ASEAN 20TH CENTURY LITERATURES

SELECTED POEMS AND SHORT STORIES FROM

MYANMAR

Country Coordinator

MR. KYAW OO

Rector

National University of Arts and Culture

MYANMAR

POEMS

1. Ancient Glorious Bagan by Zaw Gyi

Translated by Ba Than

2. Ballad on Anyar Auspicious Wedding by Thakhin Ko Taw Hmaing

Translated by Ba Than

3. Ceremonial Drum Song by Min Thu Wun

Translated by Ba Than

4. Playmate by U Ye Din

Translated by Ba Than

5. The Pleasant Garden by Ngwe Tar Yi

Translated by Ba Than

6. The Village Fair by Tin Moe

Translated by Kenneth Ba Sein

SHORT STORIES

1. Fear of Samsara written and translated by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay

2. Golden Neem Tree Leaf by Khin Hnin Yu

Translated by Maung Linn Yone (Shan State)

3. Truly a Man Among Men by Sin Phyu Kyune Aung Thein

Translated by Kyi Kyi Hla

Ancient Glorious Bagan

by Zaw Gyi

Hear ye, my lads

Hear ye, my lassies

The glory of ancient Bagan

Gold, silver, gems a-plenty,

With the benevolent mighty Emperor

Exalted King Anawratha1

In pomp and power reigned,

Brawn and brain evenly matching

Oh ye, Baganites

Heralding the golden era in history.

Heroes Nga Htwe Yu2,

Nga Lone Let Phe3,

Nyaung Oo Ko Shwe Hpee4,

And Min Kyan Sit5

Crown Prince to the Bagan Throne.

In courage and valour

Patriotism unrivalled

Protecting the Kingdom along the borders

Striking fear into submission

Banners and pennants a-flying high,

1 King Anawrath (AD 1015-1077), founder of Bagan Dynasty

2 Nga Htwe Yu, former toddy palm tree climber later became famous as one of the Four Paladins of King Anawrahta as a leading

general in Royal Army.

3 Nga Lone Let Phe, former ploughman and later became famous as one of the Four Paladins of King Anawrahta as a leading

general in Royal Army.

4 Nyaung Oo Hpee, former great swimmer and later became famous as one of the Four Paladins of King Anawrahta as a leading

general in Royal Army.

5 King Kyansittha (AD 1030-1112)

Tossed by the fluttering wind

In the vanguard of King’s mighty army

War drums booming

As the columns marched ahead

While Baganites cheered in glee

Hail to our valiant heroes

Sons of our mother soil.

How strong and swarthy,

With muscles and sinews hard as steel

Commanders and soldiers

In battle equally daring

Marching onwards, year long

Enemies totally annihilated.

While darlings at home prayed

Day by day, day after day,

For victories and safe return,

With Eugenie sprigs and holy water

At the sacred shrine

Don’t you worry, don’t you grieve

Born in Bagan, land of the heroes

Fully groomed, with Bagan blueblood.

Have sacrificed life blood and limbs

At the altar of the heroes.

Who can ever match the glory of Bagan

As foreign armies cowed in fear

With pure heart and awesome might

Self-reliant and proud

Baganites swagger unchallenged

Behold ancient Bagan

The bygone era of pomp and splendour

Where swords are razor-edged

Fearlessly striking

Behold ye to our pagodas and monasteries

In devoted worshipped and charity

With bountiful paddy fields,

Natural rainfall and irrigation fed.

Along the golden Paukkan6 land,

People awashed in prosperity,

Buddhism serenely flourishing,

Sacred bells chiming

As venerable monks followed Buddha’s teaching

Prosperous and thriving

As Baganites sauntered to and fro

Royalty courtiers King’s servants

Farmers, traders and workers

In harmony all pool their resources

The glory of Bagan reverberating

Justice and sympathy prevailing

With most venerable Arahat Shin Arahan7

Ethics and morality guiding

Anawratha, mighty King of Bagan

Kingdom with authority consolidating

In unity and solidarity.

The fame of Bagan spread far and wide.

Kneeling in sublime devotion,

At the foot of magnificent Shwe Sigon8

6 Old name of Bagan

7 Mon Theravada Buddhist monk who made a fateful visit to Pagan and reformed Theravada Buddhism in Bagan

8 Shwe Sigon Pagoda built by King Anawratha in 1059 in Bagan-Nyaung-U

Sacred with golden radiance,

In adulation to my love

Ancient Bagan song, melodiously crooning.

Translated by Ba Than

Zawgyi (Burmese: ဇဇဇဇဇဇဇ, 12 April 1907 - 26 September 1990), born in Pyapon,

Irrawaddy Division, real name U Thein Han ((ဇဇဇဇဇဇဇဇဇဇ), was a distinguished and

leading Burmese poet, author, literary historian, critic, scholar and academic.

He was one of the leaders of the Hkit san (Testing the Times) movement in Burmese

literature searching for a new style and content before the Second World War, along

withTheippan Maung Wa, Nwe Soe and Min Thu Wun. His first hkit san poetry, Padauk pan

(Padauk flower), was published in Hantha Kyemon pamphlet.

His most memorable work was a play titled Maha hsan gyinthu, an adaptation of Molière's

Lebourgeois gentilhomme, published in 1934. His most famous poem was Beida lan (The

Hyacinth's Way) that traces a journey through life's ups and downs, published in 1963.

In 1941, Zawgyi became Librarian at the University of Rangoon. He married Daw Saw Yin (B.A.,

B.Ed.). During World War II Zawgyi became Deputy Director General (Literature and Libraries

Division) at the Ministry of Education. After the war he returned to his old job as Librarian at the

University of Rangoon (called Yangon in Burmese), then from 1947 to 1948 Special Officer for

the Legislative Council and Elections Office. He was awarded the honour of Wunna kyawhtin for

distinguished service by the government.

Between 1950 and 1952, Zawgyi travelled as part of a delegation to Indonesia, Britain,

United States, Mexico and Canada. From 1951 to 1957 he was Director of the Textbooks

Committee at the Ministry of Education. In 1955 Zawgyi won the Sapei Beikman "variety in

literature" (sa padetha) prize for Thakin Kodaw Hmaing htika. He then became Chairman of the

Burma History Commission in 1959.

The year 1961 saw him as Emeritus Professor of Burmese at the University of Rangoon and

was awarded the honour of Thiri pyanchi by the government. He was also President of the

Technical Terms Committee and the National Literary Awards Selection Committee. He retired

as Librarian of the Universities Central Library in 1967. He was then appointed First Special

Officer for Education, President of the Burma Research Society and Adviser for the Burma

History Commission.

In 1976 he visited India with U Khin Zaw (the author and translator K) where he read a paper on

the Ramayana. In 1979 Zawgyi won the National Literary Award for "Nin-la-hè chit dukkha

(Damn You, Broken Heart) and Other Short Stories", and in 1987, another for "Ancient Bagan

and Other Poems".

When Zawgyi died at the age of 83, on 26 September 1990, he left wife Daw Saw Yin and their

three daughters, Dr. Khin Myo Han, Dr. Khin Hla Han and Dr. Khin Ohn Han. His family,

students and colleagues created the "Zawgyi prize" and "Ganda Lawka Thingaha prize" for

outstanding diploma students in Library and Information Studies and Masters students in

Burmese.

Ballad on Anyar Auspicious Wedding

by Thakhin Ko Taw Hmaing

In our Anyar1 land, there’s only one,

The most auspicious celebration,

A grand wedding ceremony

Where the entire extended family

Participate most lavishly,

By tradition, to the common welfare.

It is the ‘ Ko Min Yar’ elitist clan.

Descended from grandpa and grandma,

Family tree extending,

To parents and grandchildren

Scion of elder heredity.

A wedding gift of a pair of oxen,

From grandpa, patriarch of the clan.

Father and mother also are no mean lineage,

Wealth, stature and prestige commanding,

Hailed from Monyway, Kyaymone,

Chaung Oo, fertile belt of Ahlone2.

Where corn grows a-plenty.

So close-knit were the family,

All converge to attend the social fete.

Weddings, charity and village meet.

For gifts there were many,

Extending with generosity:

Two local woven cotton blankets,

Shawls and mosquito nets providing.

A plot of farm land for livelihood,

Paddy field of produce 20 basket paddy harvest;

And a farm land to grow cotton,

For Ko Min yar our loving kinsman.

To be bonded to our heritage,

Bequeathing, lest he may forsake

The native village.

Yonder on the bend, by the flowing stream,

___________________________

1 Upper Myanmar region

2 Monyway, Kyaymone, Chaung Oo, Ahlone: townships of Upper Myanmar region

Where virgin land stretches,

Fertile soil for choicest vegetation:

Eggplant, chilli, wheat, beans and pulses,

Sesame, yellow maize, pumpkin to flourish.

Also abound in cauliflower and cabbage,

Lady fingers, farm gifts for our kindred,

For Ko Min yar, the groom.

Mother, also generous notwithstanding,

Presented a long kitchen knife and chopper,

Utensils for the kitchen.

The in-laws also presented for Ko Min Yar

Two short traditional bamboo flutes.

Wedding over, to the south the newlyweds travelled,

Via Pyay to Thaton3, where the wife stayed;

Complete with household items.

Earthen bowls, spoons, betel box in sling bag.

Alors4, while stopping in Bago5Railway Station,

All goods looted by cheats and thieves,

All household possessions pilfered clean

Not leaving the treasured cane box.

Woe be to us, as misfortune struck,

With no mercy and compassion.

To add insult to injury,

My beloved aunty has demanded repayment

To the loan of a hundred silver coins.

In desperation, blaming our bad luck,

The young pair of oxen

To the village elder forfeited.

Also a farm land by the village,

Sell it out to pay for mortgage

Oh my Ma Ma Lay6!

Translated by Ba Than

____________________________________

3 Pyay: town near Yangon City; Thaton: town in Mon State

4 Expression of surprise

5 Bago: town near Yangon City

6 Nomenclature for sister

Ceremonial Drum Song

by Min Thu Wun

Paloke byone1!

From the Taunggone Village

In the house of Daw Shwe May

And U Yay Chan Nge,

A novitiation ceremony

Held in pomp and pageantry

Paloke byone, the drum song

Booms merrily

Behold, under the rising sun

The parade of umbrellas,

Golden hues scintillating

Stretches along the village path

In auspicious merit-making.

Ah, for the whole month

The novitiate beseeches

Kindly permit me leave

For the life of a recluse.

In the village monastery

Dressed in all the finery

Of a royal prince on horse back

But deep in heart

Yearning morosely

Glanced at his lover

E’en the steed stumbled

What a marvellous scene

A procession of village belles

Holding the regalia of princely parade

Deeply grieved at brief parting

The exquisitely carved banana leaf² slipped from my hands

___________________________

¹Paloke byone: sound of drumming

Eyes wet with tears.

Neck straining forlornly

To catch a wee glimpse,

What an embarrassment,

As elders muttered sulkily

The procession abruptly halted.

How merrily you can strike

Oh ceremonial big drums, paloke byone!

