Nay Pyi Taw, November 27
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla paid respects and offered day meal to members of the Sangha led by Venerable BOUNMA SIMMAPHON, Vice-Chairman of State Buddhist Central Committee of Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic-LPDR at Aureum Palace Hotel here this