Shin Panthagu

The Venerable Shin Panthagu (Burmese: ရှင်ပန့်သကူ မထေရ် [ʃɪ̀ɴ pa̰ɴðəɡù mətʰḛi]; 1083–c. 1174) was primate of Pagan Kingdom from 1115 to 1168. The Theravada Buddhist monk, son of the lord of Seinnyet, succeeded his teacher Shin Arahan as primate.[2] For the next five decades, he was the chief religious adviser to King Alaungsithu, and helped advise many of Alaungsithu's religious deeds. The notable works were the repairs of the Buddhagaya Temple circa 1118, and the buildings of the Thatbyinnyu Temple, and the Shwegugyi Temple.

Shin Panthagu ရှင်ပန့်သကူ မထေရ်
Title	Sayadaw
Personal
Born	1083[1] Seinnyet?
Died	c. 1174 (aged 91) Pagan
Religion	Buddhism
Nationality	Burmese
School	Theravada
Lineage	Conjeveram-Thaton
Occupation	Buddhist monk
Senior posting
Teacher	Shin Arahan
Based in	Pagan
Predecessor	Shin Arahan
Successor	Shin Uttarajiva

In 1168, he left Pagan (Bagan) for Ceylon in protest of Narathu who killed his father Alaungsithu and his elder brother Min Shin Saw to seize the throne. Shin Panthagu was especially disgusted by Narathu's treachery because Narathu used Panthagu in his scheme. By Narathu's urging, Shin Panthagu had gone and asked Min Shin Saw, whose troops were massed outside Pagan, to take the throne—with the explicit promise by Narathu that he would not harm Min Shin Saw. Narathu did not harm Min Shin Saw during their initial meet but poisoned his brother later that night.[3]

Shin Panthagu returned to Pagan after Narapatisithu's accession to the throne[4]^:177 in 1174. Shin Uttarajiva, a renowned Mon monk who had studied in Ceylon, was then the primate but Shin Panthagu was treated as the primate. The elderly Shin Panthagu died soon after.[1]

References

1. Harvey 1925: 55
2. Harvey 1925: 46
3. Harvey 1925: 50–51
4. Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.

Bibliography

• Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.