How teasingly you can hum

Oh lilting oboe,

How noisily you can sound

Oh melodious gongs.

Are you teasing jokingly,

To the lady in love

Blushing in coquetry?

How can you jeer

At one who loves him so much;

Alas, for him who seeks solace

In the sanctuary of monkhood

In the order of Sanghas

For the entire month

Yearning morosely the stalwart lad

To her lover glanced from the stallion

His long hair waving in grief

Oh, boisterous drums

How can you torture me thus:

Toke byone!

Translated by Ba Than

_________________________

2 Kun-daung (in Myanmar) which is exquisitely carved banana leaf used as an offertory

Min Thu Wun (Burmese: ဇဇဇဇဇဇဇဇ; 10 February 1909 - 15 August 2004) was a

Myanmar poet, writer and scholar who helped launch a new age literary movement called Hkit

san (Testing the Times) in Burma.

Born Maung Wun at Kungyangon in Mon state in 1909, he was of Mon and Bamar (Burman)

descent. He started writing poems at the age of 20 for Rangoon College (later Rangoon

University) magazine. It was in university that he, along with the other students of Professor Pe

Maung Tin - Theippan Maung Wa and Zawgyi, pioneered the Hkit san style of short stories and

poems, published in the university magazine, and Ganda Lawka (World of Books) magazine

which he edited, under the tutelage of J S Furnivall, founder of the Burma Research Society.

The year 1934 saw the publication of Hkit san pon byin (Experimental Tales) - a collection of

short stories to test the readers' reaction, written by Zawgyi, Min Thu Wun and Theippan Maung

Wa among others. The writing was distinct and novel in style using shorter sentences and

moving away from the traditional literary vocabulary.

In 1935 Min Thu Wun received his master's degree in Burmese literature. He went to study at

Oxford University, and achieved a bachelor's degree in literature in 1939.

Whilst Theippan Maung Wa was famous for his prose, Min Thu Wun and Zawgyi were best

known for their portrayal of the daily lives of ordinary people and for their appreciation of nature

in their poems. Zawgyi became the most respected literary critic, and Min Thu Wun the best

loved poet.

Min Thu Wun's prolific writings on literature, both classical and modern, in numerous articles

were later collected into 3 important books. He died on 15 August 2004 at the age of 95.

Playmate

by U Ye Din

When we are young and puny, with traditional hairdo

Playmates are we, you and me,

Fearful ghosts from the Bo tree1

Howling “way lay lay2”,

Asking which branch it hides

As play mates we run

Hither and thither

Whither, which way you stay

Shouting “way lay lay”.

3Those who flee, take shelter

On the high perch above the earth

The chasers strike the head

And the brow, as they tried,

But not successful

4Under the beam

Of the silvery moon

Where we play hop and jump, touch and chase

Before the barrier is reached

Stop it, stop it my love

I was tempted to shout but dare not utter

For he was my playmate,

My deepest love.

Translated by Ba Than

________________________

1 Children’s game of “Ghost of the Banyan Tree”

2 Sound of answering

3 One of the Myanmar traditional games

4 One of the Myanmar traditional games

The Pleasant Garden

by Ngwe Tar Yi

So exquisitely ravishing

With verdant buds and blooms

Hazy mists enshrouding the earth

White silver pollen scattering around

To the drift of the breeze

Is entire garden wafting with fragrance.

Alors1, behold my wretched garden

Multi-coloured buds failed to blossom,

The earth tangled with shrubs

Withered shrivelled green bushes

So drab and unsightly.

His balmy lodge

So bewitchingly cozy

Beckoned me warmly inside.

Merrily I stroll along

Among priceless buds and flowers

Verdant green lawns amidst shady trees

Offering peaceful solace

My garden, my oasis

Is verily my very own

In all its sylvan beauty

Giving me serenity.

Resolving to upgrade my garden

With red and yellow

Where yonder blue and white blooms

To beautify the landscape

In clearing the weeds

Let me begin my love’s labour

With dogged concentration

_________________________

1 Expression of surprising

Translated by Ba Than

The Village Fair

by Tin Moe

To the village fair

they go

the twin bulls with

their clanging bells,

the smart young driver

perch’d on the eight piece

cart, and the slim lass,

seated under the hood,

profusely perfumed,

her forelocks clipp’d like

pigeon-hair, clad in

a loose-sleev’d voile blouse

with a saffron sarong

to match:

her sweet smiles and

bewitching manners

goad the bulls to run faster,

causing the top-knotted lad

with his crested hairband,

to lose his balance!

There comes his aunt’s man

driving the old, creaking cart

and making fun of them:

but the gay lad just smiles

at his lovely maid who was

a red scarf slung about

her neck, chewing betel:

she screens herself

with the parasol,

for she is bashful:

This Communal Charity Fair

with its teeming multitude,

its deafening drums,

its thunderous din and commotion

make the headman anxious

and the village Abbot grumble,

for things are beyond control!

He parks his cart under

the brown Eugenia tree

and unties his bulls:

seated on the cart

they watch the show

amid the muttering crowd

in the cold foggy winter night,

both wrapp’d together in

a single thread-bare shawl:

ah! How could he ever forget

this village Fair?

Translated by Kenneth Ba Sein

Tin Moe (Burmese: ဇဇဇဇဇဇဇ; MLCTS: tangmui:; ]) was a famous Burmese poet. Tin Moe

was born Maung Ba Gyan in the village of Kanmyèzagyan in Taungtha Township, Myingyan,

Mandalay Division. He received his early education at a Buddhist monastery, and attended

school at the town of Yezagyo. His reputation preceded him when he went on to study at the

University of Mandalay at the request of faculty members who had been impressed by an essay

he wrote for the matriculation exam. He was already a published poet under the pen name Kan

Myè Nan Myint Nwe in the Ludu Journal of Mandalay.

In 1956 Tin Moe collected his poems into a book titled Hpan Mee Ain (English: The Lantern). It

won him the National Literary Award for Poetry in 1959. He continued to write poems and

essays, and became editor of poetry at the Ludu Daily in Mandalay. He also worked for a time

as the editor of Pei Hpu Hlwar magazine.

His early poems were influenced by Min Thu Wun and Zawgyi, who in their time pioneered a

new age literary movement while still in Rangoon University. They also inspired him to write

poems for children. Some of these were later turned into songs for children and also included in

school texts.

He traveled through the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia attending literary events. In

2004, the Netherlands honoured him with the Prince Claus Award. He died on January 22, 2007

in his home away from home in Los Angeles, California at the age of 73.

SHORT STORIES

1. Fear of Samsara written and translated by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay

2. Golden Neem Tree Leaf by Khin Hnin Yu

Translated by Maung Linn Yone (Shan State)

3. Truly a Man Among Men by Sin Phyu Kyune Aung Thein

Translated by Kyi Kyi Hla

Fear of Samsara

by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay

(1)

The Sun is rising. The whole street is attractively shinning in the reflected rays of the

rising sun. A pleasantly warm breeze is blowing from the river. A rowdy crowd of children in

various clothes and various colours are thronging to view the heaps of alms and running here

and there along the street.

Varieties of alms are arranged on the tables laid in line throughout the street. Alms on

the tables comprise candle packets, soap power packets, tinned fish boxes, bowls, rice, edible

oil bottles, salt, dried fish and dried prawn.

Mawlamyinegyun holds the alms-giving ceremony on a grand scale yearly. It is a

peaceful, pleasant town where the office of the town governor is based. In the breeze, the air is

fragrant with the scents of rice bran coming from the rice mills on the other bank of the river. It is

completely noisy with the voices of the well-wishers preparing to offer their alms to the monks,

the sound of the long drum from the top of the street, and the noises children are making

continuously.

The music from the long drum becomes louder while monks are being conveyed in a line

towards the street in the late afternoon.

Hearing the charming piece of music from the long drum, Ko Ba Thaung goes into an

ecstasy of bliss. Walking closely after the Abbot, Ko Ba Thaung with a huge alms bamboo

basket in the chest even cannot mind his steps. He thinks stopping just for a moment for well-

wishers to put their alms into the basket takes too long for him. He cannot wait to get to the

house of Ma Kyin Mya and to have a look at her charming face to his heart’s content, while

receiving the alms she offers to the monk.

Ko Ba Thaung is madly in love with Ma Kyin Mya. He uses to all possible ways and

means and complies with all her wishes in his effort to win her love. Whenever she asks him for

even personal goods such as talcum powder box, handkerchief or silk sarong which are

available only in urban areas, he satisfies her hunger by asking any chance messenger to buy

them in Yangon for him.

Ma Kyin Mya is merely a girl of passable beauty, not pretty at all. She is fairly attractive

to opposite sex. For Ko Ba Thaung, however, no girl around the world is as pretty as her. In his

eyes, she looks good on any costume and hairdo she wears. She is far more elegant in her

gestures, the way she walks and behaves than any other girl under the sun. He thinks as if she

had all the beauty and elegance other women all over the world have.

He is always indefatigable in his effort to win her favour and always enjoys every minute

and never feels fatigued to fulfill her wishes. Often witnessing Ko Ba Thaung yields to whatever

Ma Kyin My demands, a friend of his once said, “Huh, Ba Thaung, you can court her. But doing

whatever she asks you for is really annoying to my sight.” However much as his friends say so,

he keeps silent as though nothing has happened to him. His love for her is bordering on

obsession.

She is renowned for her eloquence, thus having a wide circle of friends and

acquaintances. Due to her sweet facial expression she is always the centre of young men’s

attention. She sometimes speaks with a lovely sideways glance. Whenever she speaks, her lips

never fail to portray her expressions, sometimes pouting; sometimes opening wide with smiles;

sometimes pursing; and sometimes askew.

Poor Ko Ba Thaung does not notice he is indeed obsessed by her gestures and

expressions. As a matter of fact he is none but a naive guy. Meeting Ma Kyin Mya many times,

he finally succumbed to her charms and feminine wiles as if there were no woman else in the

world.

Ma Kyin Mya’s family offers candle packets. Wearing a pale yellow scarf over her

shoulders and yellowish-white headdress comb in her head and embracing candle packets, Ma

Kyin Mya is waiting for the monk to arrive.

Ko Ba Thaung thinks it takes ages for him to get to the site where Ma Kyin Mya is

standing. As the saying that goes “More haste, less speed”, well-wishers are taking their time to

offer the alms. Thank God, lads and lasses are quick in offering and putting the alms into the

basket. Older people are by nature very slow whenever they do things. Now, they take their time

whereas he is in such a hurry. He has become restless, looking into the distance so many

times. He thinks that the Abbot is sometimes too slow to walk along the way. Ko Ba Thaung can

hardly control himself from overtaking the Abbot.

In the end, they get to the house of Ma Kyin Mya. She looks up her eyes slowly and

takes a sideways glance at him, which makes him stop suddenly.

With an impish smile, she is putting candle packages into the basket. Grinning from ear

to ear, Ko Ba Thaung has a constant look at the little face of Ma Kyin Mya rather than the

candle package.

The Abbot has been a fairly long distance from him. Candle packages are still falling one

after another from her into the basket.

