Lustig, Friedrich V.

Burmese classical
poems

PL
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BURMESE CLASSICAL POEMS

SELECTED
and

TRANSLATED
by

The Most Rev.

FRTEDRICH

V.

LUSTIG

Buddhist Archbishop of Latvia

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BURMESi; CLASSICAL POEMS'

SfOLECTED

and

translate: I)

by

FRIEDRICH

The Most Rev,

Bdddiiisi.

ArJibishop

Sole distributors
in the

USA

V.

LUSTIG

oj Latvfc

6;.

PARAGON BOOK
H EAST 38th GAUER;"!
'

NEW

STREET

YORK.

N. Y. 10016

No part of this collection of translations may be reproduced

in

any form whatsoever

express permission

of

(other than in Burma) without

the Advisory Editor Margaret

M. KardeU.

PL

^A

Printed and Published by U Khin Pe Gyi, Managing Director,

Rangoon Gazette Limited, Rangoon. (Printer's Registration

No. 0490).

(Publisher's

Registration No. 0338).

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CONTENTS

(Contd.)

PAGES

U Ponnya

...

21

Present of a Cheroot

Mae Khwe

...

22

A Peasant

Wungyi Padethayaza

...

23

Paddy Planting Song

Author unknown

...

24

Princess Hlaing Teik-

...

25

Maung Thwa

...

27

UKyi

...

28

My a Man

Setkya

Am Longing

Kaung-Tin
Love in Secret
Encountered
I

Would Smile

Noble Wisdom

Chaturinga Bala and Nemyo

Min Tin Kyaw Khaung

Donations (Dana)

Shin Tezothara

Remorse
Painful

No

As

Ills...

Cooling of Anguish

The Nature of Things

(Release from Anger)
Sources

&

References

Botanical Glossary

29

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A young

Burmese Upazin (monk) who was one of the

my American Conversation classes later
introduced my husband and me to his Guru, The Most
Reverend Friedrich V. Lustig, whom we found to be a
most interesting expounder on Burmese culture, the Burmese
way of hfe and Buddhism.

first

pupils in

Having Uved midst many different cultures for long

periods of time The Reverend Lustig' s background is such
that he brings to any cultural discussion a broad symphony
of understanding. He was born in Estonia in 1912, studied
Oriental Languages under Professor Sylvain Levi at the
College de France in Paris, and joined the Buddhist order

He has traveled extenin Latvia at the age of eighteen.

sively in the Far East having spent quite some time in China
For the last seventeen years he has been
Burma, a country in which he is deeply
May of 1962 after the demise of his Guru,
The Most Reverend Archbishop Tennisons, The Reverend
Lustig was elevated as Archbishop of Latvia by His

and Thailand.

living in exile in
interested. (I) In

Holiness the Dalai

Lama who

is

now

living in exile in

India.

In the course of our discussions with the Reverend

Lustig v/e found that he enjoyed interpreting Burmese
poetry and so we encouraged him to set down a number of
This he did
his translations of Burmese classical poems.
in conjunction with Reverend Eindawuntha and other
monks of his acquaintance.

In 1952 the Government of the Union of Burma published a

musical collection entitled "Classical Burmese Music" Prepared For
Piano By the Right Rev. Friedrich W. A. Lustig. After The Piano
Presentation By Saya Myaing Under The Supervision of U Po Lat,
Secretary, Ministry of Union Culture.

(1)

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We

shared these interpretations

among Burmese and

Much

interesting discussion ensued and

share these poems with all and this
us
to
many people urged
we decided to do.

foreign friends.

We then set to work in earnest and had to decide on

such issues as strict line and style translation versus interpretation of ideas and opted for this latter approach as we feU
would prove more interesting to most foreigners. To
Burmese scholars and philologists we leave the more important academic tasks of analysis of style, comparison of
various translations, and the presentation of a compilation
of all Burmese poems that lend themselves to translation.
For the "armchair" translators we have included the Burmese Text so that they might have the enjoyment of improving upon our work.

it

As any student of a foreign language soon learns,

many ways of expression in his own language

there are

which do not have exact equivalents in other languages due

to differences in climate, culture, philosophy, religion, and
These differences are perhaps most difficult to
history.
overcome when moving from a philosophically oriented
Buddhist script language to the theocentrically based
International English language used by most world travelers
today.

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We

are indebted to many Burmese and foreigners who

helped and who gave their time and ideas: particularly
to Mrs. John W. Neave for her assistance in helping us to
achieve a smoother presentation in English, to Professor

UE

Maiuig for

for his

his helpful suggestions, to

independent translations which vvq

against The Reverend

for the typing of the

Lustig's,

Burmese

to

Daw

sections,

who

San Maung

used to check
Doily Khaing

to

my Burmese

disagreed with the botany books, and most

gardener
of all to those who have read the manuscript and given their
suggestions.
Certainly our lesults are a composite effort
and many points strongly argued had to be compromised
and will be disputed.

We know

from

reading

Burm^^se

English

language

newspapers for the past three years that there is probably

no more interesting subject in Burma than that of the proper
interpretation of Pali and of poetical Burmese into modern
Burmese or into International English. And quite obviously
no interpretation of a poem in any other language of sounds
can give the exact true flavor and meaning as in its own
language of sounds but one can try. And in the trying
perhaps we may encourage others to try and we shall all
gain from our further mutual understanding.

Margaret

M.

Kardell,
Advisory Editor,

October

31, 1966,

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FOREWORD
Poetry enpbles a person and elevates him above his
It can guide a wavering mind through
petty environment.
the daily rough course of life to a safer position.
And,
in a way, it can make our everyday life a tiling of beauty.

Only poetic, elevated emotions, stirring the imagination

can lay bare the meaning of a culture. For this
reason I am attracted by Burmese lyrical art and find the
of

all,

poetry of

Burma

irresistible.

Apart from universal human themes, ever present in

Burmese poetry is an intense expression of a spiritual way
of life and the ethical experience. The profound active
humanism of the common man is verbally outhned in a
form which often turns their poetry into music. That is
why the Burmese lyrical art with centuries-old traditions,
rich and variegated, arouses a wondering and eager interest.

