Early Buddhism in Myanmar: Ye dhamm" a Inscriptions from Arakan 1 (original) (raw)

Myanmar Epigraphy -Problems and Prospects

Temple has drawn attention to three more Sanskrit inscriptions, two of them found at Pagan and the third one at Tagaung. The inscriptions were mentioned in a report by Dr. Fuehrer and F. O. Oertel who visited Myanmar on behalf of the Indian Archaeological Survey in 1893, but have disappeared since. It is possible, though, that the inscription retrieved from the moat was one of them. The alleged dates, 5 th to 7 th centuries,

Tibetan, Burmese and Chinese Inscriptions from Bodhgayā in the British Museum

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2013

This article is concerned with four inscriptions found at Bodhgayā in the nineteenth century that are documented by records kept in the Department of Asia at the British Museum. Two Tibetan inscriptions, probably dating between the ninth and fourteenth centuries, are of special note because they provide the first archaeological evidence for Tibetans at the site. Chinese and Burmese records of the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth century are also noted, that of the Song emperor Renzong (1022-63) being illustrated for the first time.

Griffiths 2015 Three More Sanskrit Inscriptions of Arakan

The earliest phase of Arakan history, between about the fifth and the tenth centuries, has to be written on the basis of inscriptions and related material such as coins bearing Sanskrit texts, as well as sculpture and architecture. These show Arakan to have had strong ties to Southeastern Bengal (the Samataṭa and Harikela regions) and beyond this with the Buddhist communities of Northeastern India using Sanskrit as preferential medium of expression. A first batch of Arakan Sanskrit inscriptions was studied by E.H. Johnston and published posthumously in 1943. Since then, this field has moved forward thanks mainly to three articles by D. C. Sircar that appeared in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, no further epigraphic material of early Arakan has been published. The Sanskrit inscriptions of Arakan are often in deplorable state of preservation. But even fragmentary material can throw new light on the past, especially when studied in combination with epigraphical and numismatic discoveries made in Southeast Bengal over the past half-century. This article deals with three such fragmentary inscriptions, all previously unpublished. It presents the discovery that the ancient name of Arakan was Kāmaraṅga, discusses aspects of the history of Buddhism in Arakan during the first millennium, and discusses the problem of the chronology of early Arakan based on a detailed palaeographic analysis of the inscriptions published here.

Inscriptions of Early Āndhradeśa: Results of fieldwork in January and February 2016

2017

Introduction From 2015 through 2017, the EFEO is administering an international collaborative research project entitled “From Vijayapurī to Śrīkṣetra: the beginnings of Buddhist exchange across the Bay of Bengal.” This project aims to investigate the early phases of Buddhist exchange across the Bay of Bengal based on a comprehensive study of the epigraphic record of the site of Nagarjunakonda (on the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states) in India, and Śrīkṣetra (near the modern town of Pyay) in Myanmar, as well as related sites in both countries. It will in due course deliver publications of the two epigraphic corpora in question, as a basis for comprehensive interdisciplinary investigation of the early history of Buddhist exchange between the east coast of India and the Pyu civilization of the Irrawady river valley in Burma. As members of this larger project, we recently undertook fieldwork in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh—an area we shall henceforward refer t...

General Review of Myanmar Epigraphy in Early Pagan Period

Myanmar Studies, 2024

This study examines the early Pagan period (9th to 11th centuries) through the lens of epigraphy, with a focus on the inscriptions found in and around the ancient capital of Pagan, Myanmar. Epigraphy, the study of inscriptions on durable materials like stone, metal, and clay, provides invaluable primary sources for reconstructing the history, religion, and culture of early Myanmar. The paper explores the historical context of Pagan as a political and cultural center, its integration of Theravāda Buddhism, and the role of epigraphy in documenting religious, political, and socioeconomic developments. Key themes in Pagan inscriptions, such as royal decrees, donations to monasteries, land grants, and economic activities, are analyzed to highlight their contributions to our understanding of the state's governance and religious practices. Additionally, the paper investigates the linguistic features of early Pagan epigraphy, including the use of Old Burmese and Pali, the development of the Burmese script, and the calligraphic style of inscriptions. Challenges in deciphering and preserving these inscriptions are discussed, alongside the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and modern epigraphic techniques for future research. This study underscores the significance of early Pagan epigraphy as a vital tool for understanding the political, religious, and cultural legacy of early Myanmar.