Seeing no lay attendant near the Abbot, a well-wisher asks, “Isn’t you accompanied by

any lay attendant, Your Venerable Abbot?

Then, the Abbot turns back to know what is happening and sees Ko Ba Thaung still

standing at the previous site. So, the Abbot has to wait for him for a while.

Ko Ba Thaung is having a long conversation with Ma Kyin Mya as though he had

reached the destination. While talking with her, he sees the Abbot waiting for him.

“I can’t know where I stand with the Abbot—one minute he moves slowly, the next he’s

in a hurry,” he murmured.

He leaves the site where they were having a conversation, but unwillingly. He comes to

feel the basket in his chest so heavy to carry on. So, he takes a stroll, rather than brisk paces.

The Abbot is still going ahead at a brisk pace.

After the donation ceremony is over, they turn to the site where alms are going to be

offered by lot to the monks. By a stroke of fortune, the Abbot wins silk upper robe and Ko Ba

Thaung is, therefore, sure that winning the good prize is due to his drawing the lot on behalf of

the Abbot in addition to his luck. He happens to say prayers in the mind for surely leading a

happy married life with Ma Kyin Mya as the fruit of his voluntary service of drawing the lot.

This time is to hold Maha Dok Lucky Draw Programme. The well-wishers flocked to the

lucky draw pavilion.

The alms offering ceremony is celebrated in the downtown every year and the winner of

Maha Dok Lucky Draw Programme is ordained as a monk.

The luck draw programme has just started and many first tickets are blank. Like other

people, Ko Ba Thaung is near the pavilion. He cast a broad smile at Ma Kyin Mya and then

shows his lot like other participants.

“Lucky number!”

The loud announcement is followed by loud sounds of the bronze drums hit hard with the

drumsticks and the lively music from the traditional drum troupe.

(2)

Bringing variety of alms, Ma Kyin Mya attends the ordination ceremony for the lucky

draw winner Ko Ba Thaung. He has to cast down the eyes and hardly suppresses his desire to

look up the donor damsel. To avoid committing a sin of looking her up with emotions, the newly-

ordained monk takes a sideways glance to her. Just as he sees Ma Kyin Mya making low

obeisance to him three times, his heart is completely filled with great ecstasy.

With the sense that he has become a monk, he has to suppress the pervasive delight.

Day meal is also offered to the monks. The monks have the day meal together. Having the alms

food, he absent-mindedly has an accidental look at her and has to be careful at what he looks.

He beats himself up over the sin despite strenuous effort to press down the emotions.

Worrying someone has noticed it, he casts down his eyes and keeps silent.

He feels greatly ecstatic to have obtained monkhood amongst the monks with the four

requisites donated by well-wishers. On the ordination day, the freshly-ordained monk receives

the monkhood name of “Shin Dhamma Pala”.

He is determined to stay as a monk for 9 days at a stretch. So he has to suppress his

desire to meet Ma Kyin Mya again until next nine days have passed.

He has also made up his mind to do meditation as much as he can in the monkhood

period to gain great merits.

As soon as he has paid obeisance to the Lord Buddha and recited the religious verses,

Monk Dhamma Pala practises meditation. In daytime, he likes reading the Treatise “550 Life

Stories of Buddha”. Then he takes a nap. He spends his spare time counting beads under a

resolution and says prayers for the physical and spiritual well-being of the donors with whose

sponsorship he was ordained.

In the late afternoons, he walks to and fro at a suitable place, doing mental cultivation.

During the intervals in the late afternoons, he sits on the bench under the mango tree, enjoying

the beauty of the peaceful and serene precinct of the monastery.

Like meditation centres, the monastery compound is so lush and green with big trees

that it is like a luxuriant mangrove if seen from a distance. The precinct is silent except the

voices of paying obeisance to the Buddha, and novices and monks’ reciting lessons. It is a

paradise for a person who wishes to lead a secluded life.

Three days later, the monk starts to feel the peaceful life in the Religious Order.

Monkhood and fresh mind help him get rid of and put his sensual desires behind him. He

gradually realizes the phenomena of no selfishness. There is no ego and one only has volitional

action, called Kamma, as one’s own possession and that there is no other possession.

On day, counting beads sitting under the mango tree, he is considering the volitional

action, and good and bad results of one’s own good and bad deeds. In the afternoon, his

younger brother arrives there to offer aerated soft drink to him as usual. Then, he puts on the

string of beads in the left wrist.

He again happens to consider that he has distanced himself from the secular world for

some days.

He asks, “How is Mom?”

“She is fine,” answers his brother with his head down.

“And how about you?”

“Fine, thanks.”

“I’m afraid there’s something wrong with you. Are you sure Mom is fine?”

“Of course.”

After the reply, his brother is brooding about something.

“Tell her to seek real peace of mind, considering the three characteristics of existence.

Do you hear me? Don’t stay outside long unlike while I was at home. The one who obeys his

parents to the letter never becomes impoverished. It is according to the “550 Life Stories of

Buddha”. Hey, you look downhearted, what is happening to you?”

His brother does not seem to hear what he was saying. And he is still in a daze. He is

undecided as to whether he should let him know about his mother.

“Big brother, er…sorry… Monk, Mom asked me not to let you know.”

“Oh, if she is not well, you can tell me about it. What makes you think that long?”

Monk Dhamma Pala said so to encourage him to disclose anything he has known. It is

because he is calm due to his staying long in monkhood.

His brother swallows the spit and comes to the point.

“Mom is fine. But er…er…Ma Kyin Mya eloped with a guy last night.”

Monk Dhamma Pala’s eyes pop out and he barely says, “Eh!” He is still an ordinary man,

and the characteristic “impermanence” he often considers can no longer be with him.

Owing to the bad news, Monk Dhamma Pala cannot do well in medication. While he is

doing meditation, what is always on his mind is the charming face of Ma Kyin Mya. He cannot

remove her image from his sense of sight at all. Dwelling on the bad news and hallucinating her

face at all times makes him almost gain the insight from the ignorance.

When her elopement is in his mind again, he is blind to everything again and explodes

with rage and mutters, “What a faithless woman!” He tries to ignore her painful memories with

careful consideration, but in vain. He feels as if his heart were no longer functioning. And he

feels missing and longing for her and heartrending. Whenever he feels heartbreaking, he

suppresses his emotions and keeps his eyes closed.

No sooner has Monk Dhamma Pala’s mother known that younger son brought the bad

news to the monk’s attention that she flies into rage and rebukes him at the top of her voice.

She feels greatly sorry. For the time being, she plans to go and meet the monk on the day on

which he leaves the Religious Order, rather than today.

Today, her son’s ordination is on its ninth day.

Monk Dhamma Pala is on the horn of dilemma over what he should do—to leave the

Religious Order or to keep staying as a monk. On the one hand, he feels too bitter to keep

staying as a monk, but on the other hand his friends will make fun of him. And he will feel hurt

whenever he meets her on the road. Therefore he decides not to leave the Religious Order for

the time being, but only when things are settled.

The monk tries the whole day to remain calm. His heartbreaking reaches its peak

whenever Ma Kyin Mya is in his mind, and so he has to control and discontinue his obsession

with attachment to her by means of contemplating the three characteristics of existence.

Monk Dhamma Pala can repress his emotions, but just in the period of considering the

three characteristics of mind and matter. She is always on his mind like the source of a stream

from which water comes out continuously. With the thought that he can overcome his emotional

feelings if he is tired out, he is fetching water from the well for the monks and novices till he gets

exhausted. At that time, his mother reaches the well unexpectedly.

“When will you leave the Religious Order, Your Monk?”

“I’ll, but not today. I’ll keep staying as a monk so long as I fancy.”

As she hears his reply, her eyes are filled with tears out of delight as well as sadness.

Why she feels good is that his son will remain a monk, and why she feels hurt is that it may be

due to the emotions caused by Ma Kyin Mya.

Monk Dhamma Pala focuses all his attention to fetching water to avoid coming face-to-

face with her again.

(2)

Monk Dhamma Pala has stayed as a monk for about three months, extending the

monkhood one week after another. And Ma Kyin Mya’s wedding reception has passed about a

couple of months. Time passes by, delaying to leave the Religious Order, he becomes reluctant

to put an end to the monkhood. Due to the constructive effects he gains by doing meditation, he

gets calmer and calmer.

The Buddhist Retreat is drawing near. He is determined to continue to stay the whole

Buddhist Period with the thought that he will leave the Religious Order until the period is over in

order to escape from worldly desires and attachments to a certain degree.

On the Full Moon Day of Waso, all his relatives visit the monastery. Rice mill proprietor

U Tha Wa has taken a vow to provide four requisites for him as long as he remains a monk. U

Tha Wa is more than happy that Monk Dhamma Pala goes into the monsoon period. He is also

proud for Monk Dhamma Pala who is the one and only man who sojourns the Buddhist Lent

among those who won Maha Dok Lucky Draw. He admires Monk Dhamma Pala for a strong

sense of moral conduct and intensive practice of meditation.

He sits with folded knees and learns with great respect when Monk Dhamma Pala

teaches him the basic methods of doing meditation.

“Well, layman, concentrate on your in- and out-breath only after contaminating breathing

in and out at the beginning, in the middle and at the end several times. You feel the in-breath:

first at the tip of your nose; second in the chest; and third in the belly. The out-breath takes

place, first in the belly; second, in the chest; and third, at the tip of the nose. In a word, you must

watch carefully the beginning, middle and end of every in- and out-breath with constant

mindfulness and sense.”

U Tha Wa is full of praise for the hard work the monk makes in meditation and tells

everyone at the prayer hall “Monk Dhamma Pala spends much of his time, doing meditation.” Of

the people of all ages to the prayer hall, elderly ones praise the monk’s perfection of

renunciation.

A young man says “Ko Ba Thaung hasn’t left the Religious Order so long. Maybe he’s

feared we’ll make fun of him if he becomes an ex-monk.”

A man in his comment says, “Oh, in my opinion, he may be heartbreaking and may

happen to consider the truth of suffering. He is around 30, at my age. A man of his age may

become a permanent monk if he is ordained.”

Unlike when he won Maha Dok Lucky Draw, Monk Dhamma Pala takes great care to

keep calm. And he participates in the religious activities in cooperation with other monks in the

monastery. In first days of his monkhood, he was always restless and fidgeted all the time. Now,

he performs religious activities and observes the rules of a monk in the like manner of the

monks whose monkhood is more than 20 years.

The whole Buddhist Retreat, he learns the Buddhist scriptures till he can recite by heart.

Even the Abbot once praised him for quick learning in the presence of many of his other

counterparts.

The Buddhist Lent is going to say goodbye but he is not yet in the mood to leave the

Religious Order. He wins Pahtamange (lowest class) at one stroke.

Very gradually, Monk Dhamma Pala becomes weary of mundane affairs. The secluded

and serene monastery really helps him keep calm and enjoy peace of mind. And he can no

longer dwell on the past. He has done meditation daily for so long that he has gained lots of

insight and long memory along with great concentration power with which he can ignore the five

sense bases such as visible base and hearing base and concentrate only on the single object of

meditation.

