14. Downfall of Bagan and Monk Envoy of Bagan
– After nearly four centuries of existence Bagan Empire declined, the causes of its decline are many.
– The working of the Law of Impermanence and the ups and downs of life
– When central power waned under weak Kings, the far-flung empire disintegrated into fragmentary principalities under local authorities.
– Administration broke down. Law and order could not be maintained affluently.
– Mongol invasions from China under the two great Khans – Ghengis and Kublai in the latter part of the 13th Century AD. The two Khans claimed themselves as Universal monarch and tried to conquer all countries in all directions. Bagan a well-known city of peace, prosperity and progress became one of the most coveted war prizes of any conqueror.
– King Narathihapate (AD 1255-87) the 52nd ruler in the Bagan dynasty refused to submit to Kublai Khan, who therefore sent his warriors into Myanmar. A fierce battle took place in (AD1277) at Naga Saung Gyan near Bamaw, a frontier town north of Bagan. A detailed account of this battle was given in Marco Polo’s travelogue. Though Myanmar forces won two initial victories. Tartar equestrian archers defeated them in the third battle. Myanmar forces retreated as the Tartars advanced. In spite of Myanmar King’s attempts to repulse the invaders by building hurriedly many fortifications, the enemies approached Bagan and King Narathihapate fled to Lower Myanmar for war refuge.
– Kublai Khan sent into Myanmar 20,000 Tartar warriors led by Prince Tsu Tsu Teiki of Kaung Chan accompanied by a Venetian adventurer named Marco Polo who was in the service of the Khans. Mahayana Buddhist monks from 70 lamaseries led by two head monks Maha Thera Ponna Dhammika and Sangha Thera Sri Dhammika. They occupied Bagan for some months.
– In (AD 1285) King Narathihapate dispatched to Kublai Khan a peace mission comprising two ministers, Anantapyitsi and Maha Bo. The King’s adviser monk (raja guru) named Shin Dithapamaukha (the world renowned Teacher wellknown as the chief of all directions) was assigned to lead the peace mission because of his learning and wide knowledge. This monk envoy was to act as a negotiator and to compose a credential letter inscribed on a gold plate for presentation to the Emperor Kublai Khan.
– The peace mission took a long arduous journey by land. Due to the mountainous terrain, heavy rain and local disturbances the embassy stayed one lent at Yunnan. In November ,1285, it continued its journey and reached Beijing in (January, 1286).
– Peace dialogue between the Chinese Emperor and the Bagan monk Envoy was pertinent and effective. The Khan explained to the monk envoy that the purpose of sending his soldiers and lamas to Myanmar was not military but religious to propagate Mahayana Buddhism.
Monk envoy replied aplty as follows:
” The warriors and lamas can survive only when they have supply of paddy for their food. Now even the Myanmar monks have deserted Bagan. There is no paddy. They are eating toddy fruits for their survival and so they will die of dysentry. In that case your Imperial Majesty’s purpose will never be fulfilled”,
“Oh, Great Imperial Dispenser of justice, The gardener pours water on his plantation for growth. He does not pinch the buddings. When the trees hear fruits, you can eat the fruits. Pour water on Tampadipa (ie. Bagan). It is a small country but Buddhism flourishes there”.
“Your Imperial Majesty, are thou not the Bodhisattha (the future Buddha )?. Thou shalt not destroy the Buddha Sasana of Gautama Buddha. So many are the countries your imperial Majesty hath conquered. So all are your Domains. Tampadipa is a small country but it has the Buddha Sasana, which is flourishing. So the Bodhisattha adores it. Don’t send warriors to it. We will now grow crops. Come in only after crops have been grown”.
Being convincingly carried away by the art of the monk’s envoy’s masterful speech, the great Khan delightfully gave his reply:
“Oh great learned Monk, what you say contains those that are for my benefit.Oh monk, go home and call back the run-away monks. Grow crops after growing crops, send a messenger to me”.
So ended the peace talk between Kublai Khan and Shin Dithapamaukkha. In the summer of (AD 1286) the Myanmar peace mission returned home. The Tartar warriors and lamas were already withdrawn from Myanmar soil.
