Kaylartha Pagoda

Myanmar sacred Buddhist site

Kaylartha Pagoda (Burmese: ကေလာသစေတီတော်) is a Buddhist Pagoda that sits atop the summit of Mount Kaylartha in Mon State, Myanmar. Local legend claims that at the foot of Kaylartha Mountain sat the ancient Kingdom of the Gold.[1]

Village home with view of Kaylartha Mountain Kaylartha

Kaylartha

Location in Burma

Highest point
Elevation| 1,600 ft (490 m)
Prominence| 2,148 m (7,047 ft)
Listing| List of mountains in Myanmar
Coordinates| 17°13′38″N 97°04′51″E﻿ / ﻿17.22722°N 97.08083°E﻿ / 17.22722; 97.08083
Geography
Location| Mon State, Burma
Climbing
First ascent| Unknown
Easiest route| Drive
A view of the steps that lead up to Kaylartha Pagoda. To the right is the monastic kitchen where nuns cook and serve breakfast and lunch to the monks and visitors.

## Geography[edit]

Kaylartha Kitchen

Kaylartha Mountain is situated 3 miles (4.8 km) from Taungson, Mon State, and can be driven to by truck. The range is part of the or Eastern Arakan Yoma Mountains. It is at a distance of 184 kilometres (114 mi) from Yangon and 136 kilometers north of Mawlamyine, the capital of Mon State. The summit is above 1,600 feet (490 m). Monkeys live atop the mountain and are fed by pilgrims.

The Pagoda and surrounding monasteries are located within the Kelatha Wildlife Sanctuary.[2]

## History[edit]

Canopy of ancient Bodhi Tree atop Kaylartha Mountain in Mon State, Myanmar Monkey searching for food near the Kaylartha Monastery, December 2018

At the top of Mount Kaylartha stands a pagoda said to house a hair of Gautama Buddha.[3] It is believed that in the Tharthanar Era (111), The Buddha arrived at the Kaylartha Mountain, Thuwunna Bonmi. He stayed at a monastery built by King Tissa Dama Thiha Yaza. The Buddha preached sermons to the public for seven days. During that time, he became close with the Hermits Tissa and Thiha and the local hermit of Kaylartha Mountain. They requested that he leave behind some relic to be revered by the people in his place after he left to return home. The Buddha agreed and gave six of his hairs to hermits from Kyaiktiyo, Zinkyaik (to Tissa), Mount Zwegabin (to Thiha), Kaylartha, Kuthaerayone and Melan. A pair of belu brothers from Kyaikhtisaung also received a hair. All the hermits and belus enshrined the hair in great stones.[4][5][6][7]

The Hermit of Kaylartha, whose name was Tila of Dokkhalun,[8] discussed how to go about enshrining the hairs and building pagodas around them with Hermits Tissa and Thiha and Indra Sakka, who had supported Thiha in constructing a pagoda on Mount Zwegabin. He enshrined the hair relic in the pagoda atop Kaylartha Mountain, and was advised by Indra Sakka.

The hermits communicated with each other by shining lights atop their respective mountains at night-time. Tissa, who stayed atop Zinkyaik Mountain, did not see light coming from Mountain Kaylartha and wondered what might have occurred. He went to Kaylartha Mountain and found the body of the Kaylartha Hermit. The body was burnt and buried, while the head, which was not burnt nor decomposed, held one of Buddha's hairs in its braid. It was returned to Mok Soe Taung Pagoda and joined the original two hair relics there.[9]

## Restoration[edit]

The Kyaikhtisaung Sayadaw restored nine Buddha hair relic pagodas during his lifetime, with Kaylartha Pagoda being one of them.[10] He built a compound around the pagoda and paved a road up to the top. It is now a popular spot for tourists and locals and had a resident abbot and monastery at the summit of the mountain.

## Mining[edit]

In 2016, a rock and quarry project aimed at producing rock suitable for road paving was suspended on Kaylatha Mountain. On October 19, the Hluttaw state representative of Belin Township Constituency No. 1, Dr. Khin Naing Oo, sent a letter of opposition regarding the preparation for a mining project on the forest reserve to the President and various other respective government departments. The project was headed by Rock Well Mining Co., Ltd.. Ohn Win, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, visited the area nine days later on October 28. He witnessed the field work taking place and decided to suspend the work. A temporary ban was placed from mining on the historic site. Eventually, quarry projects were permitted to operate only along the boundaries of the Kaylartha Wildlife Sanctuary (450 acres of land) as they had historically been quarry sites.[11][12]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Cycling in Myanmar". Retrieved 2017-09-03.
2. ^ Beffasti, L.; Gallanti, V., eds. (2011). "Kelatha". Myanmar Protected Areas: Context, Current Status and Challenges (PDF). Milano, Yangon: Istituto Oikos, Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association. pp. 42–43.
3. ^ "Myanmar Times, Mon State". Archived from the original on 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
4. ^ "Once off-limits, Mon State reveals its beauty". Archived from the original on 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
5. ^ Analla 2015, pp. 16–17.
6. ^ "Sane Let Tin". Archived from the original on 2017-09-01. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
7. ^ Sann 2013, p. 43.
8. ^ Analla 2015, p. 16.
9. ^ Sann 2013, pp. 45–46.
10. ^ "Bio – Kyaithisaung Sayadaw". Retrieved 2017-08-31.
11. ^ "Rockwell Mining's Preparation on Kaylatha Mountain Suspended". Retrieved 2019-01-01.
12. ^ "Quarry Projects Limited to Boundaries of Kaylatha Reserve". Retrieved 2019-01-01.