Burmese poetry has for me a quite special significance.

people of rich and responsive human sympathy, the
Burmese are very gifted as a race. They built Pagan, a

striking

testimony to their spiritual insight.

which has such capacity possesses inexhaustible

nation

possibilities.

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CO^9C0g
COOyCO
COOSCOS 33C03930S?9l9SI
32g[^0C(j)^ Sf^'^ G9lu00]2l
339u](Jocoyj|aocoycocoi 33yj[yJ[g

33Qy1cO 33CO333olsyiOS
39aO^^s|^5

|ygCOjySCO09GUC0pS

Go]cpaD33|^OCO

II

GQ9j'^CO^J'^^'^

G^OCSCOCOOSQGOCOp

II

^33Gfra0Cg

yeicg osogcoo
gJ^ocuc j^lyocoojoco [^lyocogsoccojc cdoiocosoi^

oc
c
c
oc
o
\
fc
ncoc
\n
3300CSI
S3C0C2
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y[^CCGC00C0l C0|Q0GC00 33C0

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[y^SOCpgl

339C0329COpD

II

o8g[^OC GQSG9C0CDl0329j^ ^.^^^^

GC09C|G0(^

11

In translating these Burmese poems J have tried to

catch the correct meaning and to remain scrupulously
But to see what a
faithful to the author's expressions.
saw
his
or
before
or her mind's eye
passing
poetess
poet

when

the original lines v/ere composed, is something

which cannot be solved like a mathematical formula. I
worked patiently and conscientiously, and am grateful
to Rev. Eindawuntha, a Buddhist monk of Bawdigone
Kyaung, Rangoon, who offered counsel to me in analysing
the most perplex metrical lines; and to Maung Aung Khin
for his practical assistance.

The Burmese patterns of intonation and well recognized

melodic phrases of the times obviously governed the original
compositions. Today to decipher such particular words or
groups of words sometimes makes one uncomfortable,
because Burmese word arrangements may often express
more than one meaning. Also during the last two centuries
or so the Burmese language has been greatly enriched
by the accession of new words and nev/ meanings due to
In the process a large number of
scientific advancement.
and
old words
arrangements have become obsolete and the
often has a present understood meaning
reader
Burmese
from
the original.
Some of the difficuhies
quite different
older
in
encountered
poems stem directly from
translating
;

these circumstances.

(josajjcoocoolyl

copscoGODorTSco^
POC1D:|oS[qd5ogCOO
SinO 3900330S

j^^yocoojoyjoscD

gocq)S|gcoo

cc nsooos

ocosoIgcoo j^lyocoaiog ocoocoosroo coojo

33GC0S39G3T 33CD39S0,^C 300S
|QlyOCOyjlscO<^

33^XX(J0yjOC I^OGO qCOCO I^CCOCQCOg^CO SOCOJCOC

^noiys(j)os|(Dj|s

^uGojyuD (joso;^gucoco2^s

ii

OdCjCS^'D^f'D
CO
oc
DOSCOOS O30000050OC
LO
T I
CO

COG

TOOOOSSgUOOg

CO

Co
oooocpeoii

Cfo

GGjOooGGcoGooolngsi

jGG

oi

e^coQSjonoG&ii

cooooua*Dsc

ocx:)33cssuoogei)

II

cro

Qsnosk)

ii

consider my labor amply rewarded if these

Burmese lyrics prove interesting to today's
foreigners and help them share, even in a very small degree,
the innermost thoughts and feelings of the talented Burmese
T

shall

translated

people.

Friedrich V. Lustig (Ashin Anauda),

Buddhist Archbishop of Latvia,
Sangharaja for Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania,

Great Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon.

April 26, 1966.

esOeCocQ

305CQ30 CO^^G'X)O.T)l GCjOGOOOCDGCOOGOSI

o c

o c o

no

cpc

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L
tL
IL

IL

I,

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'

c\

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CDCQCCOC GOODCSTOI
11

ouoes

SHORT PIPE
A

pipe... a

short

puff...

as

finger...

give you
for smoking.

do not take
you will think

"If

it

me

crude

If I accept it
you will think I like you.
If

you want
smoke

to

put

my

me
it

it near the bed,

dear one."

Mae Khwe*

Mae Khwe was the daughter of the Mayor of Sittaung

and she was married to a Maung Swe. When King
Bodopaya (Bodawphaya) ascended the throne in 1782
C.E., Mae Khwe became a Court Poetess.
C.E. means Christian Era.

co^cccose)

COCOGCOSqCOCIL QOySCOGUSI
L
oL
IL

3[^|[8[yO^COCOC01

oSlQCD(X)GODo\

LU-GA-LAY

Oh
I

little

would

boy crying!
could

Catch you a pigeon

White, blue or black

Oh

Uttle

How
To

boy

hard

it

is

catch a pigeon

White, blue or black.

A lullaby.
Author unknown.

be translated young son or little boy as the

song akhough originally sung by those caring for small
princes is now sung in the same fashion by modern mothers

Lu-ga-lay

and

may

fathers.

eoo'^ceooo

GOOOCGODOGjCOCOOl

OOCOOCOCCSg

COOCCO^(DOCjCOCOCOI

gcojsccocd[^jii

MOUNTAINS AND

FORESTS

Ah... beautiful...

The mountains

The

forests

The quivering buds

The

trees caressing

The

birds frohcking with

joy!

one another.

Author unknown.

coeolcsco
c oc
nn
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o
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^

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II

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ncxrs

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OOQoi

THE MONTH OF TABAUNG

On mountain tops sweet nwe-kyo creepers
Bloom midst

other blooms

And thabye leaves and pet-sut flowers

Are once again pure bright

On

the Festival of

colors.

Tabaung

Tharaphi and gangaw open into flower

And

fragrance pervades everywhere

On Mount Popa.

Author unknown.

