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BUDDHA’S HAND SIGNSAt temples and shrines, look out for the following hand signs of buddha images, eachhas a different meaning:» Abhaya Both hands have palms out, symbolising protection from fear.» Bhumispara The right hand touches the ground, symbolising when Buddha satbeneath a banyan tree until he gained enlightenment.» Dana One or both hands with palms up, symbolising the offering of dhamma(Buddhist teachings) to the world.» Dhyana Both hands rest palm-up on the buddha’s lap, signifying meditation.» Vitarka or Dhammachakka Thumb and forefinger of one hand forms a circlewith other fingers (somewhat like an ‘OK’ gesture), symbolising the first publicdiscourse on Buddhist doctrine.Theravada vs MahayanaTheravada Buddhism (also followed in Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka andThailand) differs from Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity in thatit is not centred around a god or gods, but rather a psycho-philosophicalsystem. Today it covers a wide range of interpretations of the basic beliefs,which all start from the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, aprince-turned-ascetic and referred to as the Buddha, in northern Indiaaround 2500 years ago.In the Theravada school, it’s believed that the individual strives toachieve nibbana a (nirvana), rather than waiting for all humankind be-ing ready for salvation as in the Mahayana (Large Vehicle) school. TheMahayana school does not reject the other school, but claims it has extendedit. The Theravadins see Mahayana as a misinterpretation of theBuddha’s original teachings. Of the two, the Theravada is more austereand ascetic and, some might say, harder to practise.During the U Nuperiod, Buddhismfunctioned as astate religion, asembodied in suchcatchphrases as‘the Socialist Wayto Nibbana’.339RELIGION & BELIEFBuddhist TenetsBuddha taught that the world is primarily characterised by dukkha (suf-fering), anicca a (impermanence) and anatta a (insubstantiality), and thateven our happiest moments in life are only temporary, empty and unsatisfactory.The ultrapragmatic Buddhist perception of cause and effect – kammain Pali, karma a in Sanskrit, kan in Burmese – holds that birth inevitablyleads to sickness, old age and death, hence every life is insecure andsubject to dukkha. Through rebirth, the cycle of thanthaya a ( samsarain Pali) repeats itself endlessly as long as ignorance and craving remain.Only by reaching a state of complete wisdom and nondesire can oneattain true happiness. To achieve wisdom and eliminate craving, onemust turn inward and master one’s own mind through meditation, mostcommonly known in Myanmar as bhavana a or kammahtan.Devout Buddhists in Myanmar adhere to five lay precepts, or moralrules (thilaain Burmese, sila in Pali), which require abstinence from kill-ing, stealing, unchastity (usually interpreted among laypeople as adultery),lying and intoxicating substances.In spite of Buddhism’s profound truths, the most common Myanmarapproach is to try for a better future life by feeding monks, donatingto temples and performing regular worship at the local paya (Buddhistmonument) – these activities are commonly known as ‘merit making’.For the average person everything revolves around the merit (kutho,from the Pali kusala, meaning ‘wholesome’), one is able to accumulatethrough such deeds.The monkhood,numberingaround 400,000and collectivelyknown as theSangha, is seenas the nation’sonly real civilinstitution.