Lecture No. 12: Buddhism in Nyaung Yan Period [contd. and concluded]

Lecture No. XII Buddhism in Nyaung Yan period

[contd. and concluded]

1.   Meanwhile military assistance sent by the Portuguese viceroy of Goa arrived. But they were captured by Inwa and Rakhine armies combined.

2.   De Britto and Nat Shin Naung were charged at the court martial in public on many accounts but the major charge was  "high treason" , de Britto was not only a traitor but also a criminal who committed several profane acts and blasphemy such as persecuting Buddhists and forcibly converting them into Catholicism, plundering the wealth of Buddhist monasteries temples and pagodas and ransacking and destroying them. For such hideous crimes he was impaled at the market place where everyone was allowed to witness him suffer in agony from severe punishment for seven days before he died, so as to learn the lesson.

3.   Regarding Nat Shin Naung, a long trial was held and after all witnesses were questioned, evidences were piled up against him. He did not deny that he sent a sealed latter to de Britto whom he invited to invade and take Taungoo first and later take Hamsavadi Bago. His was a clear case of high treason not only against the state but also against the state religion – Buddhism for he made alliance with de Britto and himself a Christian convert.

4.   After examining the precedents and decisions of Dhammathat [law book] King Anauk Pet Lun gave him severe punishment execution by flinging open his body at the public place and putting his dead body into a red velvet shroud and burying it with due pomp and ceremony of a viceroy prince.

5.   Regarding the Portuguese and their followers ferringhees King Anauk-Pet-Lun’s first order was death punishment. But being a Buddhist King, he changed his mind and exercised royal clemency. After making them take oath of allegiance to him, they were pardoned and deported them to upcountry where they were allowed to retain their religion and way of life. The King granted them land to live, land to cultivate crop and land to raise domestic animals. They served faithfully under successive MyanmarKings as gunners, artillery men and builders of roads and bridges. Their descendants still live in villages and minor towns around Monywa, Ye U and Chaung U

6.   With the execution of de Britto and his abettor Nat Shin Naung in A.D. 1613, Portuguese dominance in Myanmar came to an end with them were terminated the endeavors of catholic mission arises to propagate the Gospel of Christ among ruling class. But successive Myanmar Kings continued to practice religious toleration and so non-Buddhist religious continued to enjoy religious freedom.

7.   After the Portuguese, came Dutch traders who were interested in buying Myanmar rice and rubies. They were not interested in propagating Christian religion. Their headquarter was Java and into capital Jakartawas changed to Batavia. They dealt in profitable spice trade. They bought Myanmar rice to feed farm laborers employed in spice plantation.

8.   King Tha-Lung, younger brother who succeeded Anauk-Pet-Lun carried prosperous trade relation with the Dutch. His reign brought peace and property to the country. He promoted Buddhism. A great stupa on the model of San-Chi still stands near Sagaing. Rajamanicula built by him.