Kaylartha Pagoda

Kaylartha Pagoda is a Buddhist Pagoda that sits atop the summit of Mount Kaylartha in Mon State, Myanmar. Local legend claims that at the foot of Kaylartha Mountain sat the ancient Kingdom of the Gold.[1]

Kaylartha
Kaylartha
Location in Burma
Highest point
Elevation 1,600 ft (490 m)
Prominence 2,148 m (7,047 ft)
Listing List of mountains in Myanmar
Coordinates 17°13′38″N 97°04′51″E / 17.22722°N 97.08083°E / 17.22722; 97.08083Coordinates: 17°13′38″N 97°04′51″E / 17.22722°N 97.08083°E / 17.22722; 97.08083 
Geography
Location Mon State, Burma
Climbing
First ascent Unknown
Easiest route Drive

Geography

Kaylartha Mountain is situated 3 miles from Taungson, Mon State, and can be driven up to by truck. The range is part of the or Eastern Arakan Yoma Mountains. It is at a distance of 184 kilometres (114 mi) from Yangon and 136 kilometers north of Mawlamyine, the capital of Mon State. The summit is above 1,600 ft. Monkeys live atop the mountain and are fed by pilgrims.


History

At the top of Mount Kaylartha stands a pagoda said to house a hair of the Buddha.[2] It is believed that in the Tharthanar Era (111), the Gautama Buddha arrived at the Kaylartha Mountain, Thuwunna Bonmi. He stayed at a monastery built by King Tissa Dama Thiha Yaza. The Buddha preached sermons to the public for seven days. During that time, he became close with the Hermits Tissa and Thiha and the local hermit of Kaylartha Mountain. They requested that he leave behind some relic to be revered by the people in his place after he left to return home. Buddha agreed and gave six of his hairs to hermits from Kyaiktiyo, Zinkyaik (to Tissa), Mount Zwegabin (to Thiha), Kaylartha, Kuthaerayone and Melan. A pair of belu brothers from Kyaikhtisaung also received a hair. All the hermits and belus enshrined the hair in great stones.[3][4][5][6]

The Hermit of Kaylartha, whose name was Tila of Dokkhalun,[7] discussed how to go about enshrining the hairs and building pagodas around them with Hermits Tissa and Thiha and Indra Sakka, who had supported Thiha in constructing a pagoda on Mount Zwegabin. He enshrined the hair relic in the pagoda atop Kaylartha Mountain, and was advised by Indra Sakka.

The hermits communicated with each other by shining lights atop their respective mountains at nighttime. Tissa, who stayed atop Zinkyaik Mountain, did not see light coming from Mountain Kaylartha and wondered what might have occurred. He went to Kaylartha Mountain and found the body of the Kaylartha Hermit. The body was burnt and buried, while the head, which was not burnt nor decomposed, held one of Buddha's hairs in its braid. It was returned to Mok Soe Taung Pagoda and joined the original two hair relics there.[8]

Restoration

The Kyaikhtisaung Sayadaw restored nine Buddha hair relic pagodas during his lifetime, with Kaylartha Pagoda being one of them.[9] He built a compound around the pagoda and paved a road up to the top. It is now a popular spot for tourists and locals and had a resident abbot and monastery at the summit of the mountain.

References

  1. ↑ "Cycling in Myanmar". Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  2. ↑ "Myanmar Times, Mon State". Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  3. ↑ "Once off-limits, Mon State reveals its beauty". Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  4. ↑ Ds. Aung 2015, p. 16-17.
  5. ↑ "Sane Let Tin". Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  6. ↑ U Sann 2013, p. 43.
  7. ↑ Ds. Aung 2015, p. 16.
  8. ↑ U Sann 2013, p. 45-46.
  9. ↑ "Bio – Kyaithisaung Sayadaw". Retrieved 2017-08-31.

Bibliography

  • Sann, U (2013). Myint, U San, ed. History of Hsandawshin Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda. Myanmar.
  • Analla, Ds. (2015). Aung, Naing Htet, ed. Ashin Pannadipa and His Exertions (in English and Burmese). Myanmar.
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