Dhammaceti Stone Inscriptions

The Dhammaceti Stone Inscription was erected by King Dhammaceti, who held the title of Rāmā Dipati, in the year 847 of the Myanmar calendar (1485 CE). The inscription was crafted in three languages: Mon, Myanmar, and Pāḷi. The content details the life of Gotama Buddha, starting from his enlightenment, and describes the enshrinement of his sacred hair relics at the Shwedagon Pagoda. It also chronicles the maintenance and veneration of the pagoda by successive kings up to the reign of King Dhammaceti. In the year 1241 of the Myanmar calendar (1880 CE), the inscription, which had been lost and buried over time, was rediscovered by Mr. Emil Forchhammer, the British colonial government’s epigraphist. It was unearthed in the central-eastern section of the Shwedagon Pagoda and re-erected in its original location. On the full moon day of Tazaungmone in the Myanmar year 1344 (30th November 1982), the three stone inscriptions were relocated from their original position in the eastern central platform to a new site at the northeastern corner of the main terrace (commonly known as the Sunday Planetary Post). This move was aimed at making the inscriptions more accessible for pilgrims and visitors. The inscriptions are displayed in a specially constructed pavilion, with translations provided in Mon, Myanmar, and English for easy reading and study by all visitors.