The Abbot devotes much of his time, teaching Monk Dhamma Pala, an industrious fast

learner, the Buddhist scriptures. Later, he becomes more and more interested in the Buddhist

scriptures and his monkhood has passed one year. He gets more and more mature and

educated year by year and has passed Pahtamagyi (highest class). Then he has to take the role

of a lecturer monk. Due to Monk Dhamma Pala’s good study and teaching skills, strong sense

of rules of conduct, and religious integrity, the Abbot regards him as one of his first students.

Later, he becomes the successor to his Abbot.

U Tha Wa fells a glow of pride for being the sponsor of such an outstanding monk. One

day, Monk Dhamma Pala said that he was in need of treatises of the Three Repositories of

Buddhist Scriptures, U Tha Wa bought and donated them to him at any cost. Not only that, he

also provides whatever he needs. If the monk’s robes are worn-out, U Tha Wa never hesitates

to buy him a set of new robes out of his generosity.

One day, U Tha Wa tells the monk, “Venerable Monk, the Abbot said that the one who

he can entrust his responsibilities to is you. If he entrusts all his responsibilities to you, you will

have to keep residing here to serve the interests of the laity.”

“Richman U Tha Wa says so and reads the monk’s face. His speech meets the monk’s

long silence.

In the mind of the monk are the memories dating back about five years.

“It seems to me I was destined to perform religious duties, not to lead a married life. So,

the celestials must have created a heartbreaking story for me to split Ma Kyin Mya and me,” he

tells himself.

Then, he is looking back on the past, keeping silent. His mother is beginning to feel her

age. Ma Kyin Mya is now a mother of three. Even his younger brother has gotten married and is

working as a clerk at an office. He himself is a monk with five years’ service in the Religious

Order.

Considering the past, a thought strikes his head that he will have to preside at the

monastery one day, and he is at his wits’ end wondering how he should manage it. He has no

plan to spend the rest of his life as a monk, so he cannot bear the thought of presiding at the

monastery.

(3)

It is the Full Moon Day of Thidingyut.

Monk Dhamma Pala is cutting colour papers with a pair of scissors at an uncrowded

room to make paper lanterns.

The Thidingyut Lights Festival is drawing near. The moon is waxing and the moonlight is

brighter and brighter day by day. In Thidingyut, the sun sometimes goes behind clouds. When

the clouds are away, the sun comes out again and its rays flood over the whole area. The trees

in the surrounding areas of the monastery compound are with leaves; some are still green;

some, red; and some, yellow. Leaves are falling down to the ground; some of them get into the

room in breezes and winds.

The scene he enjoyed in the morning is still fresh in his mind. The whole monastery

compound is flooded with the visitors, many of whom are rich urban dwellers, attending the

alms-giving ceremony held by U Tha Wa. A large number of visitors are in different colours and

different dresses. Everyone is in fine clothes and looks smart and the air is fragrant with variety

of perfumes.

A medium-age man is wearing an unusual shirt with eye-catching floral designs.

Different smells include cigarette smoke, hair lotion, perfumes, flowers and silk and

velvets. Short sounds from brand new Bangkok sarongs come out when the wearers pass by,

somewhat like music to his ears. So, he pays careful attention to the sounds which stimulate his

interest.

As of the day on which the rich man supplicated on that the monk would have to take

over the responsibilities, presiding over the monastery after the demise of the Abbot, Monk

Dhamma Pala has felt uneasy with the thought that he has no alternative but to remain a monk.

Now, the Abbot is at the ripe old age like an overripe fruit poised to fall off from the tree.

His days are numbered now— he may pass away today, or tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

He has been sickly since he turned 80. He has been suffering from diseases and receiving

medical treatment almost every day since then. He even cannot bear the thought of facing the

sudden demise of the Abbot.

Monk Dhamma Pala sits for a long time, gazing the mess of cut pieces of colour paper

sheets. The thought gives him palpitations, which is beyond control.

The sun is just setting then disappearing and the clouds are glowing with reflected light.

A group of people from the downtown visited the monastery to give voluntary services to

the lighting of 1,000 oil lamps in the monastery precinct. Previously, the monastery was always

in the dark at night, but today, the buildings with tired roofs in the monastery are shining brightly

with lit oil lamps. So, the monastery situated a distance from the village is now like a celestial

abode. Sweet sounds from the bronze drums are in the air.

After participating in the Lights Festival, Monk Dhamma Pala goes upstairs and enjoys

the panoramic view of the town from the monastery. All the streets and roads are decorated with

lights and paper lanterns as far as the eye can see, which evokes his past events in the Lights

Festival in olden years in his layman life. Then, the memories he had of good times with his

friends in the Lights Festival appear one after another in his mind. He remembers the receptions

in the houses around the village. At that time, like others, he jostled against the visitors for a

good view of lights and decorations along the road. His mind drifts into the past events that he

visited almost all the dramatic shows, puppet shows, dance shows and auditoriums of

entertainment occasions.

A glance at the crowds of people jostling against each other for their ways on the other

side of the urban area makes him become gradually restless with fear of Samsara (circle of birth

and death).

His accidental monkhood becomes greatly strong just as he is concerned about the

sufferings. Then he is able to deal with the confusion of whether he should take over the

responsibilities as the Abbot or not.

For Monk Dhamma Pala, to preside at the monastery is so demanding that he is seeking

means to avoid such onerous duty. Eventually, he gets no idea, but to leave the Religious Order

to avoid succeeding the Abbot.

And he gets an idea to leave the Religious Order before the Abbot passes away, which

is the best way to shirk the formidable task. A lay person is in better conditions than a Member

of the Religious Order in doing things. The monastery is a solitary and quiet place; a good place

for a monk to dwell in, but he can hope no great changes. He has to wait for alms and

provisions from the laity. He also has to wait for Sabbath Day and days of religious significance.

Gradually he comes to realize that he still has great attachment to the life of a layman.

He bends his head forward, changing the posture from standing with a hand on the window

frame supporting his body. The thought ‘if he leaves the Religious Order’ makes his face turn

flushed. He envisages what he would be like—an ex-monk with shaved head, wearing sports

shirt and shinny Bangkok sarong.

He is so reluctant to lead the life of a layman that he happens to ask himself if he can

spend the rest of his life as a monk. The answer is that it is not his first choice.

He indistinctly hears some music from a dramatic show at a distance. He looks up his

face and turns to the farm where the dramatic show is being staged. He sees dim images of the

performers on the stage.

The breeze is bringing sweet music from the show to him. His dejected face becomes

cheerful again, his eyes bright with hopes. Sweet music makes him feel refreshed to some

extent. The images on the stage are dancing to the tune.

While he feels refreshed he tries it to put aside the 227 rules of a Member of the

Religious Order. He feels lighter than before. With some comfort, he approaches the window

again with brisk steps.

All of a sudden, the upper robe accidentally falls off from his shoulder to the floor. Just

as he pulls back the robe onto the shoulder, he notices that he is still a monk. His face turns

pale with confusion. Then he is having a long gaze outside with a sullen face and then he feels

cheerful.

For him to recall past experiences is better than to feel uneasy at present.

He lies awake the whole night, recollecting the past events one after another he

experienced together with her up to his ordination. He encourages himself with the thought that

leaving the Religious Order is not a sin. And he gives an excuse to himself that he did not give a

pledge that he would spend the rest of his life as a monk. He picked up courage with the

thought that having a shaven head will not last long, and if he gets married, his good lady will be

a close company for his mom.

While he loses himself in the thoughts, reviews, opinions and judgments, he hears a

persistent cough from the room of the Abbot. He is getting worse and sometimes he loses his

voice out of terrible cough.

“It’ll be too late if I supplicate on that some time later.”

As soon as the voice of the cough ceases, Monk Dhamma Pala takes a deep breath and

then a long deep out-breath, his eyes closed. At that time, he hears a faint voice calling his

name. What he heard was unclear. Then, he hears a clear voice, calling his name.

“Who is that?”

“It’s me, Your Venerable Monk. Bo Tha from donor U Tha Wa’s house. Your sponsor

has just died of paralytic stoke.”

Monk Dhamma Pala stands up suddenly. Having a look at Bo Tha, who is fluttering his

eyelashes, the monk even does not know what to say and the words stuck in his throat.

Bo Tha scratches his head with thin hair on it and in a cracking voice with emotions

says, “He was on his way to the latrine when he fell down to the ground. He lost consciousness

and died on the spot.”

“Oh, my Buddha!”

He made a lot of efforts to speak only those few words. The monk hears the bad news

out of the blue, so he feels inconsolable. However, his emotions abate to some extent because

he has already made up his mind. If he was determined to keep staying as a monk for good, he

would feel greatly hurt. U Tha Wa’s sudden death meets his heart. At the same time, he thinks

that if U Tha Wa were still alive and knew he had left the Religious Order, he would get

disappointed by the bad news. He feels he owes U Tha Wa a great debt of gratitude.

“What would you like me to do, Your Venerable Monk? I must be going now.”

Monk Dhamma Pala becomes muddled up and is brooding over the unexpected event.

Raising his eyebrows, Bo Tha looks at him and supplicated in a small voice to the monk.

“I’m afraid, I’m going, Your Venerable Monk.”

“All right, I’ll supplicate on it to the Abbot at dawn.”

It is at the crack of dawn. The monk feels cool in his face in a gentle cool breeze. Dawn

wind ushers in the cold season. Breathing the fresh cool air deeply, the monk thinks he should

tell the news to the Abbot only after the Tazaungmone Kathina-Robe Offering Ceremony.

On behalf of the Abbot, Monk Dhamma Pala will preach a funeral sermon. He is sitting

with some other monks on the carpet at the top of the prayer hall. He puts down the fan in his

front, adjusts the upper robe and casts down the eyes.

The prayer hall is filled to capacity with the attendees to the funeral services. Local

residents from the four corners of the town attend the funeral services for leading light U Tha

Wa. Many attendees who do not have a set have to stand on the rear side. As Monk Dhamma

Pala takes position, the audience falls silent. The sun is glaring down mercilessly from the clear

sky. The sound of leaves being blown by the wind from the graveyard is ringing out clearly.

Monk Dhamma Pala is thinking that the sermon about the funeral services for U Tha Wa

will be the last one among those he has preached in life.

Bo Tha stands up and raising his voice said, “Ladies and gentlemen, would you please

observe the Five Precepts?”

“The monk takes an observatory look at the audience and casts down his eyes and

clears the throat. Then he delivers a sermon, urging the congregation to consider the

phenomenon of impermanence of life, and invests them with the Five Precepts.

The voice of repeating after the monk’s administering the Five Precepts is reverberating

around the prayer hall. Then silence reigns supreme for a while.

After administering the congregation with the Five Precepts, Monk Dhama Pala is no

longer enthusiastic to deliver a sermon. Before he got to the prayer hall, he arranged some

points about the sermon in his mind. But now he has changed his mind. He is thinking of

delivering a sermon short and to the point, rather than normal length. In the meanwhile, there

was an awkward silence again for a while.

The two old women sitting near the coffin accidentally touch each other as secret signals

at the same time and are whispering to each other.