For more detailed information on flowers and trees

see page 38.
The Festival of Tabaung is on the full moon day of March
which is the last lunar month (February-March) in the
Burmese calendar.

Mount Popa is over 4,000' above sea level and

Central Burma near the ancient city of Pagan.

lies in

cocosssGuyi 33cooos(jlcoi

oc

^l^osQoSco

SCGQOllI

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cocDcScoyscooEci
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IL

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I

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II

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GQocogoccoGQorDCDco^C!
cr^c
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00
oc
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c\pc
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30SgC0GCO0ODy0DCCC0SI

II

e
:e
e^

RV*

THE GOLDEN-YELLOW PADAUK

month of Tagu
From emerald green leaf-chisters
Bloom forth golden-yellow flowers.
Tn the

Truly what other flowers

Can compare with these in beauty
There in paclauk's cool breezy shade
Where the flow of sweat ceases
At the entrance to Nanda Cave
Retreat of the Pacceka Buddha.

one month in a year

one day in that month

During
During
During
Padauk

that

Day

for the Buddha

in the forest.

blooms forth

Summertime
The time of Thingyan has
!

And

is

glorious
Mistily blown

And

spreading

Along

arrived.

the golden pollen

from padauk
its

fragrance

forest roads.

No

one can describe

Of

this royal flower

Padauk

all

the marvels

Kyaw.

U Kyaw flourished in the reign of King Mindon

(1853-1878 C.E.)

Tagu is the first Burmese lunar month (part of April

and of May).
Nanda Cave is a mythological name for a cave supposedly
situated somewhere in a jungle and to which no ordinary
being has access. Only super beings Buddha, Pacceka
Buddhas, and Nat Spirits or the like may stay in this cave.
Pacceka Buddha is a Buddha who has attained enlightenment but who does not preach to the world.

05^gcoeo:>5(3[^(ccs^[)
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II

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II

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A

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GSOTDCOgSiT) GC]COgS(T) GCTDJO

GUOUO G320CO GCOOCSpDGp^S

GcocoGsiooS GyocshsGcosii

CARVED BULLOCK CART

In his carved bullock-cart

He

takes his girl to the pwe

Many are the beautiful girls

In his village district
Some are better dressed
;

Than

the girls in town

as they go to the pwe
Sitting up front in the carts
Attention they attract

And

With

their blue, black

And violet hued kerchiefs

Round their necks
And small satin stoles

On

their shoulders.

Each young man and

Snugly sitting side by

his girl
side.

As

the cart from behind

Overtakes the cart in front
Bells of wood and metal ring
Young men yell across to each other
Racing with their carts
Moving abreast of one-another
One cart on the road
;

The other

close-by.

a stage performance including music, dancing

folk opera. Most of the poems inclurepartee, singing and
ded in this book were first heard by the Burmese people at

pwe

is

some pwe.

CQGQCOjC

ooyoc
Q

QC9l|op^Gcooycoco
c n

c \

QCUl9^C0G320C

(JjloOQC

frooyo|uo| oou[^os(T5Gcocj(jo^
o

SCs
ysGyocx)
o
L

o o

uccooGyscoco

G^syoGraoc

J
J

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II

(CO

CM

To be first at the town's entrance

And to be first at the pwe means praise
And to be first means a better place.
The boy

No

excited
longer distant
is

he must try hard

is

the place.

Proud is he of his bullocks

Purchased for over a hundred kyats.
And proud are his perfect bullocks

With

their white-spotted foreheads.

Restrain them with reins
And bullocks look skyward
And the pace suffers
So slacken the reins.

U Ya

Kyaw.

U Ya Kyaw gained celebrity in the reign of King Thibaw

(1878-1885 C.E.). U Ya Kyaw was considered a master
of reahsm.

The kyat is the Burmese monetary

unit.

CCDOQ
foc

c c
or
c
0C33$^SCU3CI

[op^CCO|?CC00C0S]^l

II

Gocojp3oe|CG[yocscoa:)Gcos

oc

o cro

c o

qcDCScooi coc[yoco|oci coco[yj_coccoi

CJlLS|CGSg01

GC|ggcQl GoTGpC7D0CI

ocpcDGODjsccocoi GCjsJcooS cogyuoGyssjccoi

O&oIgO

UDlyGS!o]Cl

GJ^SGCjOyCJOGCOSIl

o c oc '\C CJ)
COlCOOOGSiCOOC

SONG OF THE FOREST

Fragrant and fresh
Are the whole branches
Brimming with new life

Brilliant are the leaves

All golden lights.

Pleasant are the forests
At Thmgyaii's festival time.

One

delights to see
Lingpya birds building nests
To hear cuckoos in pairs

Making heavenly melodies; and

To see a parakeet's lovely airs
Makes a maiden long to
To feed him in a cage
.

"Oh darling!
Catch him without delay
He is about to fly away.^

Princess Hlaing-Teik-Khaung-Tin,

was a
Princess Hlaing-Teik-Khaung-Tin (1833- 1 875 C.E.)
as v/ell as one of the most
gifted poetess and musician
She married the
beautiful women at the Mandalay Court.
Mindon and was therefore the
younger brother of King
consort of the Heir Apparent of the Court.

oScocSd^c^]'?:
CpC9
IL

_JL

IL

LA

C5|olmC0Cl 3qG00CO0Q0|>S
noysGcoococopii
A
6
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Cf

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o o
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nc
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pec

COpCOCOOSCI 33C0330G|^0CC|C0(JDI
nc o Q
c
30SG3iC00yJ

Sll

no

ea^e

SEA SNAILS
If
If

you meet
you see

You

believe.

So quaint to see

On curved

sea shores
Clusters of snails

Whites, reds, yellows and blues

Moving and displaying themselves,

Some golden penholders
Others hard iron traps
Still

others

Oh? Hermit
Coming here

fairies' hairpins.

crabs!
or going there

And

everywhere
Attention attracting

By borrowing
Empty sea snail
To live in them

And move

shells

about in them.

Bizarre indeed are these.

