RANGOON — Pilgrims from all corners of Burma have been flocking to a monastery in Rangoon’s Hmawbi Township, where a Japanese man has donated hundreds of ancient Buddha images from seven different historical eras.
A total of 301 Buddha images are kept at the Aung Zabu Tawya Dhamma Yeiktha monastery in Yepya village, Hmawbi Township. Since the Buddha images were donated by the Japanese national, the holy site has been better known to devotees simply as “Japan Pagoda.”
According to U Pandda Wuntha, the abbot of the monastery, the Japanese man named Kumano was formerly a Christian and converted to Buddhism of his own volition after visiting Bagan, the famed temple-studded plain in central Burma.
Kumano is married to a Burmese woman and has two children. He dreamed frequently of Buddha images and pagodas after he converted to Buddhism, according to the abbot, who said Kumano then sought permission from the government and restored some Buddha images and pagodas in Bagan. But when he continued to dream of pagodas, he began collecting ancient Buddha images. He kept them at his house for obeisance at first, U Pandda Wuntha told The Irrawaddy.
“It is really astonishing that he could collect ancient Buddha images from seven different [historical] periods. He has collected very rare ancient Buddha images,” said the abbot.
“Then, he donated the images to me and said that he did not want to see ancient Buddha images of Burma brought outside the country,” he added.
Kumano started collecting Buddha images even before his marriage. On Nov. 15, 2012, he told Aung Zabu abbot that he wanted to donate the Buddha images, and handed over a total of 301 Buddha images from the Pagan, Pinnya, Ava, Toungoo, Nyaungyan, Tagaung and Konbaung periods.
The number of pilgrims has increased as news of the collection has spread.
The holy site is only open on Thursdays, Fridays and weekends, and thousands of devotees visit the site on these days.