An old woman says, “I think the monk is rather downhearted by the death of his sponsor

for the four requisites.”

The other says, “Maybe, he is too choked with emotional feelings to preach.”

Waiting for the sermon, some consider that Monk Dhamma Pala happens to stay long as

a monk due to the requisites provided whenever necessary by U Tha Wa.

Monk Dhamma Pala delivered a short sermon. The audience notices that his sermon is

shorter than usual due to his emotions.

He is convinced that the sermon is short, so he thinks he should take longer than usual

in the merit-sharing programme.

“Well, let’s start the merit-sharing programme in commemoration of the donations and

good moral conduct of the late well-wisher.”

He takes a quick look at the coffin in front of him. Then he notices a high bowl with a

bamboo strip cup on it at a distance from him to be used for sharing merits.

Just as he clears throat two times in a row to start the merit-sharing programme, an

event takes place which no one has expected.

The two women sitting near the bowl are vying with each other for the cup to pour water

symbolically in the programme.

“I’ll pour water to share merits. I’m the one who treated Ko Tha Wa the whole life. I made

all the expenses on the donations. So, I’ll do it, keep your hands off.”

A strong-build woman at the age of around 40 refuses to give up the bamboo strip cup,

and is reproving with rage instead.

“How dare you say and react like that in the presence of other people. Know your place!

You are lesser wife, not legal one. Release the cup!”

Only now does Monk Dhamma Pala know that the sponsor has lived for two wives,

which takes him aback. And he even does not know what to do next—to continue the merit-

sharing programme or to wait till the argument is settled.

The congregation waiting for sharing merits is also amazed and struck dumb. Some

forget to put down their hands raised to pay homage, looking fixedly the quarrel with necks and

backs stretching as much as possible for a clear view.

Like the audience, the body of U Tha Wa is also waiting for the sharing of merits. The

legal wife and the lesser wife are still locked in the strong quarrel for the sole opportunity to pour

water with the cup. They are also raking up each other’s past misdeeds.

“Ko Tha Wa got married to me because he was in no mood to live with you. You know it

has been a very long time since he last lived with you. Many know that he treated me with

devotion in his last years.”

The younger woman with arms akimbo reacted very aggressively, shouting at the top of

her voice.

“Oh, Ko Tha Wa…you were cheating on me and your affairs is now exposed to the

presence of the public. You once said to me she was too hostile to others. Have a look at her

reproving me.”

The wife shouted so with the voice choked with emotions. Again in great anger she

shrieked, “Get up and look at what is happening, Ko Tha Wa!”

Monk Dhamma Pala comes to blush with embarrassment. He gets an idea to settle the

argument. But the works struck in his throat. He is quite embarrassed. The quarrel occurring in

the presence of many other people is offensive to his sensibilities. The merits gained have not

been shared yet. He feels so embarrassed that he is feeling all hot and bothered.

“Oh, Ko Tha Wa…!”

Monk Dhamma Pala was too embarrassed to hear what they are shouting in anger at

each other. His desire to leave the Religious Order is no more all of a sudden and feels

something different from any other feeling he has got.

He is disgusted to be witnessing what is going on in the presence of the public.

He apprehends that secular world is full of undesirable and unpleasant matters and

sufferings. And he is in great fear of human society.

Suddenly, Bo Tha rushes to the water tank which is set for the audience to drink water

from, and snatches one of the cups on it.

“Well, ladies, here it is. Now, you can both pour water to share merits.”

The silent attendees are grumbling again. To draw the attention from the attendees, Bo

Tha turns to them immediately and cries out, “Well, it’s time to share merits.”

The two wives of U Tha Wa are weeping, holding a cup each. The strong-build lesser

wife is still shaking in anger.

Previously, Monk Dhamma Pala intended to take a little longer than usual for the merit-

sharing programme, but he carries out the programme just in brief after all. Hearing the two

voices of sharing merits for the good deeds from the two women is irritating to the ears. The

monk is also feeling hot in the chest. Their voices are short and harsh, thus completely

annoying the others. The congregation has to suppress their anger with the two women for the

monk is flushed with anger and seems to try a lot to control his embarrassment.

“Merit…merit…merit…Ko Tha Wa!”

Hearing the two women attempting to influence each other’s voice, Monk Dhamma Pala

feels as though he were blind and his face and ears go numb.

He is now desperate to leave the congregation and so he does not wait till they complete

the sharing of merits.

On arrival at the monastery, he feels as if there is no place for him to live. He is

disappointed so deeply by the fresh event that he is repeatedly reciting an excerpt from a

religious verse that says “Countless matters in the secular world”.

It is such a strong impact of the recent event that it is a real thorn in his heart and the

pain is intolerable.

In the end, Monk Dhamma Pala can no longer bear the emotions stirred up by the

abhorrence, and gets into the meditation room, which is kept dark.

At the small dark room, he sits cross-legged, his back straight upwards. He tries to

concentrate on the single object of meditation.

However, he can hardly suppress his emotions for the time being and his in-breath and

out-breath are still very harsh. Only when he tries to the best of ability to keep both mind and

body calm, does his restless mind become gradually calm, his attention on the single meditation

object alone. And his in-breath and out-breath become gradually gentler.

Supposing a man has just climbed down from the top of a mountain in the scorching

sun. He takes a rest for a moment, drinks water and has a bath in a cool stream. Then he has a

sleep on the back under a shady tree with a wet cloth on his chest. Some time later, his in-

breath and out-breath will become gentler and gentler till they could not be felt at all.

Likewise, Monk Dhamma Pala is now completely calm in peace of mind and his in-

breath and out-breath are too gentle to be felt as if he no longer breathed.

Shwe Tamar Leaf (or)

Golden Neem Tree Leaf

by Khin Hnin Yu

If, Khin Marlar, his young daughter had not been born, U Tun Aye would not be worried

about her to this extent.

Since that day on when his daughter was born he always had been anxious for her up to

the present. At such a night like tonight he was so excited and nervous that he was not able to

sleep. Her daughter’s age would be full twenty now. During these twenty years he had suffered

from stress and strains constantly.

Getting up from his bed room and going through the side door he went down to the

garden in his compound. As it was the beginning of the rainy season the blowing wind carried

the scent of rain droplets, while at indoor it seemed to be hot and stuffy. In the garden, sitting on

a bench beside the Jasmine bushes he breathed in regularly.

As it was just at the beginning of the rainy season, there were no clouds. The moon

shone brightly in the cloudless clear sky. He glanced at jasmine flower blossoms. The silvery

petals were extremely beautiful. The cool and fragrant scent surrounded him. Silvery leaves

were moving slowly and softly in the breeze.

Didn’t he make dates with Ma Khin Thu on such beautiful moon-lit nights in the distant

past? Actually, he did. In the moonlight he had watched the tender and beautiful face of Ma Khin

Thu watching and enjoying moon light. Whispering love-talks of lovers at that time was of

endless delight and ecstasy.

The meeting place at that time was not near the jasmine bushes but under the Yuzana

(boxwood) trees in Ma Khin Thu’s compound. Moonlight spread through Yuzana leaves in

patches. The fragrance of the Yuzana blossoms was an excellent one. Usually, he was

overwhelmed by feelings of a lover’s desires. Just because of cleverness and control of Ma Khin

Thu, they did not go beyond- limit. They controlled themselves. Young lovers dating on such

silent night could create extremely delightful events as well as terrible and bad situations.

Ma Khin Thu was a person of Buddhist moral rectitude. Usually her speeches were

expressed in comparison with religious principles and thoughts. However, U Tun Aye, on his

part always insisted upon marrying.

While putting his cheek closely on her tender cheek he expressed all his wishes with

overwhelming desires to love and to marry her.

“Even though we fail to get consent from our parents I must marry you. Even now, there

is only three years left for me to attend the college to get a degree.”

So did he insist. Moreover, he exaggerated how he loved her.

However, while looking up the moon from leaning against his chest she expressed her

response in line with Buddhist philosophy.

“Even human being does not possess eternal life. Love also is transient. At one time it

may change to hatred. How can I say for sure that you will love me for the whole life. Only now

is the short duration while we meet each other. On the contrary, Dads and Moms, our parents

had brought up and protected us for the whole life. We never should do against Parents’ words.”

Whenever she said so and whenever he heard such words he trembled with pain,

sorrow and anger. He usually retorted with long speeches that he was a befitted faithful

gentleman who will never betray. To such words, Ma Khin Thu listened with smile.

However, it was he who betrayed her in later years. He dodged, betrayed and

abandoned her. He married Nwe Nwe Yee, another girl.

Whenever the images of the past, one by one, reappeared in his mind, U Tun Aye’s

emotions were running higher and higher.

After many years both of the names were traditionally prefixed with the words “U” and

“Daw” indicating older ages. So the name Ko Tun Aye became U Tun Aye and the name Ma

Khin Thu became Daw Khin Thu.

At first, even such a feeling as of plucking off a green leaf from a stem was not felt on his

part when he betrayed Ma Khin Thu. However, in later years, his exclamation “Oh! My

daughter!’’ after his daughter Khin Marlar’s was born had started his concerns for his daughter

bumping against his chest.

“Oh, My God!.’’ He even invoked the God to help him. At present, he was very much

worried about someone would insult and betray his daughter in the same manner as he

betrayed Ma Khin Thu causing great sorrow and sadness to her.

Now he had got a daughter. Unavoidably, he should think about such a matter and

situation. Khin Marlar, his daughter was beautiful. The more she became beautiful, the more he

worried about her. Occasionally, he told Daw Nwe Nwe Yee about his anxiety.

“Oh, Daddy! Don’t worry. Our daughter is well-trained and clever”. His wife Daw Nwe

Nwe Yee comforted him.

When the moon light became a bit dim, he stopped thinking and looked up the sky.

Clouds were coming up and there was a drizzle and a few rain drops fell. Standing up from the

bench, now again he remembered Ma Khin Thu, whom he loved no longer. On such a drizzled

night in the past, didn’t he embrace Ma Khin Thu under the Yazana tree to prevent wetness?

Standing at the side door of his home he glanced again at moonlit outside.

“Ah !” he exclaimed. What he saw was real or not, he doubted. Actually it was a real

sight which he had observed. In the garden, under the Padauk (gumkino) tree a young man and

a young woman were standing and embracing each other. In the moonlight he saw the young

woman more clearly. The girl was no other than his own daughter, Khin Marlar. After kissing his

daughter tenderly the young man departed. Soon after the young man's departure, Khin Marlar

disappeared in the darkness.

He managed to reach his bed room. He tried to get a sound sleep. He now was

trembling as if he had met a threatening ghost. He now felt as reaping the painful consequence

of his past misdeeds of betraying his lover Ma Khin Thu.

"Oh God!, Please help my daughter to be free from the painful consequences of my past

misdeeds of betrayal and insulting Ma Khin Thu. He prayed nervously and emotionally.

U Aung Kyaw was the husband of Daw Khin Thu, the old lover of U Tun Aye. He is the

founder of a firm incorporated with friends to create a successful collective farming. He was the

manager of their firm "People's Agricultural Products Trading Company Ltd". They had achieved

quite a good progress at the firm not only in trading of rice and cereals but also in poultry

farming as well as a cannery in Shan State. He also was usually freely mingled with farmers and

cattle’s at farms.

