with it. This spirit led not only to the invention
of legends but to the application of Indian names to Burmese
localities. For instance Aparantaka, which really designates a
district of western India, is identified by native scholars with Upper
Burma.[130] The two merchants Tapussa and Bhallika who were the first
to salute the Buddha after his enlightenment are said to have come
from Ukkala. This is usually identified with Orissa but Burmese
tradition locates it in Burma. A system of mythical geography has thus
arisen.

The Buddha himself is supposed to have visited Burma, as well as
Ceylon, in his lifetime[131] and even to have imparted some of his
power to the celebrated image which is now in the Arakan Pagoda at
Mandalay. Another resemblance to the Sinhalese story is the
evangelization of lower Burma by Asoka's missionaries. The Dipavamsa
states[132] that Sona and Uttara were despatched to Suvarnabhumi.
This is identified with Ramannadesa or the district of Thaton, which
appears to be a corruption of Saddhammapura[133] and the tradition is
accepted in Burma. The scepticism with which modern scholars have
received it is perhaps unmerited, but the preaching of these
missionaries, if it ever took place, cannot at present be connected
with other historical events. Nevertheless the statement of the
Dipavamsa is significant. The work was composed in the fourth
century A.D. and taken from older chronicles. It may therefore be
concluded that in the early centuries of our era lower Burma had
the reputation of being a Buddhist country.[134] It also appears
certain that in the eleventh century, when the Talaings were conquered
by Anawrata, Buddhist monks and copies of the Tipitaka were found
there. But we know little about the country in the preceding
centuries. The Kalyani inscription says that before Anawrata's
conquest it was divided and decadent and during this period there is
no proof of intercourse with Ceylon but also no disproof. One result
of Anawrata's conquest of Thaton was that he exchanged religious
embassies with the king of Ceylon, and it is natural to suppose that
the two monarchs were moved to this step by traditions of previous
communications. Intercourse with the east coast of India may be
assumed as natural, and is confirmed by the presence of Sanskrit words
in old Talaing and the information about southern India in Talaing
records, in which the city of Conjevaram, the great commentator
Dharmapala and oth