PhD thesis: Traditions of Buddhist practice in Burma

Gustaaf Houtman

(available for consultation at School of Oriental and African Studies 
Library, and London University Senate House Library)

PhD degree candidate, 1990

School of Oriental and African Studies, London University

© Gustaaf Houtman [ghoutman@tesco.net]

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Abstract

The thesis explores traditions of Buddhist practice (pa-di'pat-ti') in 
Theravada Buddhist Burma, with major emphasis on the practice of wi'pat-tha-na 
(Pali vipassana) meditation as understood both inside and outside the context 
of the meditation centre.

Burmese meditation centres are a recent development. The meditation centre 
founded by a pupil of the Min-gun" Hsa-ya-daw in 1911 in Myo' Hla' is probably 
the earliest. Since then some one thousand Burmese meditation centres have 
been established both nationally and internationally, which have altogether 
taken in several million meditators. Wi'pat-tha-na meditation has thereby 
grown into an important national and international service industry, leaving 
few Burmese settlements without easy access to at least one meditation centre.

Unlike the conventional Burmese Buddhist monastery, which serves as a place 
of residence and a school of learning for ordained members of the monastic order, 
the meditation centre is open to both monks and unordained laity for short 
(between a week and three months) but intensive courses in meditation using 
methods which focus mainly on the body rather than abstract philosophical Buddhist ideas.

This thesis is divided into three parts: Part I looks at the history of meditation 
practice, Part II at the institutional aspects, and Part III at the lives of 
some of the persons associated with the tradition of practice. The subject is 
analysed in terms of five oppositions as distilled from the discourse of the meditators, 
namely: `Buddhism' vs `Buddhendom'; `practice' vs `scriptural learning'; `meditation' 
vs `charity'/`morality'; and `insight' vs `concentration' meditation.
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Contents 

Acknowledgments 4

A note on Burmese transcription 5

A note on Pali loanwords 6


Introduction 9

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I. The history of Buddhist practice in Burma

1. The popularisation of Buddhist practice in Burma  26

2. How a foreigner invented `Buddhendom' in Burmese 55

3. A history of `sleeping texts' and `silent Buddhas' 76

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II. The social organization of Buddhist practice

4. Conventional monastic and meditation centre novitiation ceremonial 97

5. Meditation centre: lay association or monastery? 124

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III. Buddhist practice  and the concept of person

6. On the tension between tha-ma-hta' and wi'pat-tha-na 159

7. An analysis of contemporary Burmese hagiography 195

8. On the dilemma of multiple `texts' and `contexts' 234
 
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Bibliography 255

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End-notes 263

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Appendices

A. Lifespans of Buddhist practice teachers 282

B. Summary biographies of Buddhist practice teachers 283

C. Lineages of Buddhist practice teachers 296

D. Sect affiliation of monastic Buddhist practice teachers 323

E. Rules for yogis in the Tha-tha-na Yeik-tha 324

F. Monk hagiography in Burmese biographical literature 326

G. Number of Ma-ha-si Centres opened (1938-80) 338

Glossary (romanised Burmese terms with Burmese script) 339
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Figures

Fig. 1. The  order of Buddhist practice 16

Fig. 2. A map of Burma 27

Fig. 3. Magic squares 161

Fig. 4. The ordeal of fire 162

Fig. 5. Thu-ya-tha-di Me-daw 167

Fig. 6. Shin U'pa-gok 169

Fig. 7. Supernatural beings 183

Fig. 8. The stereotype of the bo"daw 184

Fig. 9. An astrological chart in the hagiography of a meditation teacher 224

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Photos

Photo 1. A painting of WM knowledge. 5

Photo 2. Entertainment at a conventional novitiation ceremony. 111

Photo 3. A procession at the conventional novitiation ceremony. 111

Photo 4. A water libation ceremony at the Ma-ha-si meditation centre. 116

Photo 5. The Earth Goddess `saves' the Buddha by intercession. 116

Photo 6. In the meditation centre version the earth merely shook. 117

Photo 7. Prince Wei-than-da-ra gives away his possessions. 117

Photo 8. Pagoda symbolism. 179
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