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          Rangoon Shwedagon Pagoda   

The Shwedagon Pagoda

Shwedagon, is the Mother of all Pagodas in Myanmar, is the landmark of Rangoon, and dominates the shape of the city. Shwedagon means the golden pagoda. Towering to a height of 326 feet on Theingottara Hill and The base is surrounded by 64 small pagodas. It is believed to have been built nearly 2600 years ago, that is, during the Buddha's life time, According to the legend Tappussa and Ballika two Burmese merchants that they travel around the world, led a caravan of bullock carts to India and there they came across the Buddha who had just come out seven weeks of meditation and recently attained His Enlightenment he was sitting under a tree felling the need of food. The two brothers offered honey balls to Buddha  and received in return eight strands of the latter's hair. After The two brothers returned from the journey they enshrined the 3 hairs in stupa which is now the great Shwedagon Pagoda. It is believed in Myanmar that the hill upon which the Shwedagon Pagoda stands was not haphazardly chosen Tappussa and Ballika but was, in fact, the site where the 3 Buddhas preceding the Buddha Gotama in this world cycle themselves deposited relicts. Buddha Kakusandha left something that nobody knows in Theingottara Hill, Buddha Konagamana left his water filter and Buddha Kassapa a part of his robe. Because of this Buddha Gotama requested  Tappussa and Ballika to enshrine his relics in this location.
 

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What The New Age Traveler Says...?

Rangoon Shwedagon Pagoda - is the most popular and well-known pagoda in Rangoon and is one of best Temples I have never see on my life. It is the most frequented religious site in Burma  is an ancient sacred site because of the buried relics of the three previous Buddhas in Theingottara Hill. in Rangoon. Located at No.1, Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Dagon Township, in Rangoon. Nobody knows who of this 2 pagodas include the hair given by the Buddha to the two Burmese merchants, Tappussa and Ballika. Kyaik Athok, which means "the pagoda that contains the hair relic. or Shwedagon Pagoda?. By instinct I have the feeling that is Shwedagon Pagoda.