View source for Sagyo Thu-Myat

{{Burmese name|Shin}}
{{Infobox religious biography
|name = {{ubl| Shin Zawtayanta| ရှင်ဇောတယန္တ}}
|image=
|caption = 
|birth name = 
|alias = 
|dharma_name = Jotayanta
|birth_date = {{circa}} 1373 <br/> {{circa}} 735 [[Burmese calendar|ME]]
|birth_place = [[Yesagyo]], [[Ava Kingdom]]
|death_date = {{circa}} 1448/49 <br/> {{circa}} 810 ME
|death_place = [[Pinya]], Ava Kingdom
|nationality = [[Ava Kingdom|Burmese]]
|religion = [[Buddhism]]
|school = [[Theravada]]
|lineage = 
|title = {{ubl | Sagyo Thu-Myat | စကြို သူမြတ် }}
|location = [[Pinya]]
|education = {{ubl | Shin Pinswegyo Monastery, [[Sale, Myanmar|Sale]] | Kassapa Monastery, [[Pinya]]}}
|occupation = [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]]
|teacher = 
|predecessor = 
|successor = 
|students = 
}}

'''[[Burmese honorific|Shin]] Zawtayanta''' ({{langx|my|ရှင် ဇောတယန္တ}}, {{IPA-my|ʃɪ̀ɰ̃ zɔ́da̰jàɰ̃da̰|}}; {{circa|1373}}–{{circa}} 1448/49<ref name=hn-17-19>Hpone Nwe c. 2000: 17–19</ref>) was a [[Burmese Buddhist]] monk and writer, active in the early 15th century [[Ava Kingdom|Ava period]]. He is better known by his religious title '''Sagyo Thu-Myat''' (စကြို သူမြတ်, {{IPA-my|zədʑò ðùmjaʔ|}}; {{lit|The Venerable Abbot of the Sagyo [Monastery]}}).{{refn|group=note|Chronicles report various versions of his title. {{bulleted list|the ''[[Razadarit Ayedawbon]]'' (c. 1560) calls him "ပင်းယ သူကြို", {{lit|[Abbot of] the Sagyo [Monastery], Pinya}}.<ref name=nph-307>Pan Hla 2005: 307</ref>
|The ''Maha Yazawin'' (1724) and ''Hmannan Yazawin'' (1832) chronicles spell his title as "စကြို သူမြတ်".<ref name=my-1-312/><ref name=hy-1-447/>
|The ''Yazawin Thit'' (1798) calls him "စကြော သူမြတ်".<ref name=yt-1-214>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 214</ref>
|The ''[[Pak Lat Chronicles|Pak Lat]]'' reports his [[Mon language]] title as "ဗင်ယ သဂြော", {{lit|[Abbot of] the Sagyo [Monastery], Pinya}}.<ref name=nph-307/>}}
}}

The monk is best known in [[History of Myanmar|Burmese history]] for successfully persuading King [[Razadarit]] of [[Hanthawaddy Kingdom|Hanthawaddy]] to withdraw from Ava during the [[Ava–Hanthawaddy War (1401–1403)]], and for pushing through the recalibration of the [[Burmese calendar]] in 1438. He was also a pioneer of the religious literary genre of ''myitta-za'', which were letters of friendly exhortations or admonishments for the laity, particularly the royalty.

==Early life and education==
[[File:Ava–Hanthawaddy War 1401–1403 Overview.png|thumb|Zawtayanta was educated in Sale, before moving to Pinya, near Ava.]]

