The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

plaques are in PALi. 1 More JAtaka plaques have been found on the lower parts of the
Shwe San Taw pagoda (1057 AD) in Pagan. 2 However, as a result of the renovation of
the pagoda, some of them have been covered over. More examples with inscriptions can
be found around the Shwezigon pagoda (Early 11 AD). 3 They were painted with Cint
but unfortunately nowadays some of them have been repainted in a way that has caused
damage to the earlier images. 4
The great ĀnandA Temple, in Pagan, built by Kyanzittha 5 (1084-1112 AD) is
famous for Burmese sculptures and paintings. Here in this temple, there are depictions
of JAtakas and other plaques, like, the life of the Buddha. In this, Mara, the lord of the
defilements with a number of retinues in various forms marching towards the Buddha is
also depicted. Plaques of Sakka, king of gods, Brahmas, gods and goddesses coming to
pay homage to the Buddha with various flowers and offerings in hands, would be
attractively seen not only on the lower but also on the upper parts of it. An inscription is
written on each of the plaques. In the upper parts, one plaque corresponds to one JAtaka
story, while for the last ten births, known as the great ten births, more plaques are
1
Bo Ke, Pagan Thu Te Tha Na Learn Nyun, p. 48.
2
Ibid. p. 49.
3
King Obhasa is said to have started this construction and left it unfinished and it was completed by
King Kyanzitta (1084-1113 AD).
4
Bo Ke, Pagan Thu Te Tha Na Learn Nyun, p. 49.
5 Kyanzittha did improve Buddhism a lot not only inside the country itself but also outside it. A Mon
inscription at the Shewsandaw Pagoda at Prome shows that Kyanzittha was the first king of Burma to
undertake the restoration of the Mahabodhi Temple at Buddhagaya, the most sacred place in the Buddhist
world, commemorating, as it does, the attainment of enlightenment by Gotama beneath the shade of its
holy tree. The inscription runs, “many persons from all the provinces came into his presence to attend
him” One of these was a Chola prince to whom he had written a pious message “concerning the grace of
the Jewel of the Lord, the Jewel of His law, and the Jewel of His Clergy, with Vermillion ink upon a leaf
of gold” Extensive maritime trade with Indo-China had been developed by the Chola dynasty in the
Carnatic. They also raided the Malay empire of Srivijaya. It has been suggested that the prince was the
ruler of a Tamil colony in the Delta region and that Anawratha’s conquest of the south had really been
undertaken to forestall a possible Chola invasion. These are mere guesses: there is no evidence that the
prince was none other than a traveller paying a social visit.
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