Sule Pillows

According to Burmese legend the site where the Sule pagoda now stands was once the home of a powerful nat (spirit) named Sularata. The king of the Nats, Sakka, wished to help the legendary king Okkalap build a shrine for the Buddha's sacred hair-relic on the same site where three previous Buddhas had buried sacred relics in past ages. Unfortunately, these events had happened so long ago that not even Sakra knew exactly where the relics were buried. The Sule nat, however, who was so old that his eyelids had to be propped up with trees in order for him to stay awake, had witnessed the great event. The gods, Nats and humans of the court of Okkalapa therefore gathered around the Sule Ogre and asked him the location, which he eventually remem...

According to Burmese legend the site where the Sule pagoda now stands was once the home of a powerful nat (spirit) named Sularata. The king of the Nats, Sakka, wished to help the legendary king Okkalap build a shrine for the Buddha's sacred hair-relic on the same site where three previous Buddhas had buried sacred relics in past ages. Unfortunately, these events had happened so long ago that not even Sakra knew exactly where the relics were buried. The Sule nat, however, who was so old that his eyelids had to be propped up with trees in order for him to stay awake, had witnessed the great event. The gods, Nats and humans of the court of Okkalapa therefore gathered around the Sule Ogre and asked him the location, which he eventually remem...

The Sule Pagoda is located in the heart of downtown Yangon, occupying the centre of the city and an important space in contemporary Burmese politics, ideology and geography. According to legend, it was built before the Shwedagon Pagoda during the time of the Buddha, making it more than 2,500 years old. Burmese legend states that the site for the Shwedagon Pagoda was asked to be revealed from an old nat who resided at the place where the Sule Pagoda now stands. The Sule Pagoda has been the focal point of both Yangon and Burmese politics. It has served as a rallying point in both the 1988 uprisings and 2007 Saffron Revolution.

Vom Rost verschont, stylisch bis heute !

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Taken at Sule Pagoda. Not sure date, but it seems that to celebrate the Buddha's birthday, Buddhists perform a ceremony in which scented water is poured over a statue of the Buddha. They are actually helping to wash away the impurities and worries in their own hearts. Since all living creatures may someday become buddhas, helping others attain fulfillment also helps oneself attain fulfillment. Therefore, this kind of work is also called "washing the Buddha."

Outside Sule Pagoda in Rangoon people, often children, sell corn for the pilgrims to offer to the many pigeons. There is some kind of merit in doing so it seems.