NAY PYI TAW October 7
MyanmarYoung Men’s Budclhist Association (YMBA), the earliest national organization that led independence struggle and national cause of Myanmar in the history of independence of the country, conferred Maha Mingala Dhamma Jotika Dhaja Title on Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and appointed him as the lifelong honorary Patron of YMBA at a ceremony held at Zeyathiri Beikman Hall in Yangon this afternoon.
Present on the occasion together with the Senior General were Commander-in-Chief (Navy)Admiral Tin Aung San, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army,Navy and Air), the commander of Yangon Command, commanders of battalions and units of respective stations in Yangon Command,President of YMBA U Ye Tun and party, members of the boards of trustees of Shwedagon Pagoda,Lawkha Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Image, Botahtaung Pagoda and KabaAye Pagoda, and invited guests from Mingun Tipitaka Sarpay Mawgun Association, Wainayya Thukha Yaychansin Association,Theravada Buddhist Association,Mingala Byuha Federation, Pitaka Byuha Association and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture.
First, Vice President and Adviser of YMBA Dr. Aung Min Kyaw Thu explained the purpose of conferring the title.
Afterwards, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing accepted the sash,medallion, badge and the Maha Mingala Dhamma Jotika Dhaja Title conferred on him by the YMBA President, who also appointed the Senior General as the lifelong honorary Patron of YMBA.
Then, the YMBA President and executive members honoured the Senior General, the lifelong honorary Patron of YMBA and the recipient ofthe Maha Mingala Dhamma Jotika Dhaja Title.
Later, the Senior General delivered a speech. He said today is an auspicious day for him and the Tatmadaw.It is the very first time an in-service Tatmadaw leader is conferred on a title. The YMBA which led independence struggle and national politics was earliest formed in the history of Myanmar independence struggle on 10 May 1906. Hence, a saying goes that the YMBA initiated the politics in the history of Myanmar independence struggle and Myanmar political history. Then, the General Council of Burmese Association-GCBA and Doh Bamar Asiayon based on YMBA emerged. Slogans of YMBA “love lineage, pay respects to language, honour religion and encourage education” gave a path as a lighting to the entire nationals in order to flourish patriotic spirit. As of the post-independence period of Myanmar, the association has steadfastly been focusing on its aim—lineage, language, religion and education tasks—without relating to politics. The association is encouraging new generation youths to have general knowledge yearly while holding the Mingala Dhamma and Buddhological examinations starting from 1949 to date.
The Senior General said he took much pride of appointing him as honorary patron of the 113 year-old YMBA which has been maintaining great historic tradition in leading Myanmar independence struggle. He said he further took pride of appointing him as honorary patron in accordance with six points which are: looking after lineage, language,religion and education, steadfastly carrying out peace process of the State, striving for religious affairs,building the Tatmadaw to become a modern Tatmadaw possessing high nationalistic spirit, defending lives and property of the people,and having humanitarian spirit of good leader without discrimination of languages and races.
The Senior General continued to say that he was born of parents who traditionally believed in Buddhism.He is serving State defence duties under the advice and preaching of the Lord Buddha. In Myanmar,number of Buddhist population accounts for more than 87 percent,Christians more than six percent, and Islamists more than four percent.They all are residing in the same land, drinking same water and breathing same air of Myanmar.They must do tasks for the sake of the country in unison under the disciplines similar to the past events which they joined hands along the history of Myanmar.
One can get knowledge through reading and observation but experiences through endeavours in life.
The YMBA has passed experiences in national cause for 113 years. It needs to take lessons from the past eventsnotto commit same mistakes and to have better successes in the future. He said the goal is to build peaceful, modem, discipline- flourishing democratic nation.The Senior General has 40 years of experience in military service.Starting from 2004, the Senior General has also got good experiences in multi-areas such as administrative,economic and social sectors of the military commands and states.The Senior General will be as the lifelong patron of the YMBA, the historically and traditionally prominent association, and will acquire the chance of doing good deeds making use of his good experiences. With respect to lineage, religion, Sasana and education, lineage means that nationalistic characters must be preserved and patriotism must be also preserved. Language means dialect and literature. Myanmar literature must be preserved. The writings and spellings must be properly used. Sasana means that there is a duty to practise and propagate Theravada Buddhism after studying and following the Right Path to Nirvana. There are five countries including Myanmar believing in Theravada Buddhism. The propagation of Buddha Sasana is being carried out in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. The most important thing is that we must live and vehave in accord with clean and purified Vinaya. The encouragement of education is essential job for the country. All modem developed countries are highly educated ones.As just educated and high rate of literacy is not enough, it is necessary to have high knowledge and technical skills. Knowledge can enhance lineage, religion and Sasana. Learning high technical skills is also the same matter. Producing more highly educated youths contribute much toward the interest of the country. The points above mentioned are fundamentals necessary for building a human community. These foundations must be firmly built.If a community based on mutual cooperation and respect is able to be built, modern and developed Myanmar the entire people long for can be built. Continued strenuous efforts must be gone into making all citizens and the country witness peaceful and prosperous development.
Next, lifelong patron of the YMBA and Maha Mingala Dhamma Jotika Dhaja Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and those present posed for a group photo and then the Senior General cordially greeted those present and they were served with refreshments.
