# Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal/Volume 29/Remarks upon an ancient Buddhist Monastery at Pu-gân, on the Irrawaddy

The ruins of the ancient city of Pu-gân are situated, as is well known, on the left hank of the river Irrawaddy, about three hundred and fifty miles above Rangoon.
In the southern portion of the ruined city, I discovered the remains of an ancient monastery. This was the first building of the kind that I had met with in Burmah, and it is probably in better preservation than any of the ancient Viharas built for Buddhist monks. The nature of the masonry, as compared with that of Pagodas at Pu-gân, the date of building which is known, leads me to believe that the monastery in question was built five or six hundred years ago. The building is constructed entirely of brick.
It is somewhat dilapidated. Still enough remains to show distinctly the nature of the building and its several divisions. The ground plan is shown in the sketch accompanying, and a rough front elevation is added. There was evidently no upper story.
(Upload an image to replace this placeholder.)
(Upload an image to replace this placeholder.)
The monastery was surrounded by an enclosure wall (now nearly all in ruins) about nine feet high. Each face was about 200 feet long. There was only the appearance of a gate at the centre of the eastern face. This was constructed with a double arch, indicating that the monastery had been erected by royal bounty.
This building appears to have been constructed solely as a monastery or residence for monks, and with places for images of Buddha, but no other object of worship. I mention this as Mr. James Fergusson in a note on Buddhist structures, appended to Yule’s Narrative of the Mission to the Court of Ava in 1855, appears to suppose that in Burmese monasteries “a dagoba altar” has been introduced, together with images of Buddha, thus converting the Vihara or monastery into the purposes of a chaitya hall. I am not quite sure that I understand what is meant by a “dagoba altar,” to which “the priest turns in prayer.” If it be a small model dagoba representing a relic receptacle, I am very certain I never saw one in a modern Burmese kyoung or monastery. In Burmah, Buddhist monks do not conduct worship. They simply preach the law. Each individual makes his own offerings, and utters his own ejaculations. Prayer is scarcely an appropriate term for the devotions of Buddhists. There was no indication in the ancient monastery I have been describing that any such object of worship as a “dagoba altar” was introduced. But in the enclosure wall of the monastery, and entirely detached from the building, are two small chambered or vaulted pagodas, which evidently were intended as oratories, (so to speak,) for the monks. This also would tend to show that no “dagoba” was placed within the walls of the monastery itself.
(Upload an image to replace this placeholder.)
In this monastery the discipline was evidently very lax, no doubt arising from the great age of the Abbot, and his inability to move about, and personally exercise authority. The pazens or deacons I found importunate, and the young probationers, notwithstanding their shaven heads and yellow robes, as riotous and wild as school boys. However they all were civil and obliging and willingly showed me over the establishment. Being much interrupted by them in making measurements of the rooms, I left it to be done by a Burmese assistant. He afterwards told me he also had been quite perplexed by the talking, questioning, joking and laughing of these young candidates for monasticism.
On the same platform with the monastery, and at a distance of only 13 feet under a separate roof was what is called a “phra kyoung” or image monastery. In this were images of Buddha placed facing to the north. But as this building is not an essential part of a monastery though in modern times generally added thereto, it need not be described.
References to plan of modern monastery.
* Uncovered portion of the platform on which the building rests.
* Outer hall extending on three sides of the building. The east side and a portion of the north is enclosed by wooden shutters.
* The principal division of the monastery called “Phra Khan,” ​
(Upload an image to replace this placeholder.)
​or “Image apartment.” The floor is raised about a foot higher than the rest of the floor of the building. The idols are facing the north and east.
* The state room for the Abbot. This is separated by a richly panneled wall from the “Image apartment.”
* Room for the pazeng or second in rank to the Abbot.
* The “western apartment,” where the young probationers and students sleep and eat. In this apartment, ordinarily the teaching of the day-scholars would be conducted.
* This is called “the Image monastery.” It is not invariably joined to a monastery, but when added it is always on the east side. The principal idol in this building faces the north.
Note on a ruined monastery near the Tsoola Moonee Pagoda at Pu-gân.
Amidst the extensive ruins of Pugân there are probably many objects of interest yet to be discovered. I met with a second ruined monastery near an ancient temple called the “Tsoola Moonee.” A rough ground plan which is annexed, shows the arrangement of the building. The main building, as seen in front facing the east, which included a portion of the interior enclosure wall, was nearly 150 feet long. The principal entrance was on the east. It was gained by ascending a slightly elevated open terrace. In the interior were four apartments, including the vestibule, which were arranged somewhat in the form of a cross, round a central mound, which had probably contained an image of Buddha, within a vaulted chamber. Not far from this monastery was another building, within which I found a stone inscription on which the Burmese date 678 (A. D. 1316) was legible, but I have not been able to decipher the inscription itself.