U Kyin U wrote

Kyin Uo

poems and enjoyed great renown in the

reigns of King Bagyidaw (1819-1837), King Tharrawaddy
(1837-1846 C.E.) and King Pagan (1846-1853 C.E.).

00

C O

i'-'

1.GC00i GCOODJO
GCOyS G^CO|00CDiCj^C

GOCoI:^SOCOI GOD C]|cD

c

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ccnoc

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II

^^GCOOOiC]!

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y,3SG!cD0C| 3300)G'CO GX>.")0ODOlaDI OQI)G3

coyoyorD(joi Gco|sgoi
c

OCCOl.

o
coil

ii

c-

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Go[uGC001 G^-OCCOiC COCQGCOGCpolcOI

C7D0G0S1
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cooo

cnn

os9bli coospcg ^oDGuyi oco^yo

so^ys^lucoj oycopDGyosjocoi goooodqo^

C

coco

GpDOCGacO^S

3j|>yi

C
qno
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3DCDI COySCOCDCOGCOS

11

r^

Gl^COi?

10

THE ROYAL KASON

As

the hot season

Revolts against the cold
In the pattern of contrasts

The firmament becomes cloudy

And

winds are hot again.

summer.

It is

Leaves on trees turn yellow,

To

fall

to

show new

leaves

Stems twist or break, yet

Sprouts on tama trees

Are now

soft greens

Like parrot eggs.

While in summer

trees thirst

In foothills thazin flowers

Are climbing thabye trees
Effusing fragrance
Mixing with the wafting air.

At sunset crow-pheasants are cooing,

And from afar come the cuckoo's notes.

Now

and again thunder

is

beating

Through heaven's expanses

Like lambara and deindi drums.

And

I...

think
the pouring of water
On the Bodhi tree
And of the absent companion
In the Golden Palace of Victory,

Oh,

Of

And

am

mournful.

Kyaw.

the Burmese second lunar month (May) and its

full-moon day is the day on which the Buddha was born,
obtained enUghtenment, and on which he also passed

Kason

is

away.
Bodhi tree

is

lightenment.

the tree under which

Buddha obtained

en-

OD

OQCOOfS
c-

TO

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QQCOnOGCDOCQSCOCqOI QOCCOCOtW
c o c

^SSC|GO| yS?G|^

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CDO(JOGG|COCOI

GCOOGCOQOCO?

II

9
psopo

IL

JASMINE
When

jasmine
not in bloom
In palace gardens
Courtiers must
Bedeck thomselves
Is

With kan

When

flowers.

jasmine

Is in full

bloom

In Mandalay's
Palace gardens
Courtiers never
Adorn themselves

With kan

Then kan

flowers.

flowers

Find favor only

Among

villagers.

Ponnya.

Ponnya was known as the best of the poets in the

reign of King Mindon (1853-1878 C.E.). The King gave
U Ponnya a noble title and some land as a fief.
Jasmine has a sweet odor and

is

flowers although beautiful have

no odor.

beautiful whereas kan

^J

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CD<^00D32\\
o
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330COC0QyCI

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9G001 GyQJUGS|[GCI TOSGDSOSSCOOI COCGSjolcOgSI

cooSyoooDoci GCXiJOGOCX)Cqyil

ococcoo:)! coiysooyjcoi GCocoyGCioci

COlCOCOICOolsoSl COCOOSUyOl

gJ^ocoo^oosi

GCOprDOOfDOOCOl

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c|S|oyco|cg|

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soocs^gs^oi s2[^oon8i y[^ 2|cogcoj

3$g|CG000C0GCO0ll

12

DELIVERANCE CANNOT BE FAR DISTANT

Listening, thinking, questioning, answering
Examining, writing, praciicing, and memorizing
Daily these eight disciplines need wearing
As one wears flower garlands.

Constantly, with a spirit of competition and

With diligence the beginner in fandanicntal lore

Must

practice

If he tries as

He
If

will

recitation... and

hard as ever he can

become a famous learned man.

one does not try with the eagerness

Of

a daring eagle that firmly catches a hen;

one does not study and ponder.

Does not question and does not discuss, and
If one cannot give a discourse
Knowing only how to read palm leaves
How can one become a well-known man of letters ?
If

Like a cat eating a shrimp with special enjoyment

A learner must study all texts omitting none
And he must learn all by heart.
He must become sharp as teeth of a saw
Penetrating deeply into all discussed matters.
Thus reaching comprehension
Indelible as a stone inscription.

Then when

perfect in understanding
be ready to say all by heart.
Then on any matter at any public concourse
He will be ready to give a perfect discourse,
To unravel the subject from beginning to end,
Without fear like a lion
To stand in the midst of the crowd,
Like a pillar of stone unshaken,
Going over into every detail
And replying to all without fail.

He

will

op
oloooulccoosi roo?ooDCOpoi
GQGcoococooScooi
o
3
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^
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r~G

coo

o,so

pQpOGQSCQSI CDOSjCQSCOl COgoOOOl OlO(J0O0|.COl

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((

oojcyoooGjccooc}

J5

13

He must be familiar with verses in Pali,

Various forms of address and old difficult words,
He must know the meanings and formations
Of elements, use of metaphors and versificaiion.

Grammatical method and annotation,

to reason forwards and backwards.
Then if he knows all this he will have recognition.

And how

He will be celebrated in this hfe as a man of erudition.

In future rebirths in this Samsara
He will come near Buddha Arya Maitreya.
Then for him not too far distant will be Nirvana,

Shin Maharattathara.

Shin Maharattathara
Buddhist monk.

(1468-1529

C.E.)

was

a famous

Written in the sixteenth century, this poem reflects the

spirit of scholasticism. However, laying stress on thoroughness as it does, it has a message for our age as well. (F.L.)
Samsara is the phenomenal world, the repeating round of
births

and deaths.

Buddha Arya Maitreya

is

the expected

Buddha of the future.