Mingalazedi Inscription (Disāpramuk Inscription)
Disāpramuk Inscription was found near the Mingalazedi Pagoda at Bagan. Therefore it is known as Mingalazedi Inscription. Now it is kept at the Bagan Archaeological Museum. This inscription is about the Myanmar peace envoy led by venerable monk Shin Disāpramuk. Before discussion on the Disāpramuk Inscription, a brief background history is required to be related.
During the reign of King Narathihapate (A D 1255-87) the Mongol conquest of China was completed by Kublai Khan. When the conqueror had established himself at Beijing he sent out mission to demand tokens of submission from all the countries in the four directions. In 1271 his viceroy in Yunan was instructed to send envoys to Bagan to request the payment of tribute. Narathihapate proudly refused to received them. Two years later the demands was renewed by an imperial envoy, who was the bearer of a letter from Kublai Khan himself. The chronicles admit that the ambassador and his three colleagues were seized and executed by the king’s order. But it seems improbable that they were executed by the king’s order. It is simple logic that if he had killed the Chinese envoys in 1273, he would not have taken the risk of sending his envoy to Beijing in 1285. The cause of envoy did not reach to China might be that they found a certain danger in their return journey. However the Yunan government in 1275 reported about the execution of Chinese envoy and pleaded for immediate war. Nothing however happened until April 1277 when Myanmar proceeded to attack Kaungai on the Tapaing River because its chief had submitted to China. Thereupon Kublai Khan ordered the local authorities to punish the Myanmar, and the Governor of Tali sent a Tartar force, which defeated them at the battle of Ngasaunggyan. A detail account of this battle was given in Marco Polo’s Travelogue. The Myanmar forces were routed by Tartar archers who burnt the bamboo forest to frighten away the Myanmar war elephants and horses. The animals ran amok and stampeded the Myanmar foot soldiers.
A second Tartar force under Nasr-uddin, the viceroy of Yunan, advanced into the Bhamo district, and after destroying some Myanmar stockades retired homewards because of excessive heat. The Myanmar thereupon recovered their self-confidence and renewed their raids on the Yunan frontier. In 1283, therefore, the Tartar invaded again by the same route and defeated Myanmar forces. Ngasaunggyan fell on 3 December and Kaungsin fell on 9 December 1283. The Mongols penetrated as far as south to Tagaung which was captured in January 1284. Hence Upper Myanmar became a province of China called Chieng-mien. The Mongols planted garrisons in the Upper Ayeyarwaddy Valley. Narathihapate believing that the Mongols will continue to penetrate to further south and his capital was about to be attacked and went to Lhañ: kla west of Prañ sent Disāpramuk on a peace mission to Beijing. Disāpramuk recorded all events of peace mission in this inscription as follow: –
Honour to him, the Blessed, the Saint, the Fully Enlightened. In S. 548 (1285) Mrigasira year, the king was staying at Lhañ: kla west of Prañ (eighter Pyay or the capital city of Bagan) … “Pundit! these 20,000 soldiers of mine and the Mahāthera, Sanghathera and the monks, I am sending to propagate the Religion”. I replied: Mahārājā! All these soldiers, all these monks, will be steadfast only if there is paddy. Is not paddy the root of the prosperity of the kingdom? If these soldiers continuously eat nothing but minced toddy, will they not all die of pains in the stomach? … Let not the soldiers enter yet! As for me, I shall first plant rice and beans. When the rice and beans are full grown, then enter!”
Thus I replied; and the Taruk king said: “in these words my profit also is included. Pundit! Call the monks who were running hither and thither at the time of your coming and plant rice and beans. When they are full grown, then send them onto me!” When he had said thus, I had to go. And there was indeed a respite (? Or delay) …
According to this inscription, when the Taruk came, the king did not go down to Pathein as mentioned in the chronicles but took to the hills on the west of the capital or Pyay. On the suggestion of his masters Anantapicañ: and Mahāpuiw, he sent Disāpramuk to Tetu who arrived there in about December 1285. So this inscription point out that although Narathipate was absolute monarch he used wise people and followed their advice in times crisis. The Truk came under command of Prince Susuttaki and they were twenty stround strong. Among them there were also monks from seventy monasteries under the leadership of Mahāthera Puññadhammika who were to propagate Buddhism at Bagan. Disāpramuk said that he was successful in persuading the Taruk King to recall his army. Disāpramuk inscription also gives as information related to the economy of Bagan.
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