Kuthodaw Pagoda - A Buddhist University

One of many alleys of pagodas housing stone 'pages' of the Buddhist holy 'book'

At the southeastern base of Mandalay Hill is Kuthodaw Pagoda. At the center of the temple is the 100 foot high golden Maha Lawka Marazein Pagoda. But the most interesting feature of the temple is the 729 smaller pagodas that surround the central shrine.

Called pitaka pagodas, each one houses a marble tablet inscribed with a 'page' of text from the Buddhist holy book, called the Tipitaka. This first complete version of the Tipitaka was assembled by a team of 2,400 monks during the Fifth Buddhist Synod in 1872. Buddhist scholars then inscribed the text onto the tablets. Originally, the letters were highlighted in gold.

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