Origins and Early Developments of Pagoda Trusts in Burma

With Peter Alexander, York University

Respondent: Elizabeth (Izzy) Rhoads, Lund University

Under British colonial rule in the late 19th century, Buddhists in colonial Burma began establishing Pagoda Trusts to protect and care for the country’s Buddhist monuments. This paper explores the circumstances in which the pagoda trust system first took shape by focusing on the exemplary and influential Shwedagon Pagoda Trust. Material support for pagodas in Burma comes from Buddhist practices of dāna or ritual donation, which are a key pillar of moral authority and a major part of the religious life of laypeople. This paper argues that the need for lay Buddhists to find new ways to manage the material support for religious institutions under colonial rule created opportunities for them to experiment with new modes of organization and affiliation, as well as new sources of moral authority.

This event is part of the Burma Past and Present: Religion, Ethnicity and Power, a series of readings and discussion of works in progress. We will be reading and discussing work in progress with the author. Please email hmlwin@yorku.ca to receive a copy of the reading.

This event is hybrid. Virtual attendees should register at this link.