Nat (spirit)

The Nats ( Burmese: ) are supernatural beings, spirits, which are highly revered in connection with Buddhism in Myanmar ( Burma). The Burmese word nat is derived from the Pali and Sanskrit word from natha, the Lord or guardian means. The Burmese Nats Nats are in 37 large and in all remaining divided ( spirits of the forest, water, air, etc. )

Properties and worship practice

Almost all of the 37 large Nats are human beings who violently - often by unjust rulers - were killed. There are two types of Nats: Low Nats are devas of the lower six Buddhist heaven, while the higher Nats in the higher six spheres of life. The adoration of the Nats is less common in cities than in the rural environment or is limited in part to demarcated areas of Myanmar. Especially the ethnic Burmans practice the Nat- worship. In many houses there are special sin or nat nat, which serve as an altar for the Nat- worship. Villages often have a guardian spirit, symbolized by a suspended coconut with red turban at the center of the town.

Nats have human traits, feelings, desires and needs. They are good, helpful, angry, hateful, indecent and most importantly - they are powerful. Burmese believe that angry or enraged Nats can bring terrible atrocities in their lives if they are not respected and revered. Nats occur during the nat pwe, which are special celebrations for the worship of Nats in appearance: they are by Nat- Gadaw, female media (often but also transvestites ) embodied in trance and dance. Nats love loud and colorful music with gong playing ( kyi waing ) drum circles ( hsaing waing ) and the oboe teeth, which is often played very rhythmic and fast. The biggest Nat festival is usually held in August in place Taungbyone, about 20 kilometers north of Mandalay. In the center is the worship of the so-called Muslim brothers Byat - wi - ta and Byat, two of the most famous Nats the Bagan period.

In the lower Nats the reference to animism is often still very noticeable: They often live in or near old trees or rocks, on mountains or rivers. Frequently they do not have human form. The built in trees, fields, waterways or villages Nat shrines often look like little doll houses (similar to the ghost village houses in neighboring Thailand ) made of wood, straw or bamboo. Your correct location, the correct initiation and proper worship is supervised by the local shaman ( Saya ).

Nats were worshiped in Myanmar before the spread of Buddhism, but were then embedded in Buddhism and Shakyamuni ( Gautama Buddha ) declared the highest Nat, all other Nats were present at its birth. This mixing of local older religions with Buddhist spiritual knowledge is not unique, but in Buddhism is ubiquitous.

The most important pilgrimage site in Myanmar Popa Taung Kalat is near Bagan, a 737 meter high volcanic cone with numerous temples and relics on the top near the 1513 meter high extinct volcano Mount Popa.

As of 1805, the poet and musician Myawaddy Mingyi U Sa collected on behalf of the king for the first time systematically the mythological characteristics and worship practices of the 37 Nats.

List of Nats

King Anawrahta put the number of the Nats on 37 establishes after he realized that he could not eradicate the Natglauben, and was built in Bagan on the Ayeyarwady ( Irrawaddy ) a large pagoda with golden stupa. The official Nat pantheon consists mainly of people with respect to the Burmese royal family, but also contains Nats from the ethnic groups of Thai ( Yun Bayin ) and Shan ( Maung Po Tu).

Pictures

Nat Temple Mount Popa

Female Nat

Male Nat