The future monk was born {{circa}} 1373{{refn|group=note|name=birth-year|His exact birth date is not known. Chronicles suggest he was born {{circa}} 1372 or 1374. {{bulleted list
|The ''[[Maha Yazawin]]'' (1724) and ''[[Hmannan Yazawin]]'' (1832) chronicles say he was in his 31st year (at age 30) in late 766 ME (early 1405), having been an ordained monk for 11 years,<ref name=my-1-312>Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 312</ref><ref name=hy-1-448>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 448</ref> meaning he was born {{circa}} late 735 ME (early 1374) or early to mid 736 ME (mid to late 1374).
|The ''[[Yazawin Thit]]'' (1798) however says he was in his 30th year (aged 29), with 11 years as an ordained monk, in [[Tabaung]] 763 ME (February 1402),<ref name=yt-1-214-215>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 214–215</ref> meaning he was born {{circa}} very late 733 ME (c. March 1372), or early to mid 734 ME (mid to late 1372 and early 1373).
|A modern writer, Hpone Nwe, gives the monk's birth year as 735 ME (29 March 1373 to 28 March 1374).<ref name=hn-17-19/> It is not clear where he got the information, however.}}}} in [[Yesagyo]], a small rural town south of [[Bagan|Pagan]] (Bagan), in the [[Kingdom of Ava]].<ref name=hy-1-454>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 454</ref><ref name=yt-1-214-fn2>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 214, footnote 2</ref> He was educated at the Shin Pinswegyo Monastery (ရှင်ပင်စွယ်ကြို ကျောင်း) in nearby [[Sale, Myanmar|Sale]] (Salay), and studied under the head abbot of the monastic school, Shin Maha-Yatha ({{langx|pi|Mahāyasa}}). Circa 1391, he joined the monastic order with the ''[[dhamma]]'' title of Zawtayanta ({{langx|pi|Jotayanta}}).<ref name=yt-1-214/><ref name=hy-1-454/>

By 1401, Zawtayanta had moved to [[Pinya]], next to the capital [[Inwa|Ava]] (Inwa), to further his religious education. He was invited there by Gov. [[Mohnyin Thado|Thado of Myohla]], who was one of his lay disciples, as well as a protege of King [[Minkhaung I]] (r. 1400–1421). The monk resided and studied at the Kassapa Monastery (ကဿပ ကျောင်း), founded by another Minkhaung protege, [[Yazathingyan (15th-century minister)|Yazathingyan]].<ref name=hy-1-454/><ref name=yt-1-214-fn2/> At Pinya, he became known for his deep knowledge of the [[Pali Canon|Tipiṭaka]] (Theravada Buddhist scriptures), and [[horoscopes]] as well as his incisive and eloquent sermons and writings.<ref name=hy-1-447>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 447</ref><ref name=mat-255>Aung-Thwin 2017: 255</ref><ref name=nph-207>Pan Hla 2005: 207</ref>

==Wartime mediator==
{{see also|Ava–Hanthawaddy War (1401–1403)}}

The small town monk was thrusted into the national limelight in early 1402. At the time, [[Hanthawaddy Kingdom|Hanthawaddy]] forces led by King [[Razadarit]] had advanced to the gates of Ava since late 1401. The young monk was selected by the Ava court to be the mediator to end the stalemate because of his ability to speak and write clearly and eloquently with arguments based on the scriptures. His assignment was to persuade Razadarit to withdraw peacefully.<ref name=hy-1-447/>

Zawtayanta accepted the assignment. He wrote a letter to Razadarit, asking to see the king at his camp, ostensibly to deliver a sermon. His letter was well received by the Hanthawaddy command, which too was looking for a face-saving way out. Razadarit personally invited him.<ref name=mat-255>Aung-Thwin 2017: 255</ref><ref name=yt-1-214-215>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 214–215</ref>

===Sermon at the Hanthawaddy camp===
In mid-February 1402,{{refn|group=note|Full moon of [[Tabaung]] 763 ME (16 February 1402)<ref name=yt-1-215>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 215</ref>}} Zawtayanta led a 300-member Ava delegation to the Hanthawaddy camp near the Shwe Kyet-Yet Pagoda (in present-day [[Amarapura]]), about {{Convert|15|km}} north of Ava. His retinue of 300 men brought several gifts for Razadarit from Minkhaung. The meeting took place on Razadarit's royal barge ''Karaweik''.<ref name=yt-1-214-215/><ref name=hy-1-449>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 449</ref>