C C
o O
CfO o
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A
IL
a lo
c

<=aI

oc

occ

coc

^o c

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o
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((

>-

14

MILITARY

We
We

MARCH

are not afraid of anything!

are daring and brave

Ready to sacrifice our lives

With Parpahein marcliing to the royal city
On this day fixed as the "day of victory.
At our camp in the forest
Verdant are the branches
Full of small flower buds
Sweet are the sounds
;

Of

the military drums and gongs

In the soft evening's twihght.

and clouds are dispersed

So too must we destroy our enemy

Just as mists

The

elder brother Zeyathein.

Kyin U.

Zeyathein is an imaginary prince, an heir apparent, and one

of the chief characters of Kyin U's play entitled "Parpahein
Pyazat". In the denouement of the drama Zeyathein is
being attacked by Parpahein, Zeyathein's younger brother,
and in the fighting loses his throne to his younger brother.
The above excerpt is of course only a small part of the whole

play. (F.L.)

>D

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CDS^^
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1*

FOREST FLOWERS
Budding branches sway daintily in the winds
Blooming forth into abundance.
Red-dappled white flowers of nan- 1 ha
And blooms of sandalwood
Sweetly scent the foothills.
Summertime ends
But it is not yet the season of rains.

From the ground below

Rises khatta's overwhelming perfume
While from above
Jasmine's small swinging branches

Send down

their fragrance.

Climbing the forest trees

Khabaung flowers sway in the wind
Like rain-soaked silver strands.
Later in the rains their stems too
Will be all a silver hue.

And

in the valleys

Surprisingly charming too

Are the strange flowers
Called by the villagers

Crocodile

flowers.

Kyaw.

>6

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16

DEARLY LOVED SON

With the army
She has entrusted

him,

Her dearly beloved son,

She must not pity him.

On the way to Thailand

Many are the rising rivers and

streams
Violent are the rains and strong is the storm.
But his own mother has agreed,

"Let him

"In

No

my

die... (if

need be)..."

heart too.

distress

lingers."

Historical

song.

Author unknown.

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17

RAIN
When soft breezes blow
Rare fragrance spreads
From

the saga flowers

Growing on the not far-off
Mountain of the Giant's Palace.

Dark becomes

the horizon
us
from
the south in gloom.
Enveloping

Melancholy

assails

my

heart.

Oh, Rain God, do not cause us sorrow!

not cause us sorrow, Rain down and
All the eight directions vAll look gloomy.
And the rain will sadden us in many ways.

Do

Myavati Mingyi

Sa.

Sa (1766-1853 C.li.) was not only a

Myavati Mingyi
great poet but also one of the most remarkable creators
and preservers of Burmese music. He is the composer of
the celebrated Htiimachana Thachingan.

The

eight directions are N.,E.,S.,V/., and NE.,

and SW.

NW.,

SE.,

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18

TAKE TO HEART
(A Father's Admonition
Witfi this

Let

me

to His

Son )

poem

give you, my son,

parent's admonition
true garland of emerald flowers
As useful to you

A
A

As your

right hand.

The love in my heart

For you my son
Is like a mountain of
goldSo

listen carefully
not to be lost

To the
Which

is

heritage

Good Conduct.

Traditional knowledge.
dear son, you must master.
For if you do not acquire
knowledge
You will be hke spilt water
Not a whole man

My

And you

will feel

shame.
Repenting ten times over
You will grow pale of face
And in the world lack good place.
Like monkeys in the forest,
Who have hands and feet too
You will be a wasted ragged fellow
A useless purposeless man.
As a man of no solid substance
By others held in contempt
,

Ashamed you

will be,

dear boy.

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i9

Therefore from childhood.

My dear son, it is
To learii about all necessary
human matters
To stay in school firmly and to study*
To read as told,
:

To write as told.
To ask as told.
To reply as told,
To sit as told,
To rise as told,
To stoop as told,
To use what told,
To change as told,
To partake of food and drink
To address persons as told
To behave as told,
To approach persons as told,
And to honor lovingly
Your teacher as directed.
Beloved son,
not forget

Do

Your

all this

as told,

Father's message

Mentally note it^

Carefully heed it,
Keep it deep in your heart.

Let

So

me
it

say more )
be indelibly

will

Written in your heart.

Listen gladly!

Do

not

make friendships with drifters,

Pleasure-seeking low-thinking men.

Or vapid men seeking only evil.

When sometimes these types come near you

Seeming to befriend you or

in

play

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20

Keep away from tliem,

At a distance stay,
Then your welfare
Perfect will be
Dearest son!

Without fail
Try to do everything
Just as instructed.
Do not push aside
Your Father's speech.

Take

And
This

My

it

gladly

live

is

by

it.

cognizance^

son.

Sahton Sayadaw.
(Buddhist monk, probably 18th, Cent. C.E.)

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21

MYA MAN SETKYA

The royal steamer Man Mya Setkya

Now

proudly flying for the King

own Golden Peacock flag

Makes her way to Mandalay

His

Carrying durian
To {hQ King.

fruits

To accompanying echoes
Of whistles and trumpets
Steadily Oii steams

Mya Man Setkya

Days beyond Hanthawaddy

Until finally at dusk
Samalauk village is seen.
From Samalauk village on upstream
To the mainstream Irrawaddy
She continues making her way.

On

through the night she steams

Her captain and crew,

To

oblivious
beautiful passing scenes,

Thinking only of reaching

Their next stop on the stream.
Even at the secret time near dawn

And from the river

to villages sounds of her

She moves on.

Rebounds

Revving engines rending the skies.

below Kanaung town at dusk
The anchor is dropped at last
And now the captain and crew
May sleep and rest.
Just

Ponnya

is

understood to

have written

this

Ponnya.

poem

while

traveling upstream on the Mya Man Setkya a steam vessel

that had been presented to King Mindon (reign 1853-1878
C.E.) by the British then in control of Lower Burma. The
Burmese historian Tin Ohn, the author of the "Biography
Po Hlaing", claims that the plan of
of Yo Atwin
was
to
British
the
kidnap King Mindon while the King
the
was inspecting
imposing interior of the first-class ship
him
as
a
to
present. However, King Mindon fearing
given
Po Hlaing*)
the danger (he was forewarned by Minister
refused to go on board the Mya Man Setkya. (F.L.)