Even though it was early Sunday Morning, U AungKyaw had to leave home to attend a

meeting. While he was dressing, Daw Khin Thu approached him. She seemed to be worn-out.

"Didn't you have a sound sleep last night?" He asked her.

Actually, Daw Khin Thu did not have a sound sleep Last night.

"Yes, I didn't. It was just because I was worrying and pondering about our son". It was

her reply. Her son didn't come back last night.

"Don't worry! Our son is no more a child. He would sleep at his friend's home. He would

not wander round about the town. It he is still sleepy when he comes back, let him sleep. If not

please send him to me bringing our car at nine o'clock. Now I will go on foot". So did U Aung

Kyaw gave his instruction. After dressing he left home.

Daw Khin Thu still went on thinking about her son while pacing in the compound. It

would be more correct that she recalled all her past remembering U Tun Aye throughout the

night.

"Oh! My beloved "Khin"! Give me only one chance to meet you. Let's make a date. I will

leave my home that night on the pretext of helping my friend who is preparing a religious

ceremony to offer meals to monks. On that night of sleeping at my friend's home I will come to

see you"

Such words were spoken by U Tun Aye. He left his home on the pretext of helping his

friend's religious ceremony. On that night he met her. Now how about her son during last night?

Did her son go to his lover last night?

Daw Khin Thu was pondering about her son in such a way.

Even though Daw Khin Thu tried to forget U Tun Aye for his betrayal she still suffered

sorrow about their past. At present, his first son's age was more than twenty four and he would

pass B. Sc. exam this year. Till now, she could not forget U Tun Aye.

In other word, Daw Khin Thu was a lucky person. U Aung Kyaw loved her passionately

and ardently. He was loyal and faithful to her. He really was a broad minded gentleman.

"Oh, my dear! After he loved you no more, please, don't torture yourself and suffer

mental pains" U Aung Kyaw usually consoled her seeing his wife still brooding over her past. He

had known and understood all about what had happened to her life in the past.

"Mom!"

Hearing her son's voice the mother stopped pondering and glanced at the compound

gate.

"Ah, my son! You've come back now" She stepped forward and embraced her son.

"Where is my daddy? My friend Ko Aye Pe and others brought me up to our gate. I

released them at our gate as they have to see off other guests."

Her son explained and the mother observed him and sized up.

"Your dad went to attend the meeting. I have prepared rice porridge with milk for you.

Come! Come! Come and have it now" She invited he son in to the dining room. Ordering the

house maid to serve and she sat beside her son.

The room was bright with morning sun rays coming through the window. She thought

that her son's face was as fresh and white as those white rose flower blossoms in the vase on

the table.

Kyaw Thu, her son yawned while he was drinking rice porridge with milk. "Oh…my son! I

think you didn't have sound sleep last night, did you?

The mother's question made her son a sudden loose of composure. Then he again

maintained his composure and made a reply.

No! I had a sound sleep last night But had to wake up early at 4 A.M.

Daw Khin Thu felt anxious again. She now believed with certainty that her son did not

have sound sleep previous night Once again, she recalled what his old lover U Tun Aye told her

about his feeling after their date on a particular night.

'' I was extremely sleepy in the morning after our date on previous night. However, I had

to pretend to be fresh and alert the whole day fearing that sleep in daytime might arouse my

mother's curiosity whether I had sound sleep or not''

It was certain that a similar event as present one had already happened when she was

in love with U Tun Aye long ago. As time and eras changed and altered, so also were styles,

fashions, dress, arts and music etc. However love process would not change

It was now a certainty for Daw Khin Thu that similarly her son Kyaw Thu probably had a

lover at present. Daw Khin Thu and U Tun Aye fell in love with each other in their young ages.

''Now my son you'd better take a nap. Mom will go and ask driver Win Maung to bring

your Daddy back.

Then Daw Khin Thu went down to the garden in the compound from the back door. ''So

beautiful was the last night and so bright was the moon! My son surely must have a lover now!

she was pondering all alone. After sending the car to her husband she again entered indoor.

She went in to her son's bedroom. Kyaw Thu, her son was still awake covering a blanket

over his body; he was lying flat on bed. The cold wind was entering in to the bed room.

The moments of last night’s dating with his lover, Khin Marlar, was still touching his

heart. Every time he closed his eyes the images of his kissing her white and tender cheek

appeared distinctly. Uncovering the blanket he opened his eyes.

''Oh, mom! He startled and shouted Daw Khin Thu, his mother was standing beside him.

''I'' m sure you really will not be able to sleep'' said the mother with a smile.

Kyaw Thu felt a guilty conscience. He was losing his composure. He was not able to

keep his face calm and serene. Whenever he looked up at his mother's face he felt that smiling

mom's face seemed to tell him '' I know all about what you had done last night''. He sat up and

muttered '' Oh Mon!? Daw Khin Thu sat beside his son

''I have a lover now'' He admitted. His mom remained quiet and calm. She already had

inkling guess about it beforehand.

''Yes! Who is she? Who is that girl you are going to marry?. Ah! it is incidental that you

also have to leave your college next year.''

''The girl I am going to marry is Khin Marlar, she is the daughter of U Tun Aye a high

ranking officer in Agricultural Ministry.

''Is she really the daughter of U Tun Aye?" Daw Khin Thu was quite excited and trembled

this time. Out of so many girls, her son chose to love the daughter of U Tun Aye whom she did

not wish to face ever once again throughout her life.

''Let's consult with your dad when he comes back''

She then went out of his son's room.

U Aung Kyaw returned home and she had to serve the meal even though she had no will

to do so. As soon as it was over, she went upstairs to their bedroom. U Aung Kyaw followed her

and sat together with her on the bedstead.

'' Oh, my dear! are you feeling sick again?'' her husband asked her.'' No! I am feeling

well. I just wish to sleep" she answered.

'' You were over wrought about your son. Is he asleep now? ''

''Yes …'' she replied to her husband's question. Then she lied down and was gazing

towards the window.

Then she said, ''Our son has a lover already, I think he is eager to marry her during the

early months next year. Wasn't it correct and right what I had told you that he didn't sleep at

home last night?

''What did you say? Our son didn't steep at home last right. Was it true? U Aung Kyaw

dragged his wife's shoulder and asked again,

'' Yes, of course, on such a beautiful night as last night our son had a date with a girl

called Khim Marlar. He told me that the girl is the daughter of U Tun Aye. As for me, I really pity

the children. But I don't want to face Ko Tun Aye again.

After staying quiet for a moment U Aung Kyaw embraced his wife and expressed his

views.

'' I had seen Khin Marlar sometimes ago. She also is a smart and educated person. She

also is a polite girl. I had heard news about her. Now, my son is in love with her. At present, you

should consider about one thing. You knew how and to what extent you felt painful suffering

when Ko Tun Aye betrayed you and married Nwe Nwe Yee. He followed his parents’ instruction.

Didn’t he? Please, consider the present situation. How and to what extent Khin Marlar will suffer

if our son fails to marry her? We must try ourselves to be fair, just and equitable parents.

Daw Khin Thu remained quiet and motionless.

x x x x x x x

Due to his suffering fidgety and emotions U Tun Aye could not even get up from bed.

Following his instruction, Daw Nwe Nwe Yee, his wife was interrogating his daughter about her

lover. Not long after that, she entered their bedroom holding a photograph.

''Now, Daddy ! Don't worry too much. Please get up'' she helped her husband rising up

from the bed tenderly and showed the photograph.

'' Look here! Look at your son-in-law to be, I have made enquiries and received all

information. He is the son of U Aung Kyaw, a company manager as well as a wealthy Boss and

his wife is Daw Khin Thu.''

Holding the photograph U Tun Aye trembled. The person in the photograph was

handsome. He was a son having a face closely resembled to his mother.

''The boy will inform his parents that he will marry our daughter during early months of

next year. So don't worry. All the facts about his simplicity, cleverness and richness are

recorded already in Aunty Myint's file.

Aunty Myint, an elderly lady was a rich widow and a matchmaker making lists of sons

and daughters of upper class with high positions in government services and companies.

Till now, U Tun Aye was unable to move. However, he felt quite relieved. He was glad

secretly that the boy was not a person like him, who betrayed his lover.

'' I am also friendly with U Aung Kyaw, Let's make some more enquiries''. U Tun Aye

suggested his wife.

''Oh, Daddy ! '' ''It is quite easy. Everything is OK after making a handover with Aunty

Myint''. Daw Nwe Nwe Yee had made a decision.

''Till now U Tun Aye did not drop the photograph. He was still holding it. He even said

carelessly to his wife'' The boy very much looks like Ma Khin Thu.’’

x x x x x x x

After learning that the family of Daw Khin Thu was not an impoverished one, U Tun

Aye's family agreed their daughter to marry U Aung Kyaw's son. So the process of marriage

between Khin Manlar and Maung Kyaw Thu went smoothly.

That day was the day of engagement. The ceremony was held at U Tun Aye's home.

After the celebration was over, the invited guests, departed. At that moment U Aung Kyaw had a

cordial talk with Daw Nwe Nwe Yee. Meanwhile Daw Khin Thu presented a small lacquer box

and an envelope to U Tun Aye. Then she called her husband to go home.

''Please excuse us Daw Nwe New Yee? With these farewell words Daw Khin Thu and

her husband left.

Daw Nwe Nwe Yee remained smiling and U Tun Aye was gazing at the leaving couple

getting on their car.

Having a peaceful shelter of true love provided by U Aung Kyaw, Daw Khin Thu was still

fresh and young. As a saying goes that simple and faithful beauty is never outdated, so was

Daw Khin Thu’s beauty.

After entering the bedroom U Tun Aye opened the little box A file of letters were in that

box. The letters were love letters he had written to Daw Khin Thu long ago. She really was a

good, simple and faithful woman. On his part U Tun Aye had burnt all her letters.

Under the file of his old letter there was a photograph. It was taken when he was a

bachelor. Lastly, he opened the envelope and read the lines that Daw Khin Thu had written with

her own hand. It was a passionate poem composed by Ma Khin Thu dedicated to U Tun Aye.

There was one poem and nothing more in the envelope.

In composing her poem, she emphasized her bitter experiences of life caused by her

lover.

In the poem he was symbolized as a bitter leaf from bitter tasted small and tiny '' Tamar

Tree'' (Neem Tree) which grew under a much more bitter and bigger Meizali Tree (Bombay–

ebony Tree) and was unbecoming giving most bitterness. Her poem was as follows:

“Growing under the bitter '' Meizalee'' tree.

Oh! You golden ''Shwe Tama'' tree.

Of extremely and completely bitter taste to highest degree!''

In a river,

Flowing and rushing current severe.

As well as calm and still water

Turn by turn may they occur.

It is rise and fall nature for winners as well as for losers.

Even though to a loser I have a chance to blow,

I'm not wild and cruel enough to do so.

It is the real fact that everyone knows.”