{{quote box
| source = Razadarit's answer to Zawtayanta's inquiry into the goals of the campaign{{refn|group=note|The four reasons per the ''Razadarit Ayedawbon''.<ref name=nph-210>Pan Hla 2005: 210</ref> The ''Maha Yazawin'' and ''Hmannan Yazawin'' do not include "to avenge King Swa's invasions".<ref name=my-1-314>Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 314</ref><ref name=hy-1-450>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 450</ref>}}
| align = right
| width = 30em
| salign = right
|My goals for this campaign are to: {{numbered list
|Avenge King Swa's invasions of Hanthawaddy that caused so much death and destruction in my country,
|Incorporate the Kingdom of Ava into my realm,
|Visit the famous religious sites, and perform meritorious deeds there to further the ''[[sasana]]'', and
|Be remembered as a great conqueror in history.}}}}

The meeting did not start out well. Zawtayanta first inquired why Razadarit had come to the upcountry. When the king gave his four reasons, the monk tried to persuade the king that he had already accomplished most of the goals. He told Razadarit that King Swa had already died; that Razadarit had already visited many religious sites in the upcountry unimpeded; and that the king was already known for his military prowess. But the monk strongly hinted that Razadarit would not be able to conquer Ava by painstakingly enumerating all 53 walled cities he claimed were loyal to Minkhaung. He further pointed out that the rainy season was fast approaching, and the Hanthawaddy king should perhaps be concerned about his home provinces revolting during this long campaign.<ref name=yt-1-214-215>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 214–215</ref><ref name=nph-216>Pan Hla 2005: 216</ref> It did not work. Razadarit is said to have replied with a polite smile that he "the king of kings" and his senior staff did not need to be lectured about military strategy by a monk, and that he was prepared to meet Ava forces militarily.<ref name=nph-216/>

Zawtayanta quickly changed tactics by delivering his prepared sermon. The lengthy sermon, covered in detail in the [[Burmese chronicles|royal chronicles]], preached various Buddhist doctrines, and included several back-and-forth dialogues between the king and the monk. According to historians, his sermon about the "wickedness of war",<ref name=app-71>Phayre 1967: 71</ref> and the "sin of bloodshed"<ref name=geh-88>Harvey 1925: 88</ref> was nothing groundbreaking; the concepts would have been "more or less common knowledge among Buddhists".<ref name=mat-255/> However, the preachings perfectly suited Razadarit, who was looking for a "pretence"<ref name=app-71/> to withdraw, after "seeing the light".<ref name=mat-256>Aung-Thwin 2017: 256</ref> At any rate, Razadarit announced after the sermon that he had indeed come to conquer the upcountry but now that he had a better understanding of the ''[[dhamma]]'', he would return home as soon as his naval patrols from the upriver arrived back to the base.<ref name=hy-1-454/><ref name=mat-255/><ref name=jf-10>Fernquest 2006: 10</ref>

===Consecrating Razadarit's constructions===
[[File:Ruins of Bagan, 1999.jpg|thumb|left|Pagan (Bagan) at dawn, present day, where Razadarit constructed a monastery and donated it to Shin Zawtayanta]]

Zawtayanta remained by Razadarit for about another month and a half to help fulfill Razadarit's parting wishes. As part of his withdrawal announcement, Razadarit vowed to leave the markers of his power in the upcountry by constructing religious buildings. He was following "the practice of earlier [[Pagan Kingdom|Pagan]] kings, who built temples they could roam at will, rationalized by the notion of ''dharmavijaya'', or righteous conquest."<ref name=mat-256/>

