Theravada Buddhism in Burma

Summary

'Theravada Buddhism in Burma' is a review of Prof. Niharranjan Ray’s comprehensive study of Burmese religious history. The reviewer observes that Indian scholars have focused mainly on their own country’s political and cultural history, paying little attention to neighbouring regions. Ray’s book therefore fills a significant gap by tracing the evolution of Theravada Buddhism in Burma from ancient times to the nineteenth century. He marshals evidence from traditions, inscriptions, sculptures, and Pali and Burmese texts, dividing his work into seven chapters. The early chapters explore vague traces of Buddhism in pre‑Pagan Burma, followed by a detailed account of the religion’s efflorescence at Pagan (Bagan) during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries, when King Anawrahta introduced Theravada reforms and built monumental temples. Subsequent chapters chart the reformation and purification movements of the fourteenth century, when monks like Shin Ariya and Shin Buddhaghosa sought to correct lax practices and align Burmese Buddhism with the Ceylonese Mahavihara tradition. Ray also discusses royal patronage under the Toungoo and Konbaung dynasties, the role of monastic education, and the persistence of indigenous nat (spirit) worship alongside Buddhism. The reviewer commends Ray for judiciously organising a vast range of material and for highlighting the interplay between religion and politics in Burmese history. Although the period covered is broad, the book’s synthesis of sources provides an accessible narrative that will benefit both Indian and international readers.