Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda, Sagaing

Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin is a Buddhist pagoda located in Sagaing, Myanmar.

The Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin (also Sun U Ponnyashin Pagoda) Pagoda is located at the top of Nga Hpar (Frog Hill), so named for its shape, though it is often simply called Ponnya Shin hill in honor of its pagoda.

Its name is a combination of "U Ponnya", a 14th century minister, and the word "soon", which is a reference to meals. It is popularly believed that whomever attempts to be the first each day to offer a meal in honor of the Buddha will always be upstaged by heavenly deities who have already presented their offerings.

The temple was supposedly established in 1312 by Amatkyi U Ponnya, a junior minister in service of King Thihathu (1265-1325), the co-founder of the Myinsaing Kingdom and later, the founder of the Pinya Kingdom which co-existed with the short-lived Sagaing Kingdom in the early-mid 14th century.

The centerpiece of the temple is its 29.6 meter high pagoda which serves as the reliquary for the aforementioned Buddhist artifacts. The fenced-in pagoda is flanked by four subsidiary halls of which the north hall is the most important, containing an oversized image of the seated Buddha. A covered gallery runs along the perimeter of the site affording beautiful views of Mandalay, Amarapura, and Inwa (Ava).

Starting the climb from the river to the pagoda.
A monk came to welcome us.

Most of the climb is done in open-top trucks.

Pagoda gate on the north side.

Oversized image of the seated Buddha.
The fenced-in pagoda is flanked by four subsidiary halls of which the north hall is the most important, containing an oversized image of the seated Buddha.

Buddha’s past life as a rabbit.
The Buddha was reborn as a rabbit in the forest.

He had three friends – a jackal, a monkey, and an otter. On a day of observation and fasting, the rabbit advised his friends that they should obstain from eating and if any beggar came by, they must offer the beggar any food that they have.
The jackal had milk curd to offer. The monkey had mangoes to offer. And the otter had fish to offer. The rabbit, however found himself in a tricky situtation. As a creature of the earth, he grazed on grass in the forest and therefore had nothing to offer to a passing beggar. The rabbit, being selfless, made a virtuous decision. Since he had no food to offer, he would offer his own flesh to eat.
See more at Jataka tales - Wikipedia.

Buddha’s past life as a frog.
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was the reigning king in Varanasi, the Bodhisatta — a being who would become Buddha in a future life — was born a green frog.

At that time, people set wicker cages in all pits and holes of the rivers, in order to catch fish. In one particular cage there was a large number of fish; and a water snake, eating fish, went into that trap himself. A number of the fish, thronging together fought back, and fell to biting him until he was covered in blood. Seeing no end to it, in fear for his life, he slipped out of the mouth of the cage; and lay full of pain on the edge of the water.
At the same moment, our green frog took a leap and fell into the mouth of the trap. The snake, not knowing to whom he could appeal, asked the frog what he saw there in the trap, “Frog ,my friend, are you pleased with the behavior of yonder fish?” And he quickly composed a poem: «When I was in their cage, the fish did bite me, though a snake. Green frog, does that seem right?»
Then the frog answered him, “Yes, friend snake, it does; why not? If you eat fish when you have the upper hand, the fish will eat you when they have theirs. In his own feeding ground, no one is weak.”
Having heard the Bodhisatta pronounce his opinion; all the fish, observing the snake’s weakness cried, “Let us seize our foe!”, and streaming out of the cage, did him death then and there, and departed back into the river.
When the Master had ended this discourse, he identified the Birth — “Ajatasattu was the Water-snake, and the Green Frog was I.”
See more at Jataka tales - Wikipedia.

Buddha on an island surrounded by four snakes.
Pavilion with Buddha on a kind of island surrounded by water. Around the island four snakes are represented.

Northwest corner of the pagoda.

Mythological lion in the northwest corner of the pagoda.
Chinthe is the Burmese word for 'lion'. The leograph of Chinthe is a highly stylized lion commonly depicted in Burmese iconography and architecture, especially as a pair of guardians flanking the entrances of Buddhist pagodas and kyaung (or Buddhist monasteries).

The leograph of Chinthe appears as an element of Burmese iconography on many revered objects, including the palin (Burmese royal throne) and Burmese bells.
See more at Chinthe - Wikipedia.

Pavilion with Buddha protected by Mucalinda.
Mucalinda is the name of a naga, a snake-like being, who protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment.

It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the Bodhi Tree, the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain descended.
However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the earth and protected with his hood the One who is the source of all protection.
When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.
See more at Mucalinda - Wikipedia.

Saturday corner.
The Burmese zodiac employs eight signs in a seven-day week, with each sign representing its own day, cardinal direction, planet (celestial body) and animal; it is known as the "Mahabote zodiac".

Cardinal direction: Southwest. Burmese: Sanay. Sanskrit: Sani. English: Saturday. Planet: Saturn. Sign (Myanmar): Naga.
See more at Burmese zodiac, Weekdays - Wikipedia.