to the monks. These offertories came to be known as Waso candles, Waso flowers and Waso robes. Strictly speaking, the Waso robe is offered to the monk in the period between the first waxing day of Waso month and its full moon day both days inclusive. Waso robe is meant to be worn by a monk during Lent. Similar offertories may be presented to the Pagodas and Buddha statues. In the countryside, young people go out to the nearby woodlands to gather wild flowers and sprigs of Thabye, thus providing a merry social occasion for meeting between boys and girls. Folk music, song and dance accompany them if they come out in organised groups. On the fullmoon day and the day after it, shrines, pagodas, and monasteries are crowded with devotees doing works of religious merit.
In the days of Myanmar Kings twice in a year, homage was paid to the parents, elders, superiors, and teachers, namely at the beginning of Lent called “Wa Win (July) and at the end of Lent called “Wa Kyut” (October). On the first waning day of Waso, the King offered to the seven Buddha white umbrellas, prayer flags, prayer festoons, gold and silver flowers and flower vases. At the Hluttaw princes, ministers, high-ranking officers, men of wealth and position presented gold and silver bowls and silk clothes to the King and paid him homage. On the 5th waning, their wives paid homage to the King. At the monasteries, junior monks paid homage to senior monks. In towns and villages, the public paid homage to the Governor of the town and the village headman. At home, children paid homage to their parents, elders and teachers.
Waso traditions have long been maintained and observed by the Myanmar people. The mass media of today carry news and reports of Waso activities at the shrines, monasteries schools, colleges and universities.
