HISTORY OF BUDDHISM IN BURMA A.D 1000-1300

The Buddhism as practiced in those days was in general very similar to the one as practiced in Burma today with the ex- ception that the Brahmanical influence was more felt than at the present day. When tracing the rise and development of the Bud- dhist monastic order various facts have been observed which up- set some of the traditional beliefs of Burma. As mentioned above, the Ari sect appeared only in the latter half of the dynasty and it was not a very debased form of religion as alleged. Another point of great interest is the presence of bhikkhuni - female ascetics in the Order in those days. Most Burman today maintain that women were not allowed in the Order since A.D.456. The thesis ends with the architectural and social aspects of the period under survey in chapters nine and ten which are also of much impor- tance as they aid the better understanding of the Religion in those days.