Trent Walker, University of Michigan
The Kammavācā is a highly ornamental book, made from cloth, clay, gold, and pigments and lacquered to a high shine. The one examined here is used in the Buddhist ordination ceremony for new monks entering the monastery within the Theravāda tradition in Myanmar. These two videos are part of the digital exhibit, "Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads."
Videos
Further Reading and Viewing
For an extended conversation about this object, see this video and accompanying materials on the "Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads" video page.
See also the bibliography from the Hidden Stories Project website.
Cite
This video was originally produced for the "Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads" digital exhibit in 2022.
Walker, Trent, "The Kammavācā: A Buddhist Ordination Manuscript from Myanmar," Middle Ages for Educators, April 9, 2024. Accessed [date]. https://middleagesforeducators.princeton.edu/kammavācā-buddhist-ordination-manuscript-myanmar