Pilgrimage to Pyay; the Spectacled Buddha

Bagan, Inle Lake, the Shwedagon in Yangon; these and a few others are usually the first places to make the ‘must visit’ list when planning a trip to Myanmar.  One place that doesn’t usually make people’s intimacy at all but was always going to be an important destination in mine is the Shwe Myethman Pagoda  otherwise known as the Golden Eyeglasses Buddha or Spectacled Buddha which is located in southern Myanmar,  14km south of the town of Pyay.

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The Spectacled Buddha and his golden rimmed glasses

 

As someone with numerous eye diseases it was a no-brainer that I would want to visit this place which features a giant statue of Buddha replete in golden rimmed glasses.  Whilst the huge and happy blind Buddha doesn’t rate highly to most international tourists it is a place attracts many Buddhist pilgrims from across Myanmar and other Asian countries.

SUch sites only become places of pilgrimage due to the power they hold.  In this case; many believe that praying to the Buddha and making an offering has the power to heal numerous illnesses particularly those to do with eyesight.    The power isn’t necesarily  the exact power expressed in the narrative that accompanies the site; the power lies in the meaning the place has for individuals and how that can equate to shared experiences and strengthening of bonds.

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A pilgrim prays

 

The narrative that accompanies this site began in the 4th century A.D., during the Pyu period.  The King, Queen and the entourage were on a pilgrimage to the Shwenettaung Pagoda when.  During a sleepover the Queen dreamt that she prayed to a nearby Buddha image which offered the power of healing.  The King, the Queen and all their men searched for the spot and located it when they saw flashing lights ascending to the skies.  Here they erected the Buddha image.  Over the years the Buddha has had numerous pairs of large glasses donated as adornments with some being stolen and some one display with the Buddha.  These tributes were made as thanks for or as hope for cures of eyesight problems.  Many, many more pairs of glasses and donations in the form of money has been left by thousands of pilgrims over the years in the hope of their own miracle.

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Myself with some of the many donations to the Spectacled Buddha

 

I must admit though that I don’t believe in miracles and my desire to visit the site wasn’t in the hope of sudden healing.  My eye problems and years of wearing glasses myself did of course create the initial interest in the site and I did admittedly share a quiet word, or prayer with the Buddha as I do believe in respecting such sites, but miracles weren’t the thing that imbued the place with meaning for me.  What gave the spectacled Buddha and Pyay in general meaning for me was the fact that my brother had previously made the effort to go there when he visited Myanmar in 2014 and that he was keen for me to also visit the place.

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The Spectacled Buddha and the Blind Backpacker

 

When my brother first visited Myanmar I was coming to the end of what seemed like a marathon of eye surgeries – all of which and only lessened my eyesight.  I was obviously unable to even think about visiting such a place myself at the time but Caleb was attracted to the site straight away as a visit, a prayer and  an offering to the Spectacled Buddha was at least something he could do to try to help.  His visit didn’t result in a miraculous recovery of my eyesight, in fact I was back in hospital for more emergency surgery not long after but it did at least sow a seed.  As we planned this visit he was adamant that we go there so that I could visit the big Buddha myself.

Whilst not being Buddhist myself, the visit and lead up to it was very much like a pilgrimage to me because it had meaning.  Other statues of Buddhas I had seen all around Myanmar were impressive for various reasons but ultimately they were just statues.  The Spectacled Buddha however seemed like a friend.  A long-lost friend or someone I had heard a lot about before we finally meet.  His serene smile, calm but dominant pose and golden spectacled gave off a feeling of strength and comfort.  He didn’t seem to say to me that he could offer miracles,  maybe just a little understanding and empathy.  A feeling that while things aren’t perfect, there are many of us in the same basket together and within that weaving can be found strength.

 

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Offering some eye patches in case he needs them…

 

Along with the other pilgrims there at the time I said a quiet word on bended knees to the giant Buddha.   I put in a good word for my mother as well as a young boy from Rakhine with eye problems  whose grandmother I had recently met.  I didn’t ask for a miracle for either of them as just things are foolish; I just offered a hope to the world that things go as well as possible for them and those around them.  I didn’t ask for a miracle for myself either; I said a heartfelt thank you that I was able to be there in rural Myanmar in front of the Spectacled Buddha.  I said thank you that I was able to see the little of him that I could and that I was able to experience the country he resides in.  I said thank you for those people I had met on my travels in Myanmar who look to the Buddha for guidance.  I said thankyou for my brother saying his own prayer at the site a couple of years earlier and for making that seed grow and flower by helping me visit there and other places myself.  I made sure to say this thank you to my brother as well as Buddha.

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Blind leading the blind

 

The rest of our time in Pyay was spent not doing too much at all.  We didn’t visit any other temples, stupas or statues in the area though there are many that would be interesting but for us the Spectacled Buddha is the king of the area and anything else would have seen like a support act.  Pyay was an enjoyable place to do not much though.  There is a large river to laze by and plenty of options for food and drink.  By the end of the night we had probably visited a few too many of the drinking establishments making for one of those memorable nights when you can’t remember too much!

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Making new friends at the Shwe Myethman

 

Don’t wait for miracles – hit the road and make some memories and create your own meaning!
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