With Buddhism being segmented to 18 schools after the Second Great Council held at Vesali, 100 years after the passing away of the Buddha, there were schismatic tendencies, threatening the unity of the Maha Sangha.
In a minor Rock Edict Emperor Asoka says that he made schismatic bhikkhus and nuns to be put on white cloth and removed from monasteries and turned them into lay life.
In the matter of propagation of Dhamma in other parts of India and frontier countries and those over the seas he sent nine Buddhist missions headed by erudite monks.
One that was sent to Burma (Myanmar or Suvannabhumi) was headed by Arhants Sona and Uttara and a chapter of monks. This mission covered present day Burma, China, Himalayan countries of Ladakh, Himchal, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim.
Thus Burma absorbed the visions and activities of Asoka and followed suit in governance and the structuring of Buddhism in the country.
The Rock, Minor Rock and Pillar inscriptions and edicts tradition of Asoka too was introduced to Burma. Prior to the advent of Buddhism there were civil strife among the people as the country was divided under several Kingdoms, tribally and racially.
The religion that the people followed was animism, or ancestral worship. This cult beside Buddhism still persists among the people as a whole.
Every household has its own presiding ancestral god to whom, morning and evening offerings are made in a small structure in the home-garden. The old practice of Sri Lankan Buddhists in villages to have a 'pahan pela' is certainly this ancestor worship.
The golden thread that bound the various races in Burma into one single nation was Buddhism, as was introduced by Asoka under his visions in the administration of the country and socio-economic reforms.
The traditions of recording events on stone or on any other metal sheets came to be followed in Burma too, in the 3rd century. This practice of recording historical events still continues in Burma.
As late as 1793 A. C., a bronze bell cast during the same period in Nyaungshwe, bear an inscription to say that the largest Pagoda in the Kekku Pagoda was built by king Asoka.
The Kekku Pagoda (stupa) assemblage is in Daham State of Burma, near way Taw village.
The assemblage of Kekku Pagodas consists of two distinctive architectural traditions of Burma.
One is called 'Yun Assemblage of Pagodas', as they are donations of ethnic entity known as the Yun. The Pagodas are with distinctive tapering spire pinnacles adorned with gem and gold ornaments.
The largest of the Yun Pagodas stand in the eastern sector called by several names such as Asoka Pagoda, Shwe Wet Ku Pagoda, Ketud Relic Pagoda etc., The second assemblage has faithfully followed the Myanmar design initiated by King Anawratha.
It is interesting to note that in 1070 AC, Sri Lanka's King Vijayabahu was assisted by King Anawratha, his contemporary in Burma in his war against Vaishanavite Colas, and having achieved his objective had requested King Anawratha to send a chapter of monks to re-establish higher ordination in Sri Lanka.
Burmese bhikkhus accompanied by the Sinhala bhikkhus who had fled to Burma during the Cola regime returned with Sinhala Tripitaka, and higher ordination was re-established in Sri Lanka.
King Anawratha's devotion to Buddhism is manifested by the innumerable clay tablets adorned with images of the Buddha, the king's name, and Pali and Sanskrit stanzas.
Another Pagoda in the complex had been built by king Alaung Sithu named 'Phaung-daw-site Pagoda', meaning the place where the royal barge was moored.
The pagodas in the western sector are of Bagan tradition. Over the years devotees have built many small Pagodas beautifying the architectural kaleidoscope of the entire complex.
The Kekku Pagoda festival is held twice a year in March and November with millions of devotees gracing the occasions.
King Alaung Sithu (c. 1137-67 AC) continued the tradition of his dynasty of glorifying Buddhism by building the massive Vihara, the Sabbanu Vihara, the largest in Pagan, commanded his ministers to chisel the following prayer in Burmese language on a stone slab, in order posterity may enjoy his blessings and emulate his noble acts (kusalakammas).
"Blessings to ye... the noble and the learned, devoted in virtue. May those people come to the auspicious premises (kekku), to pay respects to the Buddha Relic donated by me; May those who render sublime deeds of merit, such as clearing bushes and shrubs, sweeping the precincts so that the devotees may pray and meditate in peace and serenity; May those who offer with selfless generosity meals, offertories, robes for the monks, alms bowls, water, flowers, pennants, bunting streamers etc; May those who help to perpetuate the omniscient light of Buddhism; be blessed with power and glory. Then in the final existence in the unending cycle of Samsara, may they all realize 'Nibbana' the Supreme Peace, of cessation of birth, death and suffering."