The monk agreed to consecrate the king's planned projects. The first building was a ''[[zayat]]'' (pavilion) on the premises of the Shwe Kyet-Yet Pagoda, using the logs from five of Razadarit's royal barges. When the construction was complete five days later, the monk presided over the dedication ceremony. The Hanthawaddy navy's withdrawal began afterwards.<ref name=hy-1-453>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 453</ref><ref name=yt-1-217>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 217</ref><ref name=nph-219-220>Pan Hla 2005: 219–220</ref> The monk remained by Razadarit's side as Razadarit had asked him to accompany him to the former royal capital of [[Bagan|Pagan]] (Bagan).<ref name=hy-1-454/> He had to calm down Razadarit when Ava forces burned down the newly built ''zayat'' soon after. Zawtayanta as well as Razadarit's senior ministers [[Byat Za]] and [[Dein Mani-Yut]] had to persuade the king to rescind the order to turn back, stating that "[[Merit (Buddhism)|demerits]] accrue to the one who set fire to a good deed".<ref name=mat-256/><ref name=hy-1-455>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 455</ref>

The second project was located in Pagan. To fulfill one of his lifelong goals, the Hanthawaddy king ordered the construction of a monastery outside the former royal capital. Ava forces inside the fortified city did not disturb the enemy. After the construction was complete, the king donated the monastery to Zawtayanta. The Hanthawaddy forces then sailed down.<ref name=hy-1-456>Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 456</ref><ref name=nph-223>Pan Hla 2005: 223</ref>

==Recalibration of the Burmese calendar==
Shin Zawtayanta is also remembered for his role in the recalibration of the [[Burmese calendar]] in 1438. By then he had become an eminence grise, known by the title of '''Sagyo Thu-Myat''' (စကြို သူမြတ်, {{lit|the Venerable Abbot of the Sagyo [Monastery]}}), with access to the king and the court. Indeed, the king at the time was [[Mohnyin Thado|Thado]], the small town governor who first invited him to Pinya nearly four decades earlier. In 1437, Thado asked the Ava court as to how to deal with the deep political troubles the kingdom was facing. The king also consulted Zawtayanta because the monk was known for his deep expertise in horoscopes. Zawtayanta along with another senior monk known by the title of "Min Kyaung Thu-Myat" (မင်းကျောင်း သူမြတ်, {{lit|the Venerable Abbot of the Min Monastery}}) proposed that the kingdom's troubles needed to be addressed by recalibrating the [[Burmese calendar]] to year 2 (not year 0) when it reached the year 800 ME (in 1438 CE).<ref name=hy-2-75>Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 75</ref><ref name=sat-108>Aung Tun 2009: 108</ref>

The king accepted the proposal over the objections of Chief Minister [[Yazathingyan (15th-century minister)|Yazathingyan]].<ref name=geh-99>Harvey 1925: 99</ref><ref name=mat-88>Aung-Thwin 2017: 88</ref> The king announced on the eleventh anniversary of his coronation, on 18 May 1437,{{refn|group=note|Full moon of [[Nayon]] 799 ME,<ref name=my-2-70>Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 70</ref><ref name=yt-1-281>Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 281</ref><ref name=hy-2-75/> 18 May 1437}} that the calendar would reset to year two on the next New Year's Day (30 March 1438). The court carried out the recalibration as announced.<ref name=hy-2-75/><ref name=geh-99/>

==Legacy==
His two notable projects profiled in the chronicles left little long-term imprint. His 1402 diplomatic mission did get Razadarit to leave the upcountry but the peace broke down just a few days after Razadarit left Zawtayanta at Pagan.<ref name=hy-1-456/><ref name=nph-224>Pan Hla 2005: 224</ref> Nor did the recalibrated calendar succeed. The new era, colloquially known as ''Thekkarit To'' (သက္ကရာဇ် တို, "Short Era"), never gained popular use.<ref name=mat-88>Aung-Thwin 2017: 88</ref> The Ava court did continue to use ''Thekkarit To'' alongside the existing era at least until 1496/97 in the reign of King [[Minkhaung II]] (r. 1480–1501).<ref group=note>See (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 282–307) for the side-by-side use of the two eras. The last instance of dual use was 858 ME, 60 Short Era (1496/97).</ref>

