The astonished cave dwelling

MILLIONS of people from the world including the Chinese dwell in the caves. They lived in the caves for several reasons. No need to pay taxes for the poor people, so they live in the caves. Others dwell on fashion. Over 5,000 years ago in China, Chinese culture started to develop. They dug the sand and created caves in the Yellow River region and lived. Nowadays the people from that region are living in the caves for the cost of cheap. Besides the weather is warm in the winter and cold in the summer.

Millions of people from the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi lived in caves. As the Chinese become rich, they plan to live comfortably in the caves. They decorated the caves with modern precious things. They curved the caves where they lived and sculpted the Buddha stupas in the caves. The amazing sculptures are in Dunhuang, situated in Gansu province. The trains which carried camels, rested in Dunhuang before they went to the Taklamakan Desert. To pay homage that carved the walls of caves, the merchants must pay tax. Colourful wood carvings are beautified in the walls of the cave. At that time the experts’ sculptures and the art of wood carving had appeared. Plenty of years ago wood carvings were in the caves and the entrances of caves are covered with sand. In 1920, Aurel Stein from Britain dug this sand. He kept Buddha images and Bibles from the deserts. The visitors from abroad arrived and watched the colourful paintings and wood carvings and bought. So, they acquired a lot of money. The ancient cave is located in Jiaohe, east of China. That cave is near Turpan and it was dug from earth. It has temples, government offices and a jail. Jail is not damaged till nowadays. At this moment the people who live in the caves of China repair the caves to be beautiful and modernized.

The new buildings that are located in the Granada region are worth nearly 100,000 American dollars. On the Sierra Nevada hills that are situated in Guadix, people made caves and about 5,000 people live in these caves. People constructed houses, stores, and hotels in the caves that are located in the North of Spain. Lately, in the 21st century, more people lived in caves. To prevent heat, people lived in caves at Coober Pedy in Australia. Agates are found in Coober Pedy. People lived in the caves and searched agates. They found agates, so they made a bathroom, and sofa in the living room. About 3000 people lived in Coober. Tourists visited Coober Pedy and excursed under Coober Pedy. They bought agate rings and lockets. The merchants of that city became rich by selling agates. Chinese merchants from Hong Kong made agate rings and lockets and sold them to jewel shops.

There are many famous caves in Myanmar. The most famous cave is the Kaba Aye Cave in Yangon. It is a Sasananika building. The monks teach Bibles to young monks, nuns and people. It is a place of performing good merit. Many donations had done in that cave. In the compound of the cave, there are many buildings of monks to teach the bible. I and my brother also learned Abhidhamma and other Buddhist languages from Sayadaws.

There are many astonished caves in Taunggyi. When I was young, I went with my elder sister and other relatives to Taunggyi. We visited one of the astonished and fearful caves. Its name is Kyat Cave. It is a big and long cave. Villagers took firesticks and went into the cave. They said that anyone could not go to the end of the cave. The person who tried to go to the end of the cave is not alive. They also told me the exit of the cave was in another country. My elder sister shouted and told me not to see the walls of the cave. But I looked at the walls of the cave. Oh! How horrible things are curved in the walls of the caves. There are many skulls, witches and devils carved into the walls of the cave. Besides there are many coffins in the cave. Coffins are six feet long. There are many tales about the cave. Aliba ba and 500 thieves. The princess and the harpist loving tale. When the king knew his daughter was loved by a harpist and lived in the cave, the angry king closed the entrance of the cave with a rock. The cave had on existing. They gave their lives for their love. The famous singer Daw Tin Tin Mya sang about that. The title of this song is “Tawagu”. The song is very popular nowadays. Long ago there was a famous cave where 500 bats lived in this cave. When they heard Buddha’s sermons and after they died, they reached the deva. So, we should listen to the sermon. Another famous is Akauk Taung. Akauk Taung is a mountain extending from Pyay District to Hinthada District, renowned for its numerous ancient Buddha images carved into the rock wall along the Ayeyawady River bank. Historically, the mountain served as a tollgate for passing boats and ships. Artisans carved the mountain walls, resulting in 370 Buddha images depicted in various positions standing, sitting and lying. Most of these Buddha images date back to the Konbaung era, with some originating from the Inwa era.

Therefore astonishing, beautiful and fearful caves are around the world. Good people live in the caves to do good things. They pay good benefits for the people and creatures, but bad and wicked people live in the caves to do evil things. They stay in the caves and hide money, and jewels when they get from theft. I pay homage to the Buddha to disappear the worst people from the world, so the people can live safely and peacefully. Reference: Gimme Shelter,

HPH World, 21 June 2007.

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