11:30 PM
mr.vam
Introduction
There are 47 Sangha Mahanayakas in Burmese sangha society. All of the Burmese monks have to follow by the rule of Sangha Mahanayaka too. So, Burmese Sangha society has very largest rules and administration. Under the rule of government, Sangha Mahanayakas are following and throughout declare to control all sangha societies in Burma. According to government statement there are people 89% present Buddhist in Myanmar, Burmese Sangha community has the largest population in among them Buddhist countries.
Buddhism in Burma (also known as Myanmar) is predominantly of the Theravada tradition, practised by 89% of the country's population it is the most religious Buddhist country in terms of the proportion of monks in the population and proportion of income spent on religion. Adherents are most likely found among the dominant ethnic Bamar (or Burmans), Shan, Rakhine (Arakanese), Mon, Karen, and Chinese who are well integrated into Burmese society. Monks, collectively known as the Sangha, are venerated members of Burmese society. Among many ethnic groups in Myanmar, including the Bamar and Shan, Theravada Buddhism is practiced in conjunction with nat worship, which involves the placation of spirits who can intercede in worldly affairs.
With regard to "salvation" in the Buddhist sense, there are three primary paths in Burmese Buddhism: merit-making, vipassana (insight meditation), and the weizza path (an esoteric form of Buddhism that involves the occult).[4] Merit-making is the most common path undertaken by Burmese Buddhists. This path involves the observance of the Five Precepts and accumulation of good merit through charity and good deeds (dana) in order to obtain a favorable rebirth. The vipassana path, which has gained ground since the early 1900s, is a form of insight meditation believed to lead to enlightenment. The third and least common route, the weizza path, is an esoteric system of occult practices (such as recitation of spells, samatha meditation, and alchemy) and believed to lead to life as a weizza (also spelt weikza), a semi-immortal and supernatural being who awaits the appearance of the future Buddha, Maitreya (Arimeitaya).
As a convention in English, members of all of these nationalities receive the designation Burmese as citizens of the country. The vast majority of the Burmese people,
Regardless of their ethnic affiliation, subscribe to Theravada Buddhism as their traditional faith. So pervasive is the influence of this religion on the people of Myanmar that it is often said that to be Burmese is to be Buddhist. Indeed, historically it was Theravada Buddhism more than any other force that drew the many peoples of Myanmar together into a single civilization, so much so that even non-Buddhist citizens of the country acknowledge the centrality of Theravada ethical, social, and political conceptions to the fabric of Burmese life.
| Historical Background |
| The Ministry of Religious Affairs was established in order to function various affairs of Sasana even during the period not before gaining the Independence of the Union of Myanmar . According to implementation of new system of administration on 15 March 1972, the Department of Religious Affairs was formed comprising the following departmentts. which were under the Ministry of Religious Affairs:-
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| The objectives of the establishment of the Department of Religious Affairs are to effectively carry out and function the following matters:-
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Organisation of the Buddhist sangha in Myanmar and its relation to the state
In Myanmar’s history the ruler was always the main supporter and propagator of religion, re-sponsible for its maintenance and purity. The king was the sponsor of state Pali examinations and Buddhist places of worship. Sangha enjoyed the king's protection and served him with reli-gious instructions.
According to Khin Maung Nyunt, sangha had a sort of constitutional check upon the ruler. Some of the traditions and customary practices were preventive measures against despotism and tyr-anny. The monks were forbidden to be in-volved in secular matters and politics, but they could act as advisers. The head of the order appointed by the king, the Thathanabing or other distinguished teachers could even admon-ish the king, demand to pardon a condemned person and stand up for the subjects in times of natural disasters, to lessen their obligations to-wards the state. Sometimes kings entrusted political missions to monks, as in the case of the Mongol invasion and occupation of the country in the 14th century, to settle the conflict peace-fully. One case is known where a monk became king (Dhammazedi – 1453-1472), chosen for his wisdom by queen Shin Saw Pu (1453-1472) as her successor to the throne.
Generally, kings and sangha were dependent on each other, cooper-ating and balancing each other with mutual respect.
Without the king’s strong central support, the ecclesiastical hierarchy the order easily divided and declined. During colonial times, the seculari-sation of Burma caused a weakening of the order. Prominent Buddhist teachers appealed to the British to assume religious duties of the for-mer rulers as patrons. But due to the policy of non-interference in religious matters, the British response was rather superficial and not effective. This negligence, in effect, was one of the rea-sons for growing nationalism with a strong Bud-dhist religious background and the beginning of the resistance movement.
In 1906, the Young Men's Buddhist Association was established with the objective to promote: national spirit, national language and literature, Buddhist doctrine and education in general. The YMBA developed in 1920 into the General Council of Burmese Associations, which advo-cated constitutional reforms and staged a strike at Rangoon University against University Act perceived to be restrictive for Burmese. Buddhist clergy took an active part in national resistance movement. The most prominent among them were U Ottama and U Wisara who applied non-violent strategy in the struggleK In 1930-1932 Saya San, a Buddhist monk initiated the first armed resistance, which turned into na-tional revolt.
After independence, the new authorities were aware of the role of Buddhism for national iden-tity in the new state. Prime Minister U Nu organ-ised the Sixth Buddhist Synod and invited the most learned Buddhist monks from all Theravada countries to recite and edit the theravada and commentaries. However his achievement to declare Buddhism as the official state religion in 1961 created mistrust among Karen and Kachin Christian ethnic minorities and strengthen animosity in the already weak union.
Sangha Mahanayaka
Under the leadership of the sangha mahanayaka Committee there are different levels of organisations: State and Division, Town-ship, Village and Wards Committees.
