Shwedagon Pagoda

We finally visited Shwedagon Pagoda, the big beautiful pagoda we can see out of our window of our apartment. This is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar as it is believed to house eight strands of hair from the Buddha himself.

From wikipedia:

Historians and archaeologists maintain that the pagoda was built by the Mon people between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. However, according to legend, the Shwedagon Pagoda was constructed more than 2,600 years ago, which would make it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world. According to tradition, Taphussa and Bhallika — two merchant brothers from the north of Singuttara Hill what is currently Yangon met the Lord Gautama Buddha during his lifetime and received eight of the Buddha's hairs. The brothers returned to Burma and, with the help of the local ruler, King Okkalapa, found Singuttara Hill, where relics of other Buddhas preceding Gautama Buddha had been enshrined. When the king opened the golden casket in which the brothers had carried the hairs, incredible things happened:

"There was a tumult among men and spirits ... rays emitted by the Hairs penetrated up to the heavens above and down to hell ... the blind beheld objects ... the deaf heard sounds ... the dumb spoke distinctly ... the earth quaked ... the winds of the ocean blew ... Mount Meru shook ... lightning flashed ... gems rained down until they were knee deep ... all trees of the Himalayas, though not in season, bore blossoms and fruit."

None of that happened when we went there, oh well.

We bought a flower at the entrance so Piper could place it on her planetary post (Wednesday am - Elephant with tusks)

The stupa is surrounded by hundreds of smaller pagodas and temples filled with Buddha statues

Two chintes guard each entrance to the pagoda complex

The view of Shwedagon from across People's Park