However, his initial letter to Razadarit did become a model for the genre of ''myitta-za'' (မေတ္တာစာ, {{lit|letters in the spirit of ''[[Maitrī|metta]]''}}), which were letters of friendly exhortations or admonishments for the laypeople, in particular, the royalty.<ref name=am-1987>Aung Moe 1987</ref> The ''myitta-za'' later developed into "the most common medium of literary communication" aiming to achieve "the highest utility value" for the laity.<ref name=am-1987/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite journal | author=Aung Moe | title=Early Ava Period Writers: Sagyo Thu Myat | date=31 August 1987 | journal=The Working People's Daily | location=Yangon}}
* {{cite book|last=Aung-Thwin|first=Michael A.| author-link=Michael Aung-Thwin | title=Myanmar in the Fifteenth Century | publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|year=2017|location=Honolulu|isbn=978-0-8248-6783-6}}
* {{cite book | last=Aung Tun | first=Sai | title=History of the Shan State: From Its Origins to 1962 | year=2009 | publisher=Silk Worm Books | location=Chiang Mai | isbn=978-974-9511-43-5}}
* {{cite journal |last=Fernquest |first=Jon |title=Rajadhirat's Mask of Command: Military Leadership in Burma (c. 1384–1421) |journal=SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research |volume=4 |issue=1 |date=Spring 2006 |ref={{sfnref|Fernquest Spring 2006}} |url=https://www.burmalibrary.org/docs11/SBBR4.1-Fernquest.pdf |access-date=2024-01-04 |archive-date=2020-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322195457/https://www.burmalibrary.org/docs11/SBBR4.1-Fernquest.pdf |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book | last=Harvey | first=G. E.| author-link=G.E. Harvey | title=History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824 | publisher=Frank Cass & Co. Ltd | year=1925 | location = London}}
* {{cite journal | last=Hlaing |first=Mi Mi | title=States of Hostilities in the First Ava Period | journal=Mandalay University Research Journal | volume=9 | number=1 | date=2018 | publisher=[[University of Mandalay]] |url=https://docslib.org/doc/979367/title-states-of-hostilities-in-ava-period-first-ava-period}}
* {{cite book | author=Hpone Nwe | title=ရဟန်းစာဆိုတော်များ အတ္ထုပ္ပတ္တိ | trans-title=Biographies of Monk Scholars | chapter=Sagyo Thu-Myat | pages=19–21 | location=Yangon | year=c. 2000}}
* {{cite book | last=Htin Aung | first=Maung | author-link=Htin Aung | title=A History of Burma | publisher=Cambridge University Press | location=New York and London | year=1967 }}
* {{cite book | last=Kala | first=U | author-link=U Kala | title=[[Maha Yazawin]] | publisher=Ya-Pyei Publishing | location=Yangon | orig-year=1724 | year=2006 | edition=4th printing | language=my | volume=1–3}}
* {{cite book | author=Maha Sithu | author-link=Twinthin Taikwun Maha Sithu | title=[[Yazawin Thit]] | publisher=Ya-Pyei Publishing | location=Yangon | orig-year=1798 | year=2012 | edition=2nd printing | language=my | volume=1–3 |editor=Myint Swe |editor2=Kyaw Win | editor3=Thein Hlaing}}
* {{cite book | last=Pan Hla | first=Nai | author-link=Nai Pan Hla | title=[[Razadarit Ayedawbon]] | language=my | orig-year=1968 | edition=8th printing | year=2005 | location=Yangon | publisher=Armanthit Sarpay}}
* {{cite book | last=Phayre | author-link=Arthur Purves Phayre | first=Arthur P. | title=History of Burma | orig-year=1883 | year=1967 | publisher=Susil Gupta | location=London}}
* {{cite book | author=[[Royal Historical Commission of Burma]] | title=[[Hmannan Yazawin]] | volume=1–3 | orig-year=1832 | location=Yangon | language=my | year=2003 | publisher=Ministry of Information, Myanmar}}

[[Category:Burmese Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Burmese writers]]
[[Category:1370s births]]
[[Category:1440s deaths]]