Burma / Myanmar: Zetiyingana Pariyatti Society medal or pendant, 1894. Silver open-work Buddhist educational society badge, with English legend “ZETIYINGANAPARIYATTI SOCIETY 1894” and corresponding Burmese inscription. Associated with the Cetiyaṅgaṇa Pariyatti tradition of monastic Buddhist learning and examination culture, linked to Rangoon/Yangon and the Shwedagon Pagoda sphere.

Size 27mm. Weight 6.4gm.

 

It reads:

ZETIYINGANAPARIYATTI SOCIETY
1894

A more standard modern transliteration would probably be:

Cetiyaṅgaṇa Pariyatti Society
or more fully, Cetiyaṅgaṇa Pariyatti Dhammānuggaha Society

The Burmese inscription appears to correspond to the same name. Pariyatti means the textual or theoretical study of the Buddha’s teaching, especially scripture, Pāli, Vinaya, Abhidhamma, and commentarial learning. In Theravāda usage, pariyatti is the study foundation before paṭipatti practice and paṭivedha realization.

The date 1894 is probably the key. I found a direct reference to the “Zetiyingana Pariyatti Society” as “Established 1894 C.E. / 2438 B.E.” in a Buddhist Sangayana-related source. That matches the date on this medal exactly, so this is likely an early society/foundation medal, membership badge, or commemorative pendant connected with the founding of that Buddhist educational association.

The society is connected with the Cetiyaṅgaṇa examinations, one of Myanmar’s important private monastic examination traditions. Modern references describe the Cetiyaṅgaṇa Examination as sponsored by the Board of Trustees of Shwedagon Pagoda, testing monks’ knowledge of Buddhist scripture and awarding respected scholastic titles. A recent report also notes that the Cetiyaṅgaṇa Pariyatti Dhamma Nuggaha Examination is held at the Shwedagon Pagoda precinct, which supports the Shwedagon/Yangon connection.

The design is also very Burmese. It is an open-work silver pendant medal, with a pierced central emblem and Burmese scroll-like suspension at the top. The centre appears to show Buddhist/monastic-study symbolism rather than a portrait or royal emblem. The crossed objects may represent implements or symbolic supports of learning, possibly connected with scripture, preaching, or monastic examination culture.

The English wording “ZETIYINGANAPARIYATTI SOCIETY” is a colonial-period romanization. Today it would more usually be rendered Cetiyaṅgaṇa Pariyatti. The older spelling “Zetiyingana” is useful because it ties directly to the 1894 society reference.

Dating: 1894, almost certainly commemorating the establishment of the society rather than a later award date.

 

Photos are of actual item.

Thanks for looking. Good Luck!