After reading the poem, U Tun Aye muttered sorrowfully.

Oh, Ma Khin Thu! Write down! Write down all your feelings. You’ve the right as well as ability to

write down all your feelings. Because, I, whom you loved had given extreme bitter taste to you!

Translated by Maung Linn Yone (Shan State)

Notes

Ta Mar and Meizali leaves

Vegetables such as Neem leaves (Ta Mar) and Bombay – ebony tree leaves (Meizali)

are Myanmar typical vegetables to be eaten with hot and salted fish sauce as a part of salad

served at morning and evening meals. Both of them have bitter taste. Despite of their bitterness

Myanmar meals are usually served with salad containing above mentioned leaves raw or boiled

as a favorite salad.

Names of plant and trees mentioned in this story

Myanmar English

Sa Be Jasmine

Padauk tree Gun-Kino tree

Yuzana tree Box wood

Ta Mar Neem tree

TRULY A MAN AMONG MEN!

by Sin Phyu Kyun Aung Thein

Part 1

“Grandma, tell me a story”

“Oh! Go away … I’m exhausted as it is”

Yee Kyee Dan who was sitting in the shade of the tamarind tree pushed away her young

grandson Maung Maung Hla who had come to perch his chin on her knee while scolding him for

pestering her to tell a story. She was worn out after having made twenty trips to fetch drinking

water for the cows. On week days with the children away at school she had to make thirty trips

to fetch water. Today she had been spared over ten trips because May Kyi, Khin Khin Gyi and

Mi Mi Htwe had helped her out.

Nevertheless, it was no joke for a woman just over seventy years to climb up and down

about twenty times a river bank as steep as one-bamboo length approximately and to carry an

earthen ware jar filled with over two gallons of water. It was just as well that she was used to it.

But she was tired. She had picked up her short half-smoked corn husk cheroot but had not yet

been able to light it, she was that tired. Who in this tired state would have the patience or

inclination to tell a story woven with imagery and other narrative descriptions? As it was she was

even resentful of the crow that had alighted near her. She was indeed feeling most irritable.

Not far from Maung Maung Hla, Ma Chaw Sein and Ma Hla May born of different

mothers were at play flicking tamarind seeds. In the way of all children at the start of the game

everyone wanted to play, so much so that they would almost die if they could not take part in

this particular round. But later they had lost interest and boredom had set in. So, some were

furtively watching Maung Maung Hla as he tried to get close and wheedle Grandma. When

Grandma pushed Maung Maung Hla away they quietly went on playing. As for Maung Maung

Hla, when his grandma yelled at him he turned towards Grandpa, Yee Hsay Yoe. Grandpa Yee

Hsay Yoe was sitting cross-legged on a toddy-palm fibre mat with his large black thighs

exposed while mending a snout-cone.

“Grandpa … tell me a story.”

“Give him a knock on the head!”

Yee Kyee Dan only an arms-length away called out and continued to grumble “Is this the

time for story-telling?” Yee Hsay Yoe did not do as asked, nor did he scold the child. In fact he

was smiling and explained, “Stories are told only at bed-time when things are quiet and calm.”

Maung Maung Hla did not get to hear a story but because it had been explained to him

gently the reason why, he said no more and gazed at the palmyra fibre bark that Grandpa was

smoothening. Yee Hsay Yoe then cut up the fibres into suitable lengths and made them into

small coils. He gathered these small coils into bunches of twenty to twenty five to place them on

the rack above the fireplace.9 Only when needed, he would take the toddy-palm fibres out from

between the goads10 and loop of rawhide for harrow, soak them in water and after smoothening,

he would use them for mending the snout-cone.

The snout-cone is woven with toddy-palm fibres leaving about two finger-length gaps in

them. These are used to cover the snout of cattle. They are used when ploughing in places

where the grass grows thickly. It is to discourage the cattle from foraging which would not only

be a waste of time but the furrows also could become crooked. Snout-cones are used also

when the paddy is being threshed to avoid work being hindered.

Maung Maung Hla continued to gaze at his grandfather who told stories. Yee Hsay Yoe

continued to smooth over the fibrous toddy-palm bark with his damauk11. He held and steadied

the smooth side of the toddy bark with his forefinger and middle finger while controlling the point

of the knife with his thumb and gradually pulled the knife across till the inner fibre of the bark

curled up to twine around the knife. In the meanwhile Maung Maung Hla’s pair of eyes were

fastened and fixed on Yee Hsay Yoe’s two big black thighs. He who had been unaware of his

grandpa’s thighs now found they were as black as a monk’s alms bowl. Why then were not his

own thighs black like those of his grandfather? He uncovered his thighs to compare them with

his grandfather’s thighs. Only then did he realize that his grandfather’s thighs were not just black

but were like pictures of flowers and figures.

“Grandpa”

“Hmm”

Yee Hsay Yoe had a corn-husk cheroot clamped so tightly between his teeth that the

cork tip was dented and he could only make a sound in reply. Maung Maung Hla looked up

once into his grandpa’s face, then blowing away the toddy fibres and dust from the thigh he

9 Used for drying fish and other articles

10 For driving cattle and other draught animals

11 Large broad knife with a curved point

touched it. Grandpa’s skin when he pulled it was loose and flabby; it was also wrinkled. But the

vague figures or pictures did not come away in Maung Maung Hla’s hands.

“Grandpa, what are these?”

“They’re called tattoo marks.”

“Tattoo marks?”

“Yeah.”

“Why doesn’t Grandma have them?”

“Because she’s not a man; only men have tattoo marks and only if one has tattoo marks

can you be called a real man.”

“How was it done?”

Part 2

What on earth are Grandpa and Maung Maung Hla talking about? Is he wheedling

Grandpa to take him along when Grandpa goes somewhere? Or else is Grandpa going to give

him something to eat on the quiet? The children in the group flicking tamarind seeds began to

wonder. As soon as these thoughts entered their minds they began to leave their playground

one by one and only Mi Mi Htwe, the cheat was left beside the playground with a whole lot of

tamarind seeds bundled into her skirt.

The grandchildren who arrived one by one now surrounded Yee Hsay Yoe in a circle like

little drums arranged in a drum circle. Yee Hsay Yoe’s horde of grandchildren was by no means

few in number; born of two mothers they totaled nine altogether.

Ko Ba Nyein and Ma Hla May had brought forth four - May Kyi, Khin Maung Nyein,

Maung Maung Hla and Kyaw Thura. The eldest May Kyi was ten and the youngest Kyaw Thura

three years old. They were all born at two year intervals – each two years older than the one

below. Ko Tun Ya and Ma Chaw Sein were more prolific – each of their children were born at

one year intervals with each only a year older than the next – Ko Ko Gyi, Khin Khin Gyi, Mi Mi

Htwe, Maung Htwe and Hla Ohn Mai with Hla Ohn Mai, the youngest at three years and Ko Ko

Gyi, the oldest, nine years old.

“A 12-pronged tattooing iron made of copper was put in the “ink”; then this was injected

into the skin grandchild. It hurt terribly, I can tell you that. But in spite of the pain I did not dare

make a sound. If I had called out in pain I was afraid, people would think me a coward. I had to

choose the hardest and smoothest betel-nut to bite between my teeth.”

These children had seen such a tattooing iron so Yee Hsay Yoe did not have to explain

that to them.

“Why, Grandpa, if it hurt so much?

It was Ko Ko Gyi who said this with a small face.

“Huh! Doesn’t it hurt you when the doctor gives you an injection when you are unwell?

Why do you let him do it?”

“To cure illness of course Grandpa!”

This was an interjection by Maung Htwe as explanation.

“Aye, so we have ourselves tattooed to be manly and to be handsome of course!”

“That’s nonsense! It’s unbelievably painful, a waste of money and he got kicked in the

bargain.”

It was Yee Kyee Dan who butted in this time while shredding some leafy vegetables with

a large cheroot jutting out of her mouth at the same time.

“Hey! Don’t you change your tune now! Wasn’t it you who said you would have me only

if I had tattoo marks?”

“Oh my goodness, It wasn’t me at all! It was Ko Tha Dun’s girlfriend Mae Kun Hla.

Anyway you all had yourselves tattooed because you couldn’t let the guys at Pyi Soe Kone

North Monastery get the better of you – Wasn’t that the real reason?

Yee Kyee Dan said this in a shrill voice and at this Yee Hsay Yoe, smiling sheepishly,

replied, “I don’t really remember, but I have always believed that I had myself tattooed because

you asked me to.”

“Your gang at Layhtat Kyaung Monastery and the Pyi Soe Kone Monastery gang have

always been rivals.”

Hearing this Yee Hsay Yoe began to vaguely recall memories of the past. He recalled

his life as a boy at the monastery just entering puberty. His reminiscences and memories of the

past seemed so very different from today. By today’s standards, at the time for the daily

donation of alms-food, if a monastery could send a novice accompanied by about three

monastery boys to receive alms food, then that monastery could be considered a fairly large

monastery. If an ordained monk was present on the round instead of a mere novice then that

was unique. When Yee Hsay Yoe was a monastery student, the golden yellow of the monks’

robes would colour the alms-food donation scene because there would be three or four monks

from each monastery on the alms round and if that were not enough there would also be about

five to ten novices accompanying them. Behind the young novices would follow about twenty or

thirty monastery boys holding alms bowls without covers.

These young monastery boys had to assemble at the zayat12 on the motor road at about

8.30 in the morning to go on their alms round. While waiting the boys would play together to

pitch rounded pieces of potsherd at a target, shuffle round hard seeds or play with marbles. The

boys from each monastery would play together or with boys from other monasteries as well.

While playing there would be arguments that would become heated and as result there

would be ‘bad blood’ and enmity between one monastery and another. So, for no particular

reason they would taunt and challenge each other with insulting chants such as “The boys from

Lepaw Monastery are beggars but those from Yoke sone are the best”. This soon developed

into long-standing feuds between some monasteries.

The boys were not at an age when they were still unable to manage their “paso13” nor

were they tots with dripping snot, so when there was fight between two monasteries it did not

stop at snide remarks, verbal abuse and fisticuffs; sticks and knives would appear and

sometimes the young monk who often led the alms round and the older novices would join the

fray. In such cases the presiding monks of the monasteries concerned had to meet and resolve

the conflict and the opposing alms groups sometimes had to be sent away to monasteries in

other districts.

To give an example of how these alms groups were reshuffled - of the alms groups from

Laythat Kyaung Monastery there was one group that regularly went to Theyettaw, Ywathit and

Yanbogone while another group would be the one to go to Parabeik Tan, Linpin Su and Thayet

Chin; of these the group from the south would be reassigned to the north and that from the north

to the south. The tattoo marks on Yee Hsay Yoe’s thighs could be said to have originated from

these quarrels between different monastery groups. Another reason was their desire to gird their

longyis14 to show off their thighs with newly healed tattoo marks for the admiration of the belles

of the village when they went to fetch water at the riverside.