Wun U

Hanthawaddy is the name of the

is and was located.

district in

which Rangoon

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22

PRESENT OF A CHEROOT
The cheroot
I

leaves

do not buy, but pluck myself.

do not dry them on the fire

do not spread them in the sun.
But for your smoking
I dry them under my
bedclothing.
I
I

And with my teeth I trim

These aromatic leaves.

The cheroot
But with

To

My

give

it

do not bind with

common
truly to

silk

cotton thread

you 5

youthful lover in Ava.

Mae Khwe.

*'Youthful lover" can also be translated sweetheart from

childhood,
Ava was the capital of the Burmese Kingdom of Ava.

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23

A PEASANT
Rainy season

it is

And wiien it rains

Happily husband and wife

In red cotton turbans.

And tattered pasohs and aingyis
Carry along their children
Rain- wet and without clothes
Body warm in their arms.

A short pipe between his teeth

The peasant ploughs

his field

And in his rice fields

Are

water-filled holes

Homes

of

many small crabs.

into his shoulder basket
these
Tossing
with
frogs, snails,
Together
and kin-bon leaves,
kazoon
plants,
Su-pou
And pilo all for his curry

Stoopingly he goes back home.

Sweet and juicy is the curry

arrival and laid out quickly
With kyan-hing and kywet-na vegetables.

Cooked on
The

rice is

hot

And the curry is hot

With pungent Shan chilUes
That make one suck tht, tht,

tht.

Scooping sizable handfuls,

Bending he eats
Surrounded on all sides
By robust sons and grandsons

Of these happy

parents.

Wungyi Padethayaza.
in Ava in 1672 and died in
flourished at the Court of Ava in the

Wungyi Padethayaza was born

He

Syrian! in 1752.
whose reign
reign of King Sane (1698-1714 C.E.) during
he was a Minister. He later lived in exile in Lower Burma.
His tomb stands on the northern slopes of Kyaikkhauk

Pagoda

in Syriam.

another word for longyi which is the tubular skirt

worn by both men and women in Burma.
worn by the Burmese.
Aingyis are the blouse like jackets

Pasoh

is

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PADDY PLANTING SONG

No

need to pay the goldsmith!

the palm tree comes our
gold
Rolled palm leaves are our earrings
Chains of flowers are our necklaces.

From

Pleasant to look at are

The well-mannered

From the

we

rural folk

village of Aung Pin

Near golden Mandalay.

Lay

Rather shortish are our skirts

our cotton jackets
Are dyed from bark of trees.
Yet fine and tidy are our seams.

And

Our cheeks are smartly thanaka'd. And

As we move swaying from left to right
Our braids shine like buffalo- horns'!
Our beauty is all from nature. And
Even our hair we adorn only
With white mayo flowers.

Author unknown.

Thanaka is a pounded power made from thanaka tree bark

and even smaller branches. This dust is then used as a
powder or a paste, as a cosmetic, an astringent, a medicinal
application, and/or as a decoration and sun screen for the
face.

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25
I

AM LONGING

Gilt glass filtered moon rays

Light my stately diamond-studded

couch

Where alone hear the drum's sweet sound

Announce the third watch of the night.
I

Dawn

is

On my
Alone

no longer

far-off.

scented couch
await your coming.

tJiazin
I

Hands

to my forehead
cannot but muse
Over all that has passed

And

am

filled

with pensive sadness.

On

oath you promised never to shun me

Always to be loyal to me
Solemnly you swore, "If I become King

make you my Queen.

Even if a Goddess tried to seduce me.
Never would I surrender to her."

I shall

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26
a

In coronation's splendid display

give to you the place of chief Queen
With eight Brahmins and many pages attending you
And at the time of libation's ceremonial
I shall cause all men to worship you."
I shall

believed you and gave you my love.

Nov/... how different is your manner.
Oh, Prince of Kanaung how stern is your face.
Where is the former brightness of your face?
Where are the loving caresses
You so fondly showered on me?
I

Oh, Pnnce of Kanaung.

Princess Hlaing-Teik-Khaung-Tin.

(1833-1857 C.E.)

Thi s is only part of a very long song sung originally by

. _ncess HIaing-Teik~Khaung-Tin supposedly while waiting
Princess
Ihe sequel is
for her husband to return to her chamber.
remembers
her and
her
hears
sweet
he
voice,
that
finally
an
from
her
to
chamber.
back
comes
adjoining
again

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55

27

LOVE IN SECRET ENCOUiNTERED

By chance
Secretly I

fell in

With a lovely
Emerald fresh,

love

girl,

And

of gentle birth.
a consequence
I had to grapple with
Grief vaster than the sea.

As

My

unbearable.

life is

First pretending to love me

This maiden was like a cock
Courting round a hen;
Then suddenly she flaunted ojff.
In many ways she broke the trust

So naively placed in her.

wrongly I believed in

How

her.

wasn't true love, just pretense.

It

She loves

me

not, all

is

in vain.

But for this lovely garland

Containing many sweet smeUing

Not long shall I v/ait

To be decorated with
I

am

Ah

floresence of all plants

have a true love.

T shall

no

My

dear young lady

made of jewels.
vain and conceited girl
have not long to wait.

You
You
I

it.

a man of sufficient worth.

the time will come

Soon
As comes

And

flowers,

are not

Maung Thwa.
(Date unavailable,
probably second Konbaung
period 1818-1885).

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copocooysyocoi
o
L
L_.
J
J
J

GOOyCOOCOuSyO! GOy SgSoCDCTDOOJl^^Sola)!

ycouoGcosii

II

JJ

Kyi rose to fame at the Court of King Tharrawadd]

(1837-46 C.E.) who for tlie second time in Burmese history
moved the capital to Amarapura.
Kyi was a poe
with a great command of imagery, he speaks of the thing:
on which the world is forever pivoted. (F.L.)
Sit'sali are whistling teal and Mauklin are Uke coot.