There are also three judicial levels of vinaya Courts: Township vinicchaya Courts State and Division vinicchaya Courts and the Highest vinicchaya Courts.
The government of Myanmar sponsors the state Pali examinations and confers the titles. The basic one – Pathambyan Pali Examination – has four levels. To continue their education, students may sit for the Dhammacariya examinations, testing their knowledge of Tipitaka and confer-ring them the title of sasandhaja.
There is also a Honorary Dhammacariya examination, which confers students the title of Sasanadhaja Siripavara Dhammacariya For especially talented candidates, there are tipitakadhara (The Bearer of Three Baskets) Examinations. A candidate must be able to memorise at least one of the three baskets in the term of five years. If he passes all three ex-aminations, he obtains the title of tipitakadhara, Tipitakakovida or Tipitakadhara Dhammabandaqarika. The successful candidates are held in highest respect in the country. The conferring of the title is accompanied by donations and con-vocation ceremonies. pitakadharas enjoy special facilities as free travel by air, water and road and they receive monthly cash donations by the gov-ernment. All ceremonies are sponsored by the government and held annually.
Apart from the above mentioned examinations for monks and novices, there are also national Pali Examinations of different levels held for the members of the sangha, praised with donations from lay devotees. The titles of Abhidhajamahatattaguru and Aggamahapandita are annually conferred to prominent sayardaw by the government. These and twenty other new titles are annually an-nounced on Independence Day, 4 January, and a titles’ presentation ceremony is held in March. These sayardaw can also travel free by road, air and water and they receive financial donations by the government.
There are two State Pariyatti Sasana Universities (Religious Universities) in Yangon and Mandalay, with both traditional and modern systems of teaching. Alongside them, there is also the In-ternational Theravada Buddhist Missionary Uni-versity. The government sponsors different ceremonies such as hoisting the Pagoda Um-brella, ceremonies to honour the relics of the Buddha and arahants.
The government supports many monastic schools, particularly in the cities, where up to one thousand novices and monks live together in one monastery, which could otherwise not survive without central support as well, is in charge of maintenance and preservation of Bud-dhist monuments.
In 1991, a new body was established, the Department for the Promotion and Propagation of sasana, with the aim to spread Buddhist teachings in the country and abroad.
The fact is that Sangha cannot exist without the state, at least not in such numbers as at present. Itdepends on the central power materially and judicially in case of civil disputes for instance about the land or monastery property, criminal offences. Regarding the numbers of monks and the easy access to the monkhood there is no question about the need of the State Sangha structure and controlling role. The problem is how to restore its moral authority, real representation of the community and execu-tive power, so that it could be perceived as more than a puppet institution, exercising regulations of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
| Supporting and Providing for Other Religions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Department of Religious Affairs is consequently carrying out the above-mentioned tasks and besides is implementing to solve and settle disputes arising among other religions. In addition, the Department is also performing to promote other religions respectively. To attend their religious seminars, conferences and meetings at abroad, the Department of Religious Affairs makes necessary arrangements and requirements for them in order to go there. Members of other religions who visit Myanmar are recommended to obtain their further stay-permit. Islamic believers from Myanmar are sent to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their Haj pilgrimage. Financial aids are yearly granted for other religions and also travelling free-pass is issued to leaders of other religions. Moreover, ceremonies of Christmas Eve and Easter Day for Christian Community, ceremonies of the Birthday of Prophet Mohammed and IDUL ATHWAHA for Islamic community and Depavali festival and other significant festivals for Hindu community are allowed to be held every year and also their religious talks on their such holy days allowed to be broadcast over Radio Myanmar. Minister, Deputy Minister for Ministry of Religious Affairs and Directors-General of Religious Departments occasionally attend and grace their religious ceremonies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Financial Aids granted for Religions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Lump sum of financial aids are yearly granted to respective religous communities as follows:- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Due to supporting Buddhism and other religions throughout the country, believers in respective religions and their religious buildings are increasing in number as follows:- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Religion Policy The Revolutionary Council Government reorganized all ministries on 2nd March 1962 and thus, the following Ministries reappeared as Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs.
After that, the Ministry of Religious Affairs continued to exist as a department under the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs from 2nd March 1962 to 20th March 1992. After assuming the duties of the State on 18 September 1988, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, with the aim of flourishing the Theravada Buddha Sasana at home and abroad, purification, perpetuation and propagation of the Buddha Sasana and bringing out Myanmar traditional custom and culture, formed the Department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana under the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs on 9 - 5 - 91. But the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs had been shouldering not only the duties of administration, management, law and order preservation, but also the Sasana affairs simultaneously. And so in order to implement the Sasana affairs with might and main, the State Law and Order Restoration Council reformed the Ministry as the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Religious Affairs separately by issuing the Notification No. (23/92) dated 20-3-92. By the decision of the meeting No. (22/98) of the Cabinet of the Union of Myanmar, held on 26-6-98, formation of the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University under this Ministry was confirmed with an approval of the state Peace and Development Council with the aim of making the world to be peaceful and prosperous and full of four cardinal virtues by learning and practising original Pitaka treatises which had been approved by the Six Buddhist Councils of the genuine Theravada Buddha Sasana, and emergence of those Buddhist missionaries of morality who are well-experienced and skilled in Pitaka literature. |
Conclusion
If I conclude the thus I wrote basic on Mynanmar Sangha Administration. It is very nice rule of regulation for very large society in Sangha Group. No matter how Sangha society are laying in Government rule , Sangha community also has power to change Buddhist society in Burma.
Vamsapala; 5301201125
References
1. http//www.mora.gov.mm
2. http//www.wikipidiya.com
3. BUDDISM IN MYANMAR BY PATRICK A. PRANKE
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