### Bibliography[edit]

* Sann, U (2013). Myint, U San (ed.). History of Hsandawshin Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda. Myanmar.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
* Analla, Ds. (2015). Aung, Naing Htet (ed.). Ashin Pannadipa and His Exertions (in English and Burmese). Myanmar.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

* v
* t
* e

The Buddha (Gautama Buddha)

* Buddhism
* Core teachings
* Four Noble Truths
* Noble Eightfold Path
* Middle Way
* Sayings
* Disciples
* ten principal disciples
* Four sights
* Eight Great Events
* Great Renunciation
* Family
* Maya
* Śuddhodana
* Mahapajapati Gotami
* Yaśodharā
* Rāhula
* Places
* Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Bodhi Tree, Mahabodhi Temple
* pilgrimage sites
* Miracles
* Birthday
* Modak
* Prophecy
* Physical characteristics
* Death
* Relics
* Cetiya
* tooth
* footprint
* Buddha in art
* life in art
* Iconography
* Films
* Gautama Buddha in world religions
* Hinduism

* Commons
* Wikiquote

* v
* t
* e

Topics in Buddhism

* Outline
* Glossary
* Index

Foundations|

* Four Noble Truths
* Three Jewels
* Buddha
* Dharma
* Sangha
* Noble Eightfold Path
* Nirvana
* Middle Way

The Buddha|

* Tathāgata
* Birthday
* Four sights
* Eight Great Events
* Great Renunciation
* Physical characteristics
* Life of Buddha in art
* Footprint
* Relics
* Iconography in Laos and Thailand
* Films
* Miracles
* Family
* Suddhodāna (father)
* Māyā (mother)
* Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother)
* Yaśodharā (wife)
* Rāhula (son)
* Ānanda (cousin)
* Devadatta (cousin)
* Places where the Buddha stayed
* Buddha in world religions

Bodhisattvas|

* Avalokiteśvara
* Guanyin
* Mañjuśrī
* Mahāsthāmaprāpta
* Ākāśagarbha
* Kṣitigarbha
* Samantabhadra
* Vajrapāṇi
* Skanda
* Tārā
* Metteyya/Maitreya

Disciples|

* Kaundinya
* Assaji
* Sāriputta
* Mahamoggallāna
* Ānanda
* Mahākassapa
* Aṅgulimāla
* Anuruddha
* Mahākaccana
* Nanda
* Subhūti
* Punna
* Upāli
* Mahapajapati Gotamī
* Khema
* Uppalavanna
* Asita
* Channa
* Yasa

Key concepts|

* Avidyā (Ignorance)
* Bardo
* Bodhicitta
* Buddha-nature
* Dhamma theory
* Dharma
* Enlightenment
* Five hindrances
* Indriya
* Karma
* Kleshas
* Mental factors
* Mindstream
* Parinirvana
* Pratītyasamutpāda
* Rebirth
* Saṃsāra
* Saṅkhāra
* Skandha
* Śūnyatā
* Taṇhā (Craving)
* Tathātā
* Ten Fetters
* Three marks of existence
* Anicca
* Dukkha
* Anatta
* Two truths doctrine

Cosmology|

* Ten spiritual realms
* Six realms
* Deva realm
* Human realm
* Asura realm
* Hungry Ghost realm
* Animal realm
* Naraka
* Three planes of existence

Branches|

* Mahayana
* Zen
* Chinese Chan
* Japanese Zen
* Korean Seon
* Vietnamese Thiền
* Pure Land
* Tiantai
* Huayan
* Risshū
* Nichiren
* Madhyamaka
* Yogachara
* Vajrayana
* Tibetan Buddhism
* Chinese Esoteric Buddhism
* Shingon
* Dzogchen
* Theravada
* Navayana
* Early Buddhist schools
* Pre-sectarian Buddhism
* Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna

Practices|

* Bhavana
* Bodhipakkhiyādhammā
* Brahmavihara
* Mettā
* Karuṇā
* Mudita
* Upekkha
* Buddhābhiṣeka
* Dāna
* Devotion
* Deity yoga
* Dhyāna
* Faith
* Five Strengths
* Iddhipada
* Meditation
* Mantras
* Kammaṭṭhāna
* Recollection
* Smarana
* Anapanasati
* Samatha
* Vipassanā (Vipassana movement)
* Shikantaza
* Zazen
* Koan
* Ganana
* Mandala
* Tonglen
* Tantra
* Tertön
* Terma
* Merit
* Mindfulness
* Mindful Yoga
* Satipatthana
* Nekkhamma
* Nianfo
* Pāramitā
* Paritta
* Puja
* Offerings
* Prostration
* Chanting
* Refuge
* Sādhu
* Satya
* Sacca
* Seven Factors of Enlightenment
* Sati
* Dhamma vicaya
* Pīti
* Passaddhi
* Śīla
* Five precepts
* Eight precepts
* Bodhisattva vow
* Pratimokṣa
* Threefold Training
* Śīla
* Samadhi
* Prajñā
* Vīrya
* Four Right Exertions
* Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar

