Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
kalasa
decorative“nectarpots”,derivedfromIndianarchitectureandsometimesfoundadorningthecornersofstupa
terraces
kalpa
the current world cycle in Buddhist cosmology
karaweik
mythical bird; also known as the
karavika
kirthimukha
mythical ogre-like creature
KNLA
Karen National Liberation Army
Konagamana
the second of the five Buddhas of the present world cycle
kyaik
Mon temple
kyaung
monastery
kyi/gyi
suffix, meaning “big”
kyun
island
Lokanat
Burmese name for
Avalokitesvara
longyi
sarong-like garment worn by the majority of Burmese
Mahayana
thelaterandmoreeclectic ofthetwomainschoolsofBuddhism,centredonthecultoftheBoddhisattva
Maitreya
the future Buddha Maitreya is predicted to be the fifth and last of the five Buddhas of the current world
cycle
mi-gyaung/kyam
traditional crocodile-shaped, three-string Burmese zither
mudras
a series of canonical poses used in most visual representations of the Buddha
myo
town
naga
mythical serpent-like creature with divine powers (although can also refer to the Naga people living in north-
west Myanmar)
namaskara mudra
traditional Buddhist mudra showing the Buddha or other figure in the act of praying
nat
Burmese spirits
nat kadaw
nat
spirit medium
nat pwè
nat
festival
ngwe
silver
nibbana
nirvana
nikaya
monastic order
NLD
National League for Democracy
paccaya
terrace at base of stupa
pagoda
temple
pahto
temple (used mainly in Bagan in reference to “hollow” temples)
Pali
extinct Indian language in which most of Buddhism's oldest scriptures were first recorded - the Buddhist equi-
valent to Hebrew in Christianity or Sanskrit in Hinduism
palm leaf
used as an alternative to paper thanks to its greater durability in the tropics, with dried leaves bound to-
gether into long, narrow books
parinirvana mudra
traditional mudra showing the reclining Buddha at the moment of entering nirvana
paya
temple (literally, the Burmese word for “pagoda”)
