Read the Stones That Reveal Buddhist Scripture

Maha Lawkamarazein, also known as the Kuthodaw Inscription Shrines, is a collection of 729 stone slabs at Kuthodaw Pagoda in Myanmar on which were inscribed the whole of the Buddhist scriptures in 1868. King Mindon approved the inscription at the Fifth Great Synod in 1871. 

King Mindon was the 10th successor of the Kobaung Monarchy. He wished to leave something for posterity that would last thousands of years to honor Buddha and commissioned the Tipotaka (ancient collections of Buddhist scriptures) of Theravada Buddhism on stone slabs.

In 1871, King Mindon convened the Fifth Great Synod to recite and examine Buddhism. It was presided over by 2,400 monks and lasted five months. The entire Tipitaka, inscribed on 729 stone slabs, was approved by the council.

This monumental task, done by monks and skilled craftsmen, required a whole day to chisel 10 to 12 lines and eight years (1860-1868) to complete all 729 stone slabs. The text was meticulously edited by senior monks and lay officials consulting the Tipitaka on palm-leaf manuscripts. 

The 729 two-sided slabs known as the “World’s Biggest Book” are inscribed with texts of the Buddhist canon. Namely, 410 Suttas, 111 Vinaya, and 208 Abhidhamma.

Each stone slab, made of marble (crystalline lime stone), was housed in a masonry shrine within the precincts of the Kuthodaw Pagoda, built by King Mindon in 1857, in Mandalay. They still stand to this day. 

The slabs highlight the socioeconomic, socio-political, global communication, and religious morality in Buddhism and Buddhist communities. They also provide valuable information on major themes in 19th century Myanmar and Buddhist religions in world history and culture. 

The Buddhist canon inscribed on the 729 stone slabs is still being used for religious purposes in Myanmar today.