Arakan
(or Rakhine,
Arakanese language)
the
in
three
Bengal coast.
Burma
propagation
Indian
Because of
Asia.
(c.
of
this
occupying
the region
Situated
proper,
is
culture,
as
historically
and religion
art,
throughout
geographic position,
critical
vital
Arakan's
Southeast
has
history
been intertwined with both the fortunes of the Hindu and the Muslim
dynasties of eastern India and those of the
The
historic
prowess
military
kings:
boundaries
of
and administrative
time of greatness,
in
the
of
abilities
Kingdom
the
of Arakan
Arakanese
various
extended even to
Chittagong (well into Bengal), and encompassed about twice the territory
of the present Burmese state of Arakan.
Raksha
uncertain origin.)
as
the
Mros
orbilu
The
hilly
and
Saks,
from
the
followed
fifty
by
whom
make much of
Gangetic
some
negrito
aborigines
Khamis,
Chins,
remain to
this
day
of
tribals
such
Daignets
and
in
the
more
areas of Arakan.
local chronicles
peoples
to
possibly,
(referring,
inhabitants
earliest
in
the
Plain,
the
coming
and the
foothills
to
Arakan of Indo-Aryan
founding
of
the
cities
of
10
If
Mahamuni legend
the
Sappadadamapakarana
particularly
long
related
as
is
in
the
manuscript
ancient
history
Arakan:
in
(the
Buddhism has
according
these
to
a.
tales,
first
entitle*
visit
reality,
until
But
Sappadadamapakarana,
in
hundred rahans
from
skies
the
India,
preach
to
and
court
his
all
Pali
sermon
great
visit
Kyautaw
on
was a
great success:
subjects
faith.
Hill
the King,
the
to
to
(near
new
allow an
made
and goodness of
help
from
the
under the
gods,
was
it
close
the
famous for
With
teachings.
Buddha's
finished,
to
his
supervision.
statue
the
bronze
sacred
image
image was
the
After
cast
with
This
of Dhanyadi
inhabitants
personal
installed
city.
its
the
site
became
a major religious
centre for
capitals
Sri
Arakan
with
image,
considered
Pagan and
Ksettra,
the
expressed
by
the
Pegu
intention
Arakanese
carrying
being
the
off
Mahamuni
the
palladium
of
their
Many
forty
traditional
ancient
history
palm-leaf
of
appears,
corresponding
Lankan
Mahavamsa
Arakan
to
the
manuscripts
the
area
still
place-name
of
greater
extant
relating
the
"Mahimsakamandala"
Arakan.
In
Sassanavamsa
both
are
the
found
11
references
the
to
The
later copper-plate
inscriptions
575
AD
the
king
??) recording
solemn
in
towards
devotion
Buddha"
the
further
constitute
Burma,
to
We
not to Lanka).
if
also
on the Vesali
inscription
of Mrauk-U,
the
last
now
pillar
preserved
of Arakan
capital
Sanskrit
the
indicators:
the
at
"Ananda Candra"
Shitthaung temple
AD), and
centuries
(15th- 18th
Dhanyawadi,
kings
as well
as
Ananda Candra of
If
to
of
have
Vesali.
we
lending
to
King Candradaya of
good", and "the
"the
as
pillar
Vesali
end of
the
the
The
of
use
in
affiliation,
in
list
these
suggests
two epithets
particular
Arakan by the
believed to have
A.D.
2nd century
come
Arakan
to
Buddhism
However,
at a considerably
is
would seem
it
about 370
that
Dhanyawadi was
AD, followed by
inner
officials
moated
resided.
city
capital
Shitthaung
of Arakan
until
an
the
strongly
earlier date:
Buddhist
royal
two
surrounding
cities
palace
site
where
cultivated
rice
and
royalty
within
the
two
Remains of stone
tide
steps
cities,
trading
port:
according to the
the
city.
Vesali
chronicles
"as
may be
miles.
seen at low
many
as
thousand
12
annually".
