Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
All things possessed by a monk must be offered by the lay community. Upon ordina-
tion a new monk is typically offered a set of three robes (lower, inner and outer). Other
possessions a monk is permitted include a razor, a cup, a filter (for keeping insects out of
drinking water), an umbrella and an alms bowl.
In Myanmar, women who live the monastic life as
dasasila
('10- precept' nuns) are of-
ten called
thilashin
(possessor of morality) in Burmese. Nuns shave their heads, wear
pink robes and take vows in an ordination procedure similar to monks. Generally, nun-
hood isn't considered as 'prestigious' as monkhood, as nuns generally don't perform ce-
remonies on behalf of laypeople, and keep only 10 precepts - the same number observed
by male novices.
Bright red robes are usually reserved for novices under 15, darker colours for older, fully
ordained monks.
Temples & Monasteries
Paya (pa-
yah
), the most common Myanmar equivalent to the often misleading English
term 'pagoda', literally means 'holy one' and can refer to people, deities and places asso-
ciated with religion. Often it's a generic term covering a stupa, temple or shrine.
There are basically two kinds of paya: the solid, bell-shaped
zedi
and the hollow
square or rectangular
pahto
. A
zedi
or stupa is usually thought to contain 'relics' - either
objects taken from the Buddha himself (pieces of bone, teeth or hair) or certain holy ma-
terials.
The term
pahto
is sometimes translated as temple, though shrine would perhaps be
more accurate as priests or monks are not necessarily in attendance. Mon-style
pahto
,
with small windows and ground-level passageways, are also known as a
gu
or
ku
(from
the Pali-Sanskrit
guha,
meaning 'cave').
Both
zedi
and
pahto
are often associated with
kyaung
(Buddhist monasteries), also
called
kyaungtaik
and
hpongyi-kyaung
. The most important structure on the monastery
grounds is the
thein
(a consecrated hall where monastic ordinations are held). An open-
sided resthouse or
zayat
may be available for gatherings of laypeople during festivals or
pilgrimages.
