Karin Bleiweiss

Traveling a country where you can find shiny golden pagodas and stupas around every corner made me wonder about their meaning but also about Myanmar's main religion - Buddhism.
So almost 88% of the over 53Mio. Burmese are Buddhists:
Buddhism (87.9%)
Christianity (6.2%)
Islam (4.3%)
Hinduism (0.5%)
Tribal religions (0.8%)
Other (0.2%)
Although we have covered all the world religions in detail in school, I had basically nothing to just a few pieces of that knowledge left. So I have spend a morning to learn more about Myanmar's mayor religion, it's followers and places and practices of worship.

So here are a few things that I have found out:
The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists give themselves to, and in return look toward for guidance, in the process known as taking refuge.
Buddhism believes in reincarnation (rebirth). The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to get enlightenment (Nirvana) and liberate oneself from endless reincarnation and suffering.

An important element are the Three Jewels, which are:
* Buddha, which means The Enlightened or Awakened One, who, depending on one's interpretation, can mean the Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, or the Buddha nature or ideal within all beings;
* Dharma, which means The Teaching, which is the Teachings of the Buddha.
* Sangha, which means The Community, The Community of those great people who have attained Enlightenment, so that those people (Sangha) will help you to attain Enlightenment.

Buddhists say "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." This means that these three things keep them safe. They give themselves up to the community and teachings inspired by the Buddha.

Another one are the Four Noble Truths, a Buddhist teaching. They show Buddhists why they should follow the Middle Way.

The first noble truth
The first noble truth is called Dukkha, which means suffering. It says that life is full of suffering. To say it a different way, in life, there is sickness, poverty (being poor), old age, and death. People can not keep what they want. People can not avoid what they do not want. If that is all a person learns, they suffer.

The second noble truth
The second noble truth is Samudaya, which says that there is a reason for the suffering in the world. It says that the reason there is suffering is that people want things. It also says that the reason there is suffering is that people change what they think is real. They do this because they are ignorant. People do wrong actions because they want things and because they do not see what is real. Those evil actions lead to suffering.

The third noble truth
The third noble truth is Nirodha. It says that people can be free from suffering when they no longer want things.

The Fourth Noble Truth
The fourth noble truth is called Magga. It says that for a person to stop wanting things, they must follow a set of rules. The rules are called the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path is the path to the end of suffering. It is the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. It can be summed up in three categories: wisdom (pañña), virtue (sila), and concentration (samadhi).

Here is a description of the path that is often illustrated with a (steering) wheel:
1. Right Viewpoint - Realizing the Four Noble Truths
2. Right Values - Commitment to mental and ethical growth in moderation
3. Right Speech - One speaks in a non hurtful, not exaggerated, truthful way
4. Right Actions - Wholesome action, avoiding action that would do harm
5. Right Livelihood - One's job does not harm in any way oneself or others; directly or indirectly (weapon maker, drug dealer, etc.)
6. Right Effort - One makes an effort to improve
7. Right Mindfulness - Mental ability to see things for what they are with clear consciousness
8. Right Concentration - State where one reaches enlightenment and the ego has disappeared

So this is where the stupa (Sanskrit: "heap") plays a role - it is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics ( typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
"The shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne."

Building a stupa is considered extremely beneficial, leaving very positive karmic imprints in the mind. Future benefits from this action result in fortunate rebirths. Fortunate worldly benefits will be the result, such as being born into a rich family, having a beautiful body, a nice voice, being attractive, bringing joy to others, and having a long and happy life in which one's wishes are quickly fulfilled.On the absolute level, one will also be able quickly to reach enlightenment, the goal of Buddhism.

In pagodas and outside the stupas one can find all kinds of offerings, that Buddhists place there before their prayer:
In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Three Jewels, giving rise to contemplative gratitude and inspiration. Typical material offerings involve simple objects such as a lit candle or oil lamp, burning incense, flowers, food, fruit, water or drinks.

Within the traditional Buddhist framework of karma and rebirth, offerings lead to the accumulation of merit, which leads to:

*a better rebirth in the cycle of birth and death
*progress towards release from suffering.

These offerings often act as preparation for meditation.Read more