This painting, by an unknown Burmese artist, is from a watercolour sketch album dating from c.1897 that includes illustrations of Buddhist monks, the Buddha, monasteries, cremations and domestic scenes.

Legend attributes the first Buddhist doctrine in Burma to 228 BCE when Sohn Uttar Sthavira, one of the royal monks to Emperor Ashoka the Great of India, came to the country with other monks and sacred texts. However, the era of Buddhism truly began in the 11th century after King Anawrahta of Pagan (Bagan) was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Today, 89% of the population of Burma is Theravada Buddhist.