Shwezigon pagoda in Bagan
Shwezigon pagoda is located in Nyaung U area near the airport . And the pagoda was built in the place to be able to see from the Ayeyarwaddy river. King Anawrahta built Shwezigon pagoda in the east and Thantchitaung pagoda in the west to show his empire in the 11th century. Before king Anawrahta built the pagoda, he made the solemn wish. The king’s solemn wish is, "May the elephant kneel on the spot which is the good place to build the pagoda.” And then, the elephant knelt on the spot where the pagoda was built. The king built the pagoda enshrining Buddha's the collar bone relic in 1011 AD, but he could not finish building the pagoda. While he was building the pagoda, he was dead. Then, the successive king, Kyansittha, continued to finish building the pagoda. The pagoda is 16 feet high. Using the quarries from the Tuyin mountain, the king built the pagoda. The people who lived in Bagan carried the rocks passing them one another in the line to build the pagoda. According to the legend, the people believe that if the people in Bagan built one terrace in the day time, the celestial beings built two terraces in the night time to finish it in the short period because of the king’s power and miracle.
Shwezigon means the hilltop where the gold is piled up. In other words, the pagoda is called Zeyarbumi pagoda in Parli. It means the land of victory. King Anawrahta ruled the country from 1011 AD to 1044 AD. During his reign, he built many pagodas to worship and respect to the Buddha relics. The substructures of the pagodas and temples in Bagan is octagonal, pentagonal, square, rectangular and Greek- cross patterns. So, the visitors can see many different substructures in Bagan while they are visiting Bagan. Shwezigon pagoda is octagonal. It means it has eight corners. In the Buddhist religious buildings, the corners are very important. They have four corners and eight corners.
The pagoda platform has four entrances with standing Buddha statues. Some standing Buddhas are earlier Buddha statues and some standing Buddhas are later Buddha statues. The earlobes of earlier Buddha statues do not touch their shoulders and they have curly hairs. And they have even fingers. Especially, they were made between 11th and 12th centuries. But, the earlobes of later Buddha statues touch their shoulders and they do not have curly hairs. And they have uneven fingers. Especially, they were made during 12th and 13th centuries. There are glazed green plaques in circumference . In the glazed green plaques, Zataka stories of Buddha were demonstrated. Zataka stories of Buddha were depicted in the pagodas and temples to give the moral lessons to the children when they are visiting the pagodas and temples.
In the pagoda, you can see the money trees. Some surrounding pagodas were made in the form of the money trees. Buddhist people think they will have the money trees in the heaven. And they can get whatever they want from the money trees in the heaven after they die.
King Anawrahta built not only Shwezigon pagoda but also three other pagodas in the respective places using the replica relics. They are Shwezingon, Lawkanada, the Tuyin mountain pagoda and the Tatchi mountain pagoda. Myanmar people believe if one visits all four pagodas in one day, they cannot go to the hell. There are many bells in the pagoda compound. Among them, the bell cast by King Bayintnaung is famous. He inscribed about his donation for the pagoda around the bell in the 16th century. And there is a demonstration that King Siddhahta renounced the world to become the monk in the prayer hall opposite from the entrance. After seeing four omens , Buddha-to-be was afraid of the circle of life. So, he decide to go to the forest to become a monk. The significance of the pagoda is that it is the prototype of later Burmese pagodas. And the powerful king built the pagoda. Mostly, the pagodas have relics. The pagodas with relics are more sacred buildings rather than the pagodas which do not have relics. But, the temples do not have Buddha relics.
Shwezigon means the hilltop where the gold is piled up. In other words, the pagoda is called Zeyarbumi pagoda in Parli. It means the land of victory. King Anawrahta ruled the country from 1011 AD to 1044 AD. During his reign, he built many pagodas to worship and respect to the Buddha relics. The substructures of the pagodas and temples in Bagan is octagonal, pentagonal, square, rectangular and Greek- cross patterns. So, the visitors can see many different substructures in Bagan while they are visiting Bagan. Shwezigon pagoda is octagonal. It means it has eight corners. In the Buddhist religious buildings, the corners are very important. They have four corners and eight corners.
The pagoda platform has four entrances with standing Buddha statues. Some standing Buddhas are earlier Buddha statues and some standing Buddhas are later Buddha statues. The earlobes of earlier Buddha statues do not touch their shoulders and they have curly hairs. And they have even fingers. Especially, they were made between 11th and 12th centuries. But, the earlobes of later Buddha statues touch their shoulders and they do not have curly hairs. And they have uneven fingers. Especially, they were made during 12th and 13th centuries. There are glazed green plaques in circumference . In the glazed green plaques, Zataka stories of Buddha were demonstrated. Zataka stories of Buddha were depicted in the pagodas and temples to give the moral lessons to the children when they are visiting the pagodas and temples.
In the pagoda, you can see the money trees. Some surrounding pagodas were made in the form of the money trees. Buddhist people think they will have the money trees in the heaven. And they can get whatever they want from the money trees in the heaven after they die.
King Anawrahta built not only Shwezigon pagoda but also three other pagodas in the respective places using the replica relics. They are Shwezingon, Lawkanada, the Tuyin mountain pagoda and the Tatchi mountain pagoda. Myanmar people believe if one visits all four pagodas in one day, they cannot go to the hell. There are many bells in the pagoda compound. Among them, the bell cast by King Bayintnaung is famous. He inscribed about his donation for the pagoda around the bell in the 16th century. And there is a demonstration that King Siddhahta renounced the world to become the monk in the prayer hall opposite from the entrance. After seeing four omens , Buddha-to-be was afraid of the circle of life. So, he decide to go to the forest to become a monk. The significance of the pagoda is that it is the prototype of later Burmese pagodas. And the powerful king built the pagoda. Mostly, the pagodas have relics. The pagodas with relics are more sacred buildings rather than the pagodas which do not have relics. But, the temples do not have Buddha relics.
Shwezigon pagoda in Bagan
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