Spread And Development Of Buddhism In Burma, Cambodia, Thailand And Laos
Development in Burma
In Burma, Buddhism reached its golden era in the reign of King Anurudh (or Anawrata; B.E. 1588 -1621 or 1044 - 1077 C.E.), when Burma was first united into one country and its capital city of Pagan became a great centre of Buddhist culture. After the end of the Mongol occupation under Kublai Khan (from B.E. 1831 to 1845; 1287 - 1301 C.E.), Buddhism flourished again under King Dhammaceti (B.E. 2004 - 2035; or 1460 - 1491 C.E.). During the next centuries, Burmese Buddhism contributed much to the stability and progress of Buddhism. Some monks came from Ceylon to be reordained and took the ordination procedure back to their country. The study of Abhidhamma flourished. Pali texts were translated into Burmese and a great number of Pali scriptures and books on Buddhism were written by Burmese scholars. A council called the Fifth Great Council was held in Mandalay under King Mindon in B.E. 2415 (1871 C.E.) and the Tipitฺaka was inscribed on 729 marble slabs enshrined at the foot of Mandalay Hill.
The British rule from B.E. 2430 to 2492 (1886 - 1948 C.E.) caused in the Burmese a strong feeling of nationalism which combined political independence with the protection of the national religion. After the independence, national and religious leaders were very active in supporting and encouraging the Buddhist causes and activities. In B.E. 2498 (1954 C.E.) the Burmese government in cooperation with the Burmese Sangha invited representatives of all neighbouring, Buddhist countries and of Buddhist groups in various countries to participate in the Sixth Great Council which met in Rangoon to recite and revise the text of the Pali scriptures and to celebrate the 2500th anniversary of the Great Demise of the Buddha.
Phnom Penh Night Market Showcasing Cambodian Arts and Crafts
The recently opened Phnom Penh Night Market is already creating waves in the Cambodian capital. Opened in November 2007 the Night Market is a recent addition to the Cambodian tourism industry but it has already made its mark among the hordes of visiting tourists. The Phnom Penh which is the commercial and cultural hub of Cambodia has always been the star attraction of the country, for many tourists the central focus of their visit has been here. Thus to increase the tourist potential of the city the authorities have incorporated a night market as an added attraction, the kind that is usually seen in many Thai cities.
Located just in front of the Ounalom Temple the market is exclusively devoted to displaying authentic Cambodian items ranging from clothing and food to handicrafts. During the Cambodian Water Festival the market can be seen open daily from 5pm to mid night. However, on regular days the market is usually only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Upon entering the market your ears will be bombarded by the loud crescendo of voices speaking out in a multitude of languages.
Tonle Sap-Cambodia’s Great Lake
Tonle Sap Lake located South of Siem Reap City is the largest lake in Cambodia and plays an integral part in the ecological balance of the country.
In the dry season it is a shallow lake which drains through the Tonle Sap River into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However this changes in the June - November monsoon season when the high water level of the Mekong River causes a reverse flow up the Tonle Sap River into the lake area. The inflow increases the size of the lake from its low of 2500 square kilometres to over 10,000 square kilometres. This makes the lake the largest freshwater lake in the South East Asia during the wet season.
The flooded mangrove forest plains are home to over 100 varieties of water birds including a number of threatened or endangered species. There are over 200 varieties of fish in its waters as well as crocodiles in maroques otters and turtles.
The lake is populated with floating villages inhabited by both Cambodian and Vietnamese communities. The individual villages are an amazing sight with their floating houses, markets, schools and churches. The villagers earn a living from fishing with their huge fish traps catching enough to supply Cambodia with half of its fish consumption.