Zayat: Difference between revisions

A '''zayat''' ({{MYname|MY=ဇရပ္‌|MLCTS=ja. rap}}; {{IPA2|zəjaʔ}}) is a [[Myanmar | Burmese]] building found in almost every village. It serves primarily as inn or rest house for travelers, but [[Theravada]] Buddhists monks will also deliver messages or read texts there, so it has a secondary function as a location for religious meditation, worship, and teaching. At times, it also functions as a sort of [[town hall]] for the elders of villagers to discuss the needs and plans of the village. [[Vihara | Buddhist monasteries]] may have one or more zayats nearby, which see heavy usage by lay Buddhists and monks with a temporary ordination during holidays such as [[Vassa]]. Because of their primary function as rest houses, they are often located along main roads. 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>