Numerous Brahmanical
city
On some
site.
silver coins
coins
there
in
is
Stone statues from both the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon, dating as far
back as the
fifth
Dhanyawadi and
clearly
Buddhism (possibly of
ancient
Arakan.
carried
out
Vesali.
Better
It
Mahayana
the
evidence
and planned
Dhanyadi and
evident.
by
would appear
lineage)
should
Burma's
Indian
arise
work,
that
existed
from
Department
Hinduism and
side
by side
excavations
of
and
Pala
in
being
Archaeology
at
Vesali,
reported.
In the middle of B.C.
great
Buddhist
missionary
Buddhism
order,
Mahavihara
3rd century 1
gained
the
Buddhist centre
status
was
(29-17
built
state
well-established
B.C.) 3
of
century
in
Lanka:
religion
at
later,
in
short
there.
The
Anuradhapura
Vattagamini
by
Abbaya
the
By
the close
of the
first
events in Anuradhapura:
the
from 43
the Buddhist
In
29 B.C., and
to
B.C.,
13
Mahaculika
was ruled by
city
Mahatissa
five
was
succeeded
into hiding.
by
Vattagamini
Abhaya's son, Coranaga. Coranga was hostile to Buddhism and destroyed
eighteen viharas,
shelter earlier
when he was
During
this
popularly
era
known
as
the
and
monks whom
deserted,
Mahathupa
even
the
Mahavihara was
abandoned
Many monks
spiritually
to
left
the
jungle
and the
devastated.^
13
monks perceived
Sinhalese
Elder
Buddhism
of
future
the
that
was
and
tragic
to
murderous
pupil
Attempting
period.
preserve
safely
to
the
under
Matale
patronage of the
the
the
(in
assembled
commited
history,
chief
local
to
Aluvihara
at
at
time in Lankan
first
the full commentaries, in order that the True Doctrine might endure. &
In the
A.D.
which
had
century,
first
Mahavihara.
Later,
the
separated
from
eventually
became
According
been
under
united
Dhammaruci
Mahavihara
and
founded
201-221), 8
(A.D.
Jetavana
Vihara
the
group)
which
vihara,
Sri
A.DJ
Lanka
Sri
religious
Arakanese
twelve
Nanasiridhipati
of
influence
the
Mahayana-oriented.
Sangha,
the
in
Abhayagiri
(the
sect
Arakanese Chronicles,
the
to
had
then
till
began to show up
dissension
monks
missionaries,
as
by
led
after
According
with
to the
valuable
seeking
Culavamsa, Vijayabahu
gifts
assistance
to
Anirudda,
against
the
king
Cola invaders.
(A.D.
Ramanyadesa
of
(Pagan),
K.L.Hazra
flourishing
1057
says,
"during
condition
in
Pagan marks
by
time,
this
Buddhism
Theravada
was
landmark
in
Burmese
history,
in
in
A.D.
and Pagan
According
the
to
Arakanese
Chronicles,
Kingdom
the
Sri
Lankan sources
are
silent
on
this
this
matter.
of
Arakan
same period,
But Arakanese
Lanka,
delegation
during
sent
by
the
reign
Datharaja
of
Datharaja
was
(A.D.
comprised
twenty-seven
of
1123- 1139). 10
The
monks,
14
The
1
Polonnaruva
157)
of
inscription
Velaikkaras
the
reign of Vijayabahu
the
Arumana.
from
Arumana
(According
who had
established
his
1 1
86).
capital
consideredas
be
K.L.Hazra,
"during
Sassanavamsa and
dark
chapter
this
period
Dhamma,
Age
Golden
beginning
of
cooperation
indicates
of
religious
Mrauk-u,
or
can
According to
history.
sources
such
the
as
betweeen
close
Arakan
political,
from
was
century,
and
Lanka.
Sri
cultural
between
contact
political
extending
seventeenth
the
the
(1153-
and Parakramabahu
Burmese
neither
36
of
delegation
Parakramabahu
to
Lankan
Sri
in
sent
Burma". ^
Lanka and
chronicles,
The
Parein)
at
Arakanese
the
to
in
I,
delegates
Later,
1137-
(A.D.