Nirvana|

* Bodhi
* Bodhisattva
* Buddhahood
* Pratyekabuddha
* Four stages of awakening
* Sotāpanna
* Sakadagami
* Anāgāmi
* Arhat

Monasticism|

* Bhikkhu
* Bhikkhunī
* Śrāmaṇera
* Śrāmaṇerī
* Anagārika
* Ajahn
* Sayadaw
* Zen master
* Rōshi
* Lama
* Rinpoche
* Geshe
* Tulku
* Western tulku
* Kappiya
* Donchee
* Householder
* Upāsaka and Upāsikā
* Achar
* Śrāvaka
* The ten principal disciples
* Shaolin Monastery

Major figures|

* Gautama Buddha
* Nagasena
* Aśvaghoṣa
* Nagarjuna
* Asanga
* Vasubandhu
* Kumārajīva
* Buddhaghosa
* Buddhapālita
* Dignāga
* Bodhidharma
* Zhiyi
* Emperor Wen of Sui
* Songtsen Gampo
* Xuanzang
* Shandao
* Padmasambhāva
* Saraha
* Atiśa
* Naropa
* Karmapa
* Hōnen
* Shinran
* Dōgen
* Nichiren
* Shamarpa
* Dalai Lama
* Panchen Lama
* Ajahn Mun
* B. R. Ambedkar
* Ajahn Chah
* Thích Nhất Hạnh

Texts|

* Early Buddhist Texts
* Tripiṭaka
* Mahayana sutras
* Pāli Canon
* Chinese Buddhist canon
* Tibetan Buddhist canon
* Dhammapada
* Sutra
* Vinaya
* Madhyamakālaṃkāra
* Abhidharmadīpa

Countries|

* Afghanistan
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Cambodia
* China
* India
* Indonesia
* Japan
* Korea
* Laos
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Russia
* Buryatia
* Kalmykia
* Tuva (ru)
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Taiwan
* Thailand
* Tibet
* Vietnam
* Africa
* Central Asia
* Middle East
* Iran
* Western countries
* Argentina
* Australia
* Brazil
* Canada
* France
* Mexico
* United Kingdom
* United States
* Venezuela

History|

* Timeline
* Ashoka
* Kanishka
* Buddhist councils
* History of Buddhism in India
* Decline of Buddhism in India
* Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution
* Greco-Buddhism
* Menander I
* Buddhism and the Roman world
* Buddhism in the West
* Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
* Persecution of Buddhists
* Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal
* Buddhist crisis
* Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism
* Buddhist modernism
* Vipassana movement
* 969 Movement
* Women in Buddhism

Philosophy|

* Abhidharma
* Atomism
* Buddhology
* Creator
* Buddhism and democracy
* Economics
* Eight Consciousnesses
* Engaged Buddhism
* Eschatology
* Ethics
* Evolution
* Humanism
* Logic
* Reality
* Secular Buddhism
* Socialism
* The unanswered questions

Culture|

* Architecture
* Temple
* Vihāra
* Kyaung
* Wat
* Ordination hall
* Stupa
* Pagoda
* Burmese pagoda
* Candi
* Dzong architecture
* List of Buddhist architecture in China
* Japanese Buddhist architecture
* Korean Buddhist temples
* Thai temple art and architecture
* Tibetan Buddhist architecture
* Art
* Greco-Buddhist
* Bodhi Tree
* Budai
* Buddha in art
* Calendar
* Cuisine
* Funeral
* Holidays
* Vesak
* Uposatha
* Māgha Pūjā
* Asalha Puja
* Vassa
* Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
* Kasaya
* Mahabodhi Temple
* Mantra
* Om mani padme hum
* Mudra
* Music
* Pilgrimage
* Lumbini
* Maya Devi Temple
* Bodh Gaya
* Sarnath
* Kushinagar
* Poetry
* Prayer beads
* Hama Yumi
* Prayer wheel
* Symbolism
* Dharmachakra
* Flag
* Bhavacakra
* Swastika
* Thangka
* Temple of the Tooth
* Vegetarianism

Miscellaneous|

* Abhijñā
* Amitābha
* Brahmā
* Dharma talk
* Hinayana
* Kalpa
* Koliya
* Lineage
* Māra
* Ṛddhi
* Siddhi
* Sacred languages
* Pāḷi
* Sanskrit

Comparison|

* Baháʼí Faith
* Christianity
* Influences
* Comparison
* East Asian religions
* Gnosticism
* Hinduism
* Jainism
* Judaism
* Psychology
* Science
* Theosophy
* Violence
* Western philosophy

Lists|

* Bodhisattvas
* Buddhas
* Buddhists
* Suttas
* Sutras
* Temples
* Festivals

* Category
* Religion portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template