A Study of the Buddhist Architectural Works

of
Bagan Period (AD 1084-1113
1. Introduction
2. Spread of Buddhism in Myanmar
3. Introduction of Buddhism to Bagan
4. A Brief Account of Buddhist Architectural Works in Bagan
. !ing !yansittha" his #ife and Works for Buddhism
$. A Study of the Buddhist Architectural Works from !ing !yansittha%s &ime
'. Significance of the Buddhist Architectural Works from !ing !yansittha%s &ime
(. )onclusion" an *+er+ie,
-. .eferences
A Study of the Buddhist Architectural Works
of
Bagan Period (AD 1084-1113
&he study of the spread of Buddhism in Myanmar usually includes the cultural
aspects of Buddhism such as Buddhist literature/ Buddhist artefacts and Buddhist
architectural designs. &his 0eing so/ the aim of this dissertation is to study the
monumental Buddhist architectural ,orks in Myanmar. But e+en the pilgrimage of all
pagodas throughout the country is +irtually impossi0le/ let alone the study of them. So
the scope of this dissertation has 0een narro,ed do,n to the Buddhist architectural
,orks of Bagan 1eriod 2A3 11413 centuries5/ in ,hich !ing !yansittha/ Thiluin Man
as usually referred to 0y historians/ 0uilt religious edifices throughout his
administration 2A3 16(4411135.
3uring his t,enty4nine year4long reign/ !ing !yansittha is 0elie+ed to ha+e
0uilt the follo,ing ten Buddhist edifices" the Sh,e7igon 1agoda/ the !yaukgu )a+e/
the 0uilding near Mya !an 2the 8merald #ake5 at the foot of Mt. &uy,in/ the
1ahtothamya 1agoda/ the 9atlaungkyaung &emple 21antheon5/ the 1hyatsash,egu/
the 9agayon/ the A0eyadana/ the :u0yaukkyi and the famous Ananda &emple. &he
other pagodas and stupas associated ,ith his life4stories include the 9andange 2in
Sonkon/ Bagan5/ the Min4oh4chantha/ the Sh,esedi 2on the eastern ,alk,ay of the
Sh,e7igon5/ the &hetta,ya/ the &hetta,shay/ the Myinmimyintha, 2;5/ the
Minmya,ya7a/ the Sh,eyinmethan/ the Saungtangyi/ the <imana 2in &aung0i
+illage5/ the Wutle pagoda 2;5/ the 1asittouk pagoda/ the :u0yat/ the :u0isat/ the
Sh,ehtisaung/ the :u0yaukkyi 2near Wetkyi lake5/ the :uni 2on a hillock east of
9yaungu5/ and the 1yankyi pagoda. But scholars claim that the architectural designs
of the :u0yaukkyi 2near Wetkyi lake5/ the Alopyay/ the Myinpyagu 2Bagan =ill5 and
the &hiripyissaya 2Small )a+e 9o. 162$>41( 35 also 0elong to the time of !ing
!yansittha.
&his dissertation ,ill study the architectural designs of the a0o+e4mentioned
religious edifices in se+en parts.
&he first part is concerned ,ith the introduction of Buddhism to Myanmar/
relating the religious 0ackground of the time.
&he second part ,ill descri0e the spread of Buddhism in Bagan/ dra,ing on
the archeological sur+eys and the ,orks of historians.
&he third part ,ill discuss Buddhist architectural designs in general according
to their specific types.
In the fourth part/ !ing !yansittha%s life and religious achie+ements ,ill 0e
presented.
In the fifth part/ !ing !yansittha%s religious edifices ,ill 0e discussed
according to their architectural designs such as temples/ pagodas and ca+es.
&he si?th part aims to gauge and e+aluate the de+elopment of Buddhism in
!ing !yansittha%s time 0y looking at the distincti+e features of his religious edifices
against the ,orks of his predecessors.
&he dissertation concludes ,ith an o+er+ie, of the ,hole study in the se+enth
part.