The year they had their thighs tattooed was the year of conflict between the alms group

of Lay Htat Kyaung Monastery and that of Pyi Soe Kone Monastery. The clash started when a

lad from Pyi Soe Kone gave a love letter to a lass from Thayettaw Village. Then someone from

Lay Htat Kyaung, feeling that the boy from Pyi Soe Kone had the gall to trespass on his territory

12 Wayside public rest house

13 Nether garment of Myanmar males

14 Same as ‘pasoe’: male sarong

hit him with the edge of an alms bowl cover. The Pyi Soe Kone boy’s face was badly mauled on

the first day, but on the second day both boys had their heads gashed. This was because the

alms bowl covers which ordinarily would be made of lacquer had been substituted with covers

made of copper.

The Lay Htat Kyaung Monastery boy had the edge over the Pyi Soe Kone boy

because he had many allies from Thayettaw, Ywathit and Yanbogone villages in the area. He

could run into any house and take a sword or a stick. In the long run the Pyi Soe Kone boys

began to lose the fight, so they turned to other tactics. They started to use medicines that give

protection and immunity against lethal weapons such as knives, sticks, spears, spikes and

bricks as well as elbows and heels and other potent charms without the knowledge of the

presiding monk.

They also had their chests and backs tattooed with red and black images and from the

next day on they began to swagger around with chests out and heads held high. The potency or

effectiveness of these remedies had not been tried nor proven true but it did make the boys

from the Lay Htat Kyaung Monastery draw back somewhat.

Nevertheless they did not take it lying down. They also found a good practitioner to have

such figures tattooed – figures such as ogres with mouth drawn back in a snarl or ogres

brandishing daggers. The images were not proportionate or well drawn but the snarling mouths

and daggers drawn were enough to put the fright in any one. In actual fact nobody had tested

the power or efficacy of these measures. Yee Hsay Yoe’s eye brightened while recounting these

details and his face though wrinkled with the lines of age freshened and seemed to come alive.

“The figures were tattooed when the weather was hot during Thingyan.15 There were so

many who wanted such figures tattooed so, we younger boys did not get the chance. Even so,

the tattooing was finished as late as seven days after Thingyan.”

“Did it cost money?” Maung Maung Hla asked while Grandpa was lighting his cheroot

that had gone out.

“Money had to be paid of course. There were other expenses too for offerings like the

Kadawt Pwѐ16 and incense.”

“Why was the tattooing done during Thingyan?” This time, it was Ko Ko Gyi who asked.

“Thingyan is the period when the old year is coming to an end giving way to the New

Year so, it is considered an auspicious time. But the sun was so hot and there was a lot of

15 The water festival that ushers in the New Year of the Myanmar Era

16 Offertory consisting of hands of bananas, coconut, betel leaf etc. decoratively arranged in a bowl

bleeding. But it was not as painful as tattooing our thighs because the thigh-tattoo marks had to

be done with mixed colours.”

“When did you have your tattoo marks done Grandpa?”

Maung Maung Hla, always full of curiosity cut in with another question.

“It was like this my boy.”

Part 3

When farmers are flush with money in their pockets rural villages are full of people.

There are repairers of old boxes and keys, Indians to old refurbish umbrellas, Chinese selling

clothes and textiles, Surti Indians peddling trinkets and women hawking scents and powders.

Then there are magicians and monkey circus men. Among this motley crowd is the tattooist with

his bag and umbrella. Even if a villager had no hard cash he had paddy in his threshing ground

to pay off creditors.

“Hey! The tattoo master from Mon Nar has arrived at Pyi Soe Kone Monastery!”

When this bit of news reached the ears of the pupils of Lay Htat Kyaung Monastery, it

caused a stir among the older novices.

“Hey! Let’s have ourselves tattooed before they do”

All the same they could not be tattooed as soon as the tattooist arrived for they had to

first bargain about his fee; though the rate of 75 pyas was charged for tattooing one thigh, they

asked him for a discount because there were quite a number of them who wished for his

services. Before, when they had undergone tattooing for powerful charms it had been done

furtively so that the presiding monk would not know. They had done it on the sly at the large

monastery in the west. But in this case when the monk was told he gave permission that, “those

who are having their thighs tattooed need not come to the monastery for seven days.” There

were those who were undergoing this tattooing at the urging of a girlfriend and those who just

wanted to brag about their manliness. But among these were the younger ones who just did not

want to study and wanted to stay away from the monastery. The pain was excruciating; the pain

of a sore filled with pus was no match for the pain of a tattoo needle; the wound of a dog bite

could not match it, neither could the pain of skin pierced by a stake. The pain caused by a tattoo

needle jabbed into the skin was the most agonizing and unbearable of all pain. Yee Hsay Yoe

would remember it all his life. The tattooing began as soon as the novices and monks had

finished their first meal of the day at dawn break. Yee Hsay Yoe had taken a bath early in the

morning of Pyatho17 and was shivering with cold when he arrived in front of the tattoo master.

“Come on and take off your paso”

“Ah! But it’s so cold.”

“The cold will soon lessen and you can be sure that you’ll be dripping with sweat in a

moment.”

The assistant of the tattooist said this with a grin.

“It’s too embarrassing.”

Before Yee Hsay Yoe could close his mouth the tattoo master had pulled off his paso

and still protesting “Oh! Oh!” he was made to lie face down. Up to this time Yee Hsay Yoe was

feeling shy. He still remembered feeling shy when tattoo rings were being outlined on his thigh

with ink and stencil made from bamboo strips. But as soon as a person straddled his back and

two others had got hold of his legs simultaneously with the piercing of the tattoo needle all

thoughts of modesty fled. “Oh Mother! I’m going to die” he yelled and with this cry his howling in

the same vein became continuous.

“Here, here bite on this and don’t shout. Aren’t you ashamed that the women might hear

you crying out in pain while being tattooed?”

One of the younger monks had put a betel-nut into his gaping mouth. He bit down hard

on the betel-nut and tried to bear the pain silently. But it was still painful like no other pain. The

nerves along his inner thigh were throbbing with pain and tears began to be shed when the

needle point reached the back part of the knee joint. When he was turned on his back his blood

had warmed up and the pain seemed to have eased slightly. But when the tattooing reached the

knee-cap the betel-nut in his mouth splintered in half with a loud crack.

When the tattooing reached the hip he had thought the pain would be eased because it

was fleshy. It was just as painful and there was no spot where the pain had become less. The

tattoo master seemed sympathetic for after seating himself on a pillow and using the palm of his

feet to gain leverage, he just went on jabbing with his needle. The tattooing of one thigh finished

only when the monks had returned from their alms-food round.

Yee Hsay Yoe was rolling around drenched in blood and the tattoo master was soaked

in sweat and exhausted. Although tired out the tattooist continued to rub down his thigh and

17

Myanmar Lunar month round about January-February

cleaned and kneaded it with water boiled with mezali18 leaves and gave him instructions on how

to protect the wound from infection and how to wash it with disinfectant.

Yee Hsay Yoe came home limping and whoever saw him with black thigh exposed and

dripping blood congratulated him. But it was little or no comfort. When he reached home he had

little appetite for food and just threw himself down to sleep. When he awoke his whole thigh was

throbbing so unbearably it could not be touched. It was also very swollen. He felt feverish and

painful. He did not wish to eat any food but to keep up his strength and to withstand fever he

forced himself to eat. The thigh was still painful the next day and seemed to have swelled

further.

He washed his thigh with mezali water as disinfectant as instructed by the tattooist. And

each time the thigh was touched the pain seemed to stab him right to his heart. He just wanted

to spend the time whimpering “Oh Mother …Oh Mother “.

On the second day the swelling had subsided and on the third day he could allow the

sore spot to be touched. The fourth day saw the swelling had gone down some more and on the

fifth day the scar tissue began to peel off. On the seventh day Yee Hsay Yoe had recovered

completely and greenish blue little figures of his tattoo marks could be seen clearly on his

smooth thigh. But there was still the ordeal of the other thigh to go through. Every time he

thought about it a chill went down his spine. Yee Hsay Yoe considered running away. This

thought was cast off by the thought that he would be considered lacking in masculinity.

“You are not a real man if you can’t withstand a little bit of pain.”

He could imagine being ridiculed in male conservational circles; Chinlon groups and

wrestling groups would outcast him. Haunted by such thoughts Yee Hsay Yoe once again had

to go through the agonizing ordeal of having the remaining thigh tattooed.

Part 4

“Why go through such pain and it’s not even pretty.”

But Yee Hsay Yoe appeared not to have heard Maung Maung Hla’s comment. He was

rejuvenated by reminiscences of his youthful days and the huge smile on his face made his

cheeks sink in; the joy of girding up his loins high up to his buttocks; the joy of vying with others

on the magnificence of the tattoo figures and best of all the joy of having the girls give secretly

admiring looks at the newly tattooed marks. Yee Hsay Yoe could still feel the wonder of these

memorable events.

18

Cassia siamea - Medium-sized tree with edible leaves and flower buds

“If it was that awful, why did you went on to have the other thigh tattooed Grandpa?”

asked May Kyi, the eldest granddaughter

“Because it was absolutely necessary my dear”

“What kind of figures Grandpa?”

“They were of many sorts – cats, necromancers, ogres, monkeys, birds and so forth. But

the figures don’t matter. What was important was to lay the foundation of manliness. The main

thing was to establish a man’s stature and to instill manly values and virtues – that was the main

intent.”

“Don’t you believe it, it was utterly useless it hurt horribly but money had to be paid and

on top of that to be kicked as well.”

Yee Hsay Yoe turned abruptly to look at her.

“This is the second time you’ve said this Kyee Dan. If you talk like this doesn’t it also

make your brothers, your uncles and granduncles, your father and grandfather also useless

good-for-nothing people?”

Yee Kyee Dan’s manner softened somewhat and she immediately remembered that in

their days the standard had been set that only men with tattoo marks were truly manly.

So in a conciliatory tone she said,

“I only said this out of sympathetic anger for the dreadful pain it caused.”

“What matters the pain. If one shrinks at such trivial pain how can one have the fortitude

to bear the vicissitudes of life?”

“I really marvel at your generation of old people father, who had their whole thighs

tattooed.” Said Ko Ba Nyein who had for some time been standing behind Yee Kyee Dan but

now moving forward and stretching out his arm to show his tattoo of a small black shield with

the inscribed words ‘the Bama valour’.

I had this tattooed at the Kuthein Nar Yone Pagoda Festival with a battery operated

needle and had to pay one kyat. It really hurt terribly Father; it was like having a knife thrust in

and twisted.”

He then picked up the youngest child who was playing in the dust and continued –

“If having such a small thing tattooed hurt so unbearably I’m really amazed at how

agonizing it must be to have the whole thigh tattooed. I really find it infinitely admirable Father,

really!” And so saying he called out to the children,

“Okay now children, it’s time for dinner or have you forgotten because you’ve been so

fascinated with Grandpa’s tattoo marks. Let’s go get some food, now come on.”

After Ma Hla May’ children had gone Ma Chaw Sein’s children also remembering dinner

followed suit and went home. The shady space under the tamarind tree was now quiet. Yee

Hsay Yoe and Yee Kyee Dan said not a word but were each gazing afar with eyes shining

bright.

Translated by Kyi Kyi Hla