The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

The history of Burmese Literature shows that, since the earliest time, from
period to period, its development has been mainly based on Jātakas. For example: in the
Pagan period, in the reign of king Alaung Sithu, 1112-1167 AD, there were some
inscriptions written in rhymed prose and verses. One such inscription on the wall of the
Shwegugyi Pagoda, contains the king’s prayer in Pāli verses. Pāli scholars have listed
them as a first class composition. 17 King Alaung Sithu was extremely inspired by the
generosity of Prince Vessantara, as shown in the second part of his prayer,
“Through many lives our world’s majestic Lord,
Summed all Perfections and observances;
The Home of endless pity then achieved
His self-denials five for all our weal;
Born as Vessantara he sought delight,
In doing good to men and aye excelled
In all the Ten Perfections passing thence
The Aye endowed was born in Tusita,
That city where in beauty and the ten
Additions he surpassed the other gods,
Who fro the myriad Universe came
Entreating, till he longed for Buddha-hood,” 18 (translated by Luce)
The Ava period (1364-1555 AD) was a highly developed time for literature in
Burma. The literati of this time included laymen and clergy from different classes such
as royalty, the nobility, the aristocracy, senior clergy and commoners. The newly
invented verse forms in this period were ‘Pyo’, ‘Aye Chin’, ‘Mawgun’, and ‘Myittasa’.
Pyo was the most popular among the numerous literary products of the Ava period.
Later this period was called “The period of Pyo”. Four monk poets of great fame who
appeared in the Inva period were 1. Shin Uttama Kyaw, 2. Shin Maha SIlavaMsa, 3.
Shin Ohn Nyo and 4. Shin KhemA. They were famous not only because of their literary
output, which was of high quality, but also because of their association with the “Divine
17
18
Khin Maung Nyunt, An Out line of History of Burma Literature, pp. 10-11.
Ibid.
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