28
I

WOULD SMILE

Roiind our village

How
To

pleasing

see

Growing in profusion
Lai'ka-nyo creepers
Living among

The paddy rows

With blue k ha tank
Its

fragrance

Filling the air.

Surrounded here

By such beauty
I

cannot help

Missing

my

lover.

Oh, how lovely

The beautiful
Kazoon creepers
Rocking gently

On
And

the water;
in the fields

Blue v/ater hens

Mauklin, and
Sit-sali birds

Are

billing

And

cooing.

Poor me!
Here alone
Midst

this

beauty

With my lover away

T am overcome
With sadness.

Now

too,

The sky
Thunder
Yet

if

Were
I

overcast
heralds rain.
my lover
here

would

is

smile.

Kyi.

J8

CD0.1: QCO(DOI QCQ0CI 90C00OC0I

L

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c o
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'f

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cocoGyocoDysyi

pOCfOGCOOODCDI GODJSCSOCOpi

GOpCOCCOg?ll

(^gcojyscocoi

I^COGGj^CO

NOBLE WISDOM
To the Three Noble Jewels! And
To Molhcr, Father and Teacher!
To these Six with pure faith
Respectfully having paid homage,
compose into easy verses,
So we may learn orally
The text Lokaniti, so full of lore,
Yet so difficult in Pali.
From Lokanit'Cs maxims
I shall

Much wisdom
It will

be

From one

A parent,

like

will all receive.

admonition

ripe in years,

a teacher and a good friend

Then vastly learned one will become
Full of knowledge and insight

Harvesting benefits untold,

One's name will shine as the purest gold.
(contd.)

The Three Noble Jewels mean

the

Buddha

(the Enlightened
of the Buddha, Doctrine,
Truth, Law, Norm), and the Sangha (the Buddhist Order,

one), the

Dhamma(the Teachings

Community,

Ecclcsia).

Lokaniti or "The Ways of the World" and the right conduct

is a collection of excerpts from various
relating to them
Pali treatises.
The collection consists of seven chapters

and

its

are piercing and enthraUing.

only a small part of the Lokaniti.

maxims

Wisdom"

is

Bala and later

is

Chaturinga

Nemyo Min Tin Kyaw Khaung rendered

Burmese verse the whole

Pali

"The Noble

the language used

text of this celebrated work.

in Buddhist sacred writings.

into

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Study and acquire recorded knov/ledee

So full of treasured benefits.
Be lazy and where will be
knowledge?
Without knowledge where is wealth?
And for one without wealth
There will be no loving friends.
When there are no friends

Where

When

How

is

happiness?
is unhappiness
you do good deeds?

there

will

Again, when there are no good deeds,

How

will

you

In this world
Is

get to Nirvana?
best friend

tiie

knowledge firmly acquired.

That, no thief can steal away.

And in your next existence too
Knowledge will follow you
And happiness bring you.
Ail

mankind note

(Follow

it

each

ihis

way

day.)

Chaturinga Bala and

Tin Kyaw K ha una.

Nemyo Min

Chaturinga Bala lived in the 14th, century C.E. and Nemyo

Min Tin Kyaw Khaung in the 19th. century. The former
wrote his "Lokaniti'' in Pali verses and the latter later
rendered it into melodious Burmese poetical language.
Born in Prome district, Chaturinga Bala distinguished
himself in the reign of King Ngah Sih Shin Kyawswa of
Pinya (1342-1350 C.E.) and after that served as Home
Minister to King Leh Sin Shin (also known as Thihathu)
who reigned 1350-1359 C.E.)
Nemyo Min Tin Kyaw Khaung rose to fame in the reign of
King Thibaw (1878-1885 C.E.) as a significant contributor
to

Burmese

aesthetic thought.

coocop

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lyyi

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cosyc7DiuSa:^cQi
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o

cocoa:

coc

COCDOO^sdlll

oo

yyycoiii GScoycoos
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OTCDODssGcoocgyi
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II

IL

^^^^^eB-^S^a

31

DONATIONS
(Dana)

'*Unsimiiar is human
destiny.
At the time true rehgion is no more
Some will still be full of faith
And desirous of giving in charity;
will see no worthy
recipients
Yet with genuine devotion

Though they

They will give gifts

To those they do not Hke

And

the result will be poor."

to Angura Deva,

Thus spoke Buddha

He who does not urge other men

To do meritorious deeds,
But practices

his largess alone,

Will in future rebirths

Have many

possessions

But no attendants

at

all.

He who

gives and urges others

give things in charity
Will be reborn rich
Surrounded by numerous attendants
And holding vast possessions.

To

He will be a shining moon

In the assembly of men.

He who
To

earnestly exhorts others

give donations freely,

While himself offering nothing,

In future rebirths will be
Deficient in material belongings
Yet many attendants and relatives
Sons and grandsons will be
In his entourage.

PJ

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y[(y)yyi

ypoy^oSi yj^ppoc5yi

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O0CSC|Co[qjCQQ|I

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oysGolc^j^^oi

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91^200 OyCil
GOSCOjCCOGOl CO_^[qOT0CX)l
OysyOCOpDIOnOUO|,30C?QCDp3S

|CGC0GCDa3 0Gj

II

Whosoever
Neither himself is iiiuniiiceat
Nor urges others to be
Will encounter e^'il fate
After his body's dissolution;

Never feehng

satiated,

Scarcely finding eating plants,

Shovving hunger day and night.
He will become a hungry spiritMeeting all kinds of miserv.

Shin

Tezolhara.

(Dale unavailable)

The Buddhists beheve

that munificence (the giving of gifts)

one of the highest and most noble virtues. Charily

(in Pali Dana) always leads to happy rebirths on earth
or in a heaven of the Dcvas (Gods). In the practice o\^
is

giving the

Burmese excel other

nationalities.

(F.L.)

??

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[->

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yOSOOCI

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[qSGCGCO QCS

I!

a 3 o oI.

