MAHAMRATMUNI SHRINE The Great Image of Buddha

The legend was being that of the great Teacher’s arrival at Arakan (Rakhine). Sappadanapakarana-a palm leaf manuscript that the Buddha with 500 Arahats came to Arakan (Rakhine) by aerial journey, since that was the means of transportation they adopted. While sojourning in Dhanyawaddy(Arakan) during Canda Thuriya’s rule in 554 BC, the Blessed One complied with the king’s request for permission of casting an image of the Teacher.


The king as well as his subjects offered “nine-kuti” worth of precious metal and in the presence of Buddha, Mahamuni—the exact likeness of the Buddha was cast.
After casting Mahamuni, King Canda Thuriya cast two other images from the same stock of noble metal.Afterwards 33 smaller likeness of the Mahamuni and countless Mahakyan(lit. Left – over) images were also cast by king.
Dven Cendra rebuilt the shrine twice. He also built the perfumed chamber with bricks and donated a ruby – studded gold for the image.
During the rule of the son of Dven Candra a richly ornamented stone pedestal was installed.
The Golden Mrauk_U
By
U Shwe Zan