Shin MahÃÂsëlavaá¹Âsa (, variously transcribed Shin Maha Silavamsa, Shin Maha Thilawuntha or Rhaá¹Â
û MahÃÂsëlavaá¹Âsa) was a Theravadan Buddhist monk and a classical Burmese poet who lived in 15th century Ava Kingdom (now modern-day Myanmar).
He is famous for his pyo poetry and he is considered one of the greatest poets of pre-colonial Burma, in particular his masterpieces, Paramidawkhan Pyo () and Sodaungkhan Pyo (), which are considered ideal models of the medieval literary style. While the primary focus of MahÃÂsëlavaá¹Âsa's compositions was dhamma (Buddhist teachings), he also composed the earliest extant Burmese chronicle, Yazawingyaw. His contemporary literati rival was Shin Raá¹Âá¹ÂhasÃÂra.
Personal life
MahÃÂsëlavaá¹Âsa was born Maung Nyo in Myolulin village (north of Taungdwingyi on a Friday in 1453, to U Kyi and Daw Dwe.
He studied Buddhist scriptures and literature at the Yadana Beikman Monastery under the tutelage of the Natmilin Sayadaw (Shin SëlÃÂcÃÂrabhidhaja). While it is not known when he became a novice monk, his gift for poetry was recognized from the age of 7. When he was 20, he became a monk under Shin SëlÃÂcÃÂrabhidhaja. At the age of 38, he wrote his masterpiece, Paramitawkhan Pyo, which garnered recognition from throughout the kingdom. At the age of 40, he moved to Ava; King Minkhaung II of Ava subsequently donated the Yadana Beikman Golden Monastery at Sagaing as his residence.
Works
Paramidawkhan Pyo is one of the greatest compositions of Burmese literature. Throughout this literary career, he composed numerous epics, stone inscriptions, and poetic verses including:
- Record of the Golden Palace Title (áÂÂá½á¾á±áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂá½á²á·áÂÂá±á‡ºáÂÂá½áÂÂáºá¸)
- Htupayon Pagoda stone inscription (áÂÂá°áÂÂá«áÂÂá¯á¶áÂÂáÂȇ±á‡ÂÂáºáÂÂ
á¬)
- Yadana Beikman Monastery stone inscription (áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂáºáÂÂáÂȇ±á‡ÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂȇ±á‡ÂÂáºáÂÂ
á¬)
- MitthilàLake (Shisha Lake) songs (áÂÂáÂȇ¾áÂÂáÂÂáÂȇ¾á‡¸áÂÂáÂÂáºáÂÂá±á‡º (áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáºáÂÂá±á‡º) áÂÂá½á²á·áÂÂáÂȇ‡¸)
- PÃÂramëdawkhan Pyo (áÂÂá«áÂÂáÂÂá®áÂÂá±á‡ºáÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- Sutaungkhan Pyo (áÂÂá¯áÂÂá±á‡ÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- Nanphwin Linka (áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂá½áÂÂá·áºáÂÂáÂÂáºá¹áÂÂá¬)
- Buddhuppatti Pyo (áÂÂá¯áÂÂá¹áÂÂá¯áÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- RÃÂjavasatëkhan Linka (áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá®áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂÂáºá¹áÂÂá¬)
- Record of the Inaugural Memorandum (áÂÂáÂÂáºáÂÂᇸá¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáºáÂÂá±á‡ºáÂÂá½áÂÂáºá¸)
- Taungdwinla Pyo (áÂÂá±á‡ÂÂáºáÂÂá½áÂÂáºá¸áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- Saá¹Âvegakhan Pyo (áÂÂá¶áÂÂá±áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- DhammapÃÂla Pyo (áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá«áÂÂáÂÂáÂȇÂÂá¯á·)
- PÃÂrÃÂyanavatthu (áÂÂá«áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂá¯)
- Yazawingyaw (áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáºáÂÂáÂȇ±á‡º)
- MahÃÂrahanëti (áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá®áÂÂáÂÂ)
- Hsonmasa Linka (áÂÂá¯á¶á¸áÂÂáÂÂ
á‡ÂÂáÂÂáºá¹áÂÂá¬)
- Treatise on BuddhÃÂlaá¹Â
kÃÂra (áÂÂá¯áÂÂá¹áÂÂá«áÂÂáÂÂáºá¹áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂȇÂÂáºá¸)
- NettipÃÂḷidaw (áÂÂá±áÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá«á áÂÂáÂÂá±á‡º)
- NettihÃÂra Akauk (áÂÂá±áÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá¡áÂÂá±á‡ÂÂáº)
References