33

REMORSE
To

gain the prize of Illuminaiion

have made up my mind.

Then I shall have liberation
From the bondage of craving {Tanha)
The all consuming darkness
I

Of

ignorance (Avijja-asava).

Seeking a womb for rebirth

In other after-death conditions
Many times I have experienced
Different forms.
But in whatever sphere
Never can it be pure.

Thus no longer do

I seek a consort.
Satiated with a layman's Hfe,
I

renounce

To muse

it all

in the

and go

Dhamma

cave.

The Dhamma cave

is

a cave for meditation.

Khains.

?9

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(C9

'

34

PAINFUL AS IT
Painful as it
Let me state

IS

is...

my

trouble.

How
Is

full of anguish most dire

one tormented by Universal Fire.

As

if seven suns blazed

fiercely
Equally burning is pain the world-round.
Nowhere can a cool spot be found.
My heart's trouble seems a death agony.

But presently beautiful maidens appear.

you want to alleviate my pain.

''If

Sprinkle

me

with rose scented rain."

U Kvaw

Poetess

Thamee.

U Kyaw Thamee was a daughter of the poet U Kyaw

King Mindon (1853-1878 C.E.)

and who had received unanimous acclaim as a poet of

who

lived in the reign of

extraordinary talent.

By

is meant the catastrophic fire which

and consume our universe at the end of the

Universal Fire

will destroy

Kalpa according to Buddhist behefs.

Kalpa is the "World Age" or "World Cycle" extending to
millions of years.

?3

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c9sscoyii
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ol

U9

'
(

35

NO COOLING OF ANGUISH
In

human

We

life

meet constant renewal.

Slowly like tree-cotton

Burning without ceasing
Day after tomorrow and the next
One day after another day
Descends upon us
But there is no cooHng of anguish.
the sun and the moon
Will not change in the future
Always shall I seek succor
And seeking it I shall fret.
anguish I try to forget.
But no!

Though

My

Day

My

after day anguish Hngers;

tears run in a steady flow.

"Oh, softly dry them one by one

With the best cloth of Bassein."

Kyaw Thamee.

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36

THE xNATLRE OF THINGS

(Release from Anger)

Often a man suffers destruction

In order that another man
Might enjoy well-being.
Such is the nature of things!

courtier's satisfaction

In enjoying kingly confidences

In golden palaces
And a King's own good fortune
Are merely bubbles
On the surface of a vast ocean
Momentary and evanescent.

by commiseration
were to be released

If dictated
t

And

freed from execution

would not escape Death.
Inseparable am I from Karma
I

All sentient beings

Being subject to dissolution.

Respectfully I salute His Majesty.

Should I again meet my Lord the King
In one of my future rebirths
In the cycle of Samsara

Begrudging him nothing

would lovingly forgive him=

Impermanent is my body of blood.
I

Anantasuriya,

Anantasuriya was a chief minister in the Kingdom of Pagan

under King Naratheinka (C.E. 1 1 70- 1 1 73). When as a resuli
of a palace revolution Naratheinka's brother Narapatisithu
seized the throne, Anantasuriya was ordered to be executed.
On the eve of his death he wrote this classical poem entitled
^'Dhammata" (The Nature of Things), which is one of the
literary treasures of the world. (F.L.)

Karma can

loosely be translated as destiny as ordained by

the ethical consequences of one's acts in previous existences.
Samsara is as explained before the cycle of deaths and
rebirths until Nirvana is reached.

??
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37

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

(Titles

of Works in Burmese)

1.

Thi-khying padetha.

2.

Kabya pan-kon

Kabya pan-kon a-phye zon

Professor

4.

Kabya pan-kon

5.

Khan hman Myan ma

6.

Tan myin

7.

Kabya pan-myaing

8.

Khet-thit kabya

9.

Zasodaw mya

Hanthawaddy U Ba Yin
Editor Saya

a-pliye thit

kabyil

phve nyi kyam

atthuppatti

Magha

U E Maung

za

mya

U E Maung

U Pho

Ngve

Thein Naing (B.A.)

U Wun and U Thein

Han

Bo-gyi Ba Thaung

38

BOTANICAL GLOSSARY

39

Mayo
(Ma-yo)

.40

Su-pou

Subok

23

Accacia pinnata

10

The Persian

Subok'gyi
30S00
It

Tama

lilac-Pride of

China, India.

C090

Azadirachta indica-A Juss

Thabye

4,

10

Eugenia spp.

Tharaphi

Laurel- Alexandrian

Tharapi

Callophyllum amvenum-VVall

COSjCS

>

Thazin

10,

25

kunstlevi-King
parkavi-Fischer

Orchid

Bulbophyllum spp.

COCC

and flowers, often differ

the
in different sections of
country.
Naturally a single
Burmese name will often apply to a great number of different
latin botanical names and at this late date it is a little difficult
to be positive just v/hich specific latin-named plant a poet

Burmese words for

trees, shrubs,

mind's eye. The above Ust was compiled

of
some Burmese botanists and from the
whh the help
following:

was seeing

in his

and Principal Climbers, Etc.

and
Enlarged Edition, by H.G. Hundley,
Third, Revised
B.Sc. (For. Rgn.) Silviculturist, Burma, and U Chit Ko Ko,
Herbarium Curator 1961, Superintendent, Government
Printing and Staty., Union of Burma, Rangoon.
List of Trees, Shrubs, Herbs,

Burma Research Society Vol XXXIll Part IT,

The
Trees and Shrubs of the University Estate,
To
A Key
Nant
Gladys Kwa.
Rangoon by

Journal ofthe

Check

Plants of

Common Roadside and Garden

Dickason
E.G.
(unpublished pamphlet).
Rangoon
List of

some

r
PL
3984-

Lustig, Friedrich V,.

Burmese classical poems

L87

PLEASE

CARDS OR

DO NOT REMOVE

SLIPS

UNIVERSITY

FROM

THIS

OF TORONTO

POCKET

LIBRARY