Page 388 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

386 CONTEXTS Burmese Buddhism and traditional Beliefs
Theravada Buddhism
Myanmar follows the Theravada (the “Law of the Elders”) school of Buddhism, the
older and more conservative version of the religion, which also predominates in Sri
Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos (in contrast to the later and more eclectic
Mahayana Buddhism followed in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere). As the
older of the two main schools, Theravada claims to embody the Buddha’s teachings in
their original form. These teachings emphasize that all individuals are responsible for
their own spiritual welfare, and that any person who wishes to achieve enlightenment
must pursue the same path trodden by the Buddha himself, giving up worldly concerns
and developing spiritual attainments through meditation and self-sacrifice. This path of
renunciation is, of course, impossible for most members of the Theravada community
to follow, which explains the importance of monks in Myanmar (and in other
Theravada countries), since only members of the Sangha (see opposite) are considered
fully committed to the Theravada path.

Nats
Despite its adherence to the “pure” form of Buddhism, the religion in Myanmar still
shows the influence of other eclectic beliefs pre-dating the arrival of the Theravada
faith. Most notable is the countrywide practice of nat (spirit) worship, still particularly
prevalent in rural areas (although educated urban Burmese often dismiss the tradition
as folk superstition). Burmese nats come from a variety of sources including local
animist nature spirits, folk deities (such as Mai Wunna, the flower-eating ogress of
Mount Popa; see box, p.230), “Burmanized” versions of major Hindu gods and nats
related to real-life historical figures (such as Min Situ, the nat spirit of Bagan’s King
Alaungsittu) – all of whom merge in a bewildering historical and mythological
melange. Some have followers nationwide; others may be linked to a single area, or
even a single village.
The survival of the nats as an essential element in modern Burmese Buddhism owes
much to King Anawrahta, the great religious reformer of Bagan, who first established
Theravada Buddhism as the national religion. Realizing the hold that the nats had over
his people, Anawrahta chose to incorporate them into his new-look Buddhist faith in
an attempt to encourage the Burmese to follow the new Theravada doctrines. Some
of the most important of Myanmar’s myriad nats were chosen to form a royally
sanctioned pantheon known as the 37 Nats (see box, p.207) under the leadership of
Thagyamin (a Burmanized version of the Hindu god Indra, often portrayed, like Indra
himself, seated on top of a three-headed elephant). Thaygamin aside, every one of the
37 nats died a violent death, lending them something of the character of Christian
martyrs. At the same time, they’re also an engagingly humanized bunch, in stark
contrast to the exalted qualities of the Buddha himself. Popular nats include some
decidedly raffish characters with very recognizable personal flaws and earthly failings,
such as Min Kyawzwa, the “Drunken Nat”, whose image at Mount Popa is draped
with offerings of whisky bottles and cigarettes in homage to his life spent boozing,
cockfighting and hunting.
Nats have been thoroughly integrated into Burmese Buddhism, and nat shrines or
images can be found in most temples in the country. All pagodas have a resident
guardian nat spirit, or Bo Bo Gyi, typically shown as a man dressed in pink robes with
a white turban. In addition, you’ll also see many shrines dedicated to Shin Upagot
(or Upagutta), a much-venerated figure who is believed to protect worshippers against
watery perils such as floods and storms. He’s easily recognizable thanks to his
distinctive pose, seated, with one hand dipping into an alms bowl on his lap, and his
head tilted upwards, gazing towards the sky as if in search of rain.
Myanmar’s main centre of nat worship is Mount Popa, while there are also several
important nat shrines around Mandalay. All of these places host raucous nat pwè festivals
(see p.41) with celebrations led by spirit mediums know as nat kadaw (see box, p.49).

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