Lanka during
Sri
in
stone
the
also
fifteenth
high
to
of
evidence
then
ties
the
point
Considerable
and religious
Sri
existing
delegation
manuscript,
to
Lanka led by
the
intercourse
sixteenth
century
Culavamsa,
A.D.
in Sri
Suchinformation
the
is
An
Siddharta.
ola
leaf
Rakkhangapura^
Sulupujavaliya and
the
Ven.
the
corroborated
Narendra
by
Caritavaloka
the
Pradi
Pikava.
In
the
reign of Mon-raza-Gri,
Mrauk-u,
and
monks under
Lanka.
On
campaign
return,
in
leadership
the
there
arrival
of
the
in
Arakanese
of the Ven.
Sangha
(Upasampada)
at
In the reign of
Vimaladhamma Surya
was
in
sent
sent
twenty
arrived
at
Buddhists
and
conducted
a reformation
the
Ordination
Udaku-khepa sima.
king
gifts
Buddhist
the
to
to
Rakhangapura,
(A.D.
restore the
specifically
inviting
the
Arakanese
15
that his
period was
(This
figure so well-known
characterized by
set-back
serious
Buddhism
to
in
was depopulated by
ruled in
He
Arakan.
(1621-1631) 1
Min-khaung-raza
King
thereafter,
Shortly
to
be
sent
on
The Kings of
Sri
Tejosara missions.
religious
of
records
the
Sassanavamsa each
intercourse
II's
Sri
reign.
Lanka during
to the
arrival
Surya
II
seeking
religious
assistance,
Arakanese
the
Vimaladhamma
king
Maruppya
Of
Lanka
in
1696.^0
Sri
to the
Lankans as a
and the
Ven.
upasampada
Nandicakka
ordination
himself
Sri
monks.
many
in
in
the
udakkhepasima
A.D. 1696. 21
Several
(ordination
members of
hall)
at
the royal
16
Arakan and
recording
Sri
religious
at
intercourse
Kadedora Vihara
in
between
Gannave
Korale,
Mahatheras.
and Arakan
Buddhism
had been
in
ceremonies
W.
Lanka,
Sri
to
the
specifically
in
the
performance
of religious
Dipavamsa
critical
vol.vii, p. 18 and, p.
39-54.& Mahavamsa
vol.v,
p. 195.
Mahavamsa
xxxiii, p. 18.
4 W.Rahula,
op.cit. p.85
5
Vibhanga
Atthagatha,
Mahavamsa
7
8
xxxiii,
p.100-101
Rakhaing Magazine,
Rakhaing-prene
314-318.& Annguttara
p.
vol.
iv,
Phritsaing
&
11
akhaing-prene
Rakhaing
Magazine,
12 Epigraphia
Ashin
Buddhism
vol.
in
Thamaing Hmd,
vol.iv,
Indica, xviii,
Dipavamsa ,xx,p.45.
Thamaing Hmd,
Phritsaing
Atthakarathd, p.52.
1977, p. 132.
9 K.L.Hazra,
History of Theravada
10
Nikdya
1977, p.
1984, p.
i,
120.
1984, p. 120.
132,
1925, p.133.
14
15
cit.,vol.ii,1931,
vol.i,
1931, p. 347.
p.31.
16 Journal
of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol.ii,
17 Rakkhangapura
means
Q
8
19
Rakhaing-prene
Culavamsa,
20 Rakhaing
21
Magazine,
Culavamsa, xciv,
"Arakan"
Phritsaing
xciv, p. 15-16
&
vol.iv,
Thamaing Hmd,
Sassanavamsa,
vol.
i,
1984, p. 124.
p. 27.
1977, p. 133.
p. 15.
22 Journal
of the Ceylon Branch of /MS.vol.ii,
23 Culavamsa,
xciv, p. 15.
p. 82.
1952, p.
157.
1952.