The VenerableShin Uttarajīva (Burmese:ရှင်ဥတ္တရဇီဝ[ʃɪ̀ɰ̃ʔoʊʔtəɹa̰zìwa̰]; died c. 5 October 1191) wasPrimate ofPagan Kingdom during the reigns of three kingsNarathu,Naratheinkha andNarapatisithu from 1167 to 1191. TheTheravada Buddhist monk presided over the realignment ofBurmese Buddhism with theMahavihara school ofCeylon, away from theConjeveram-Thaton school ofShin Arahan.^[3]

The primate, who was ofMon descent, and a group of Burmese monks visitedCeylon on a religious mission in 1180.^[3][4] (Some Sri Lankan sources state the year of the visit was more likely circa 1171-1173.)^{[5][6]: 177–178} He also brought a few young monks, including a 19-year-oldShin Chapata.^[7] Over the course of visit, Shin Uttarajiva decided to realign Burmese Theravada Buddhism, which probably came from Conjeveram in South India via Thaton, to the Mahavihara school. The returning monks refused to accept the validity of Thaton-Buddhism ordination.

The quarrel became aschism: those who derived their ordination fromShin Arahan were known as the Former Order; those who derived it from Ceylon were known as the Latter Order. The king supported the new movement. More and more monks were sent to Ceylon where they received ordination at the ancient Mahavihara Monastery.^[4] Shin Uttarajiva died in October 1191 (right around the end ofBuddhist Lent). By then, the Mahavihara school became the predominant school of Burmese Buddhism.^[3] Shin Chapata also returned from Ceylon right after his teacher's death, and carried on his teacher's reformation effort.^[1] But the old order did not yield easily. The schism lasted two centuries before Conjeveram Buddhism finally died out.^[4]

Shin Uttarajiva was succeeded byShin Siha Maha Upali as primate.^[2]

• Hall, D.G.E. (1960).Burma (3 ed.). Hutchinson University Library.ISBN 978-1-4067-3503-1.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Harvey, G. E. (1925).History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
• Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832).Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.
• Sirisena, W.M. (1978).Sri Lanka and South-East Asia: political, religious and cultural relations from A.D. c. 1000 to c. 1500. Brill Archive.ISBN 9789004056602.

• Theravada Buddhist monks
• Burmese Buddhist monks
• Pagan dynasty
• Burmese Mon people
• 12th-century Burmese people

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