Phaungdawoo

Phaungdawoo lies in Gantakuti Taik on Athokayon Monastery (of the East New Building) of Maha Wizaya Yama Pali University in Paunglaungshin Ward of Pakokku, Magway Division. It was said the King of Ceylon presented to King Alaung Sithu the figure of a thinkanet (thingannet) barge. This was later built into nine images of Buddha out of the PhaungdawOo Sagataing by grandson Narapate Sithu, one of them being this one. It had been usual for kings to revere Buddha images successively at Bagan, Myinsaing, Sagaing, Pinya, Inn-wa and Shwebo and so on. Thus Nemyo Thura of Popa conveyed an Image to Pakokku to revere at Popa, but it was not to be. It was then entrusted to the care of monks Thumeda and Zagara Hence the name PhaungdawOo monastery for that of the two sayadaws. When old, the sayadaws conveyed it to Ngathayauk where it lay in state for ten years after which it was conveyed to the present site.