[[Image:BurmeseZayat.jpg|thumb|Illustration of a traditional Burmese zayat]]
A '''zayat''' ({{MYname|MY=ဇရပ္|MLCTS=ja. rap}}; {{IPA2|zəjaʔ}}) is a [[Myanmar | Burmese]] building found in almost every village. It serves primarily as inna or rest houseshelter for travelers,at butthe [[Theravada]]same Buddhists monks willtime,is also deliveran messagesassembly orplace readfor textsreligious there,occasions soas itwell hasas asecondarymeeting functionasfor athe locationvillagers forto religiousdiscuss meditation,the worship,needs and teaching.plans of Atthe times,village.Buddhists ituse also functionsZayat as atheir sortdwelling ofplace [[townwhile hall]]they forare theexercising eldersprecepts ofon villagerssabath to discuss the needs and plans of the villagedays. [[Vihara | Buddhist monasteries]] may have one or more zayats nearby,. whichDonors seemostly heavybuild usageZayats byalong laymain Buddhistsroads andaiming monksto withprovide athe temporaryexhausted ordinationtravelers duringwith holidayswater suchand as [[Vassa]]. Because of their primary function as rest houses, they are often located along main roadsshelter. Beginning with [[Adoniram Judson]]'s construction of one in [[1818]] Christian missionaries have also adopted their use.<ref>{{cite book | first=Henry | last=Howe | title=Adventures and Achievements of Americans | publisher=Geo. F. Tuttle | location=New York | year=1859}} as seen at [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0Eou4xMi8hqyZl&id=yCwJ5xoKSWMC&pg=RA1-PA518&lpg=RA1-PA518&dq=Zayat+teaching+OR+buddhist+OR+buddhism+OR+religion+OR+architecture+OR+building+-rabbit+-russian+-russia+-El-Zayat+-Al-Zayat Google Books]</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = Robina | title=The Story of Yawthit | work=Burma Issues Newsletter, Volume 8 Number 3, March 1998 | url=http://www.burmaissues.org/En/Newsletter/BINews1998-03.php | accessdate=2006-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Capt. C.J.F.S. Forbes, F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S, &c., Officiating Deputy-Commissioner, British Burma| title=British Burma and Its People: Being Sketches of Native Manners, Customs, and Religion | publisher=John Murray | location=London | year=1878}} as seen at [http://books.google.com/books?vid=LCCN05007532&id=Su9Ju7P3n44C&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=Zayat+teaching+OR+buddhist+OR+buddhism+OR+religion+OR+architecture+OR+building+-rabbit+-russian+-russia+-El-Zayat+-Al-Zayat Google Books]<!-- Comment, and also relevant Wikipedia articles --></ref>
[[Image:IMG 0557.JPG|thumb|The Thudhamma Zayats in Mandalay were built during the [[Konbaung dynasty]].]]