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During the period of Bagan itself, there appeared a Pāḷi work which
the whole nation of Myanmar should be proud of. It is a grammatical work
known as Saddanīti composed by Ashin Aggavaṃsa and this is not a
supplementary work to the Kaccāyana as it consists of its own Suttas and
Udāharaṇas. In so doing, the author wrote it only after studying
repeatedly back and front the Sanskrit works available in his day,
together with the Canonical texts, commentaries, sub-commentaries and
other treatises. Therefore, too, it is rich in Udāharaṇas from the Canon,
commentaries and sub-commentaries, a number of (grammatical)
aspects from many Sanskrit works and the critical analyses of those
aspects. It is found that in making quotations, he just made preference
for what is worthy of example or not without considering their size small
or big. We can see in a place he quoted even a little Sanskrit work called
Ekakkharakosa just comprising 32 stanzas.
After that, there came out many of the Pāḷi treatises, mostly
grammatical works throughout the period of Bagan. Considering the
grand grammatical works such as Kaccāyana, Moggalāna and Saddanīti,
they are known as Saddange (little grammar book). Out of them,
Saddatthabedacintā, Kaccāyanasāra, Kārikā, etc., are the most popular.
In that day and age, not only did learning the Pāḷi literature flourish
in the community of the monks, but in lay people such as the king and so
on. Therefore, the king Kyaswar, who is well-known in the chronicle of
Myanmar to be expert in Piṭaka was able to write Paramatthabindu and
Saddbindu and Thanpyin minister Thanpyinṭīkā called Nyāssppadīkā that
is an explanation of Nyāsa.
It is found that Niththayas also begun to appear since the period of
Bagan. Of course, Pitakatthamaing mentions that Ashin Guṇvaṭaṃsakā
composed Niththayas on three texts of Dighanikāya and that he was
offered a monastery in Bagan by the prince Gunnantara, who governed
two towns- Nyaungyan and Thagara, born of Sawmyathla, Myaukthardaw,
and Yazathu, a younger brother of the king Sawmonnit, who ascended
the throne in Bagan in 1990 Myanmar era, the later period of Bagan.
After Bagan period, during the times of Sagaing, Pinya, Innwa and
Hanthawady, too, the Pāḷi literature was highly developed. Out of the Pāḷi
works that appeared in those days, the well-known treatises run as
follows:- (1) Nettivibhāvinīṭīkā by Ashin Saddhammapāla, (2)
Sirimahādhammarājaguru, Pārājikan Yojana, and Abhidhamma Yojanas
by Ashin Nyanakitti, (3) Kaccāyanvaṇṇanā and Vācakopadesa, little
Grammar by Ashin Mahāvijitāvī, (4) Saddasāratthajālinī, little Grammar,
by Ashin Nāgita Thera known as Sudwinpyit Sayadaw, (5) Abhidhan Ṭīkā
by Caturingabala Amat, minister of Pinya, (6) Maṇisāramañjusā Ṭīkā,
Maṇidīpaṭīkā, Ganthābharaṇa and Jātaka Ṭīkā by Ashin Ariyavaṃsa, (7)
Payaikkyi Ṭīkā by Ashin Tejosāra of Sagain, (8) Dhātukathāṭīkāvaṇṇanā
by Sayadaw Ashin Tilokaguru, (9) Ekakkharakosa by Ashin
Saddhammakittivara, (10)Vinayalinkāra Ṭīkā by Taunphilar Sayadaw and
(11) Madhusāratthadīpanī called Madhuṭīkā by Ashin Mahānāma Therea
in the period of Hanthavady, and so forth.
In those periods, there appeared not only Pāḷi treatises, but also
works in mixture of Pāḷi and Myanmar, and Myanmar literature based on
Pāḷi. Among them that appeared in those days, some well-known
treatises are as follows:- (1) Vinipāḷidaw Nitthaya and Atthakaṭṭhakathā
Nitthayas by Shweumin Sayadaw, (2) Nettipāḷidaw Nitthaya by Ashin
Mahāsīlavaṃsa, (3) many of Saddakyinitthayas by Nankyaung Sayadaw
and Dakkhiṇāvan Sayadaw, (4) Ayakauk treatises such as Mātikā
ayakauk by such and such Sayadaws and (5) poetical works of Ashin
Mahāsīlavaṃsa and Ashin Mahāratthasāra, and so on.
It can be seen that during the same period, the Pāḷi-Nītis analogous
to the Sanskrit Nītis such as Cāṇkyanīti, came into being. Out of them
Lokanīti attributed to Caturiṅgabala Amatkyi and Mahārahanīti are well-
known to the people.
Up to the present after this time, the Pāḷi literature has been
developed in Myanmar and so treatises on Pāḷi also have come into
existence. Out of the many, Paramatthadīpanī (in Pāḷi) of Ledi Sayadaw is
a world famous work and another celebrated work of him is Niruttidīpanī.
Many of his Dīpanīs written in Myanmar have brought about both
religious and secular benefits to the Buddhist monks as well as lay
followers until now. His Paramattha-dīpanī was followed by many
treatises such as Ankuraṭīkā of Talain Sayadaw and Vibhāviniyojanā of
Sayadaw Ashin Ñānindāsabha, ect. During this time, poetic works based
on Pāḷi were considerably developed. Among them, Magadaywalinkathit
of Manle Sayadaw can be regarded as the most comprehensive work for
it is full of a variety of knowledge both spiritual and secular and it is the
last bright leading light in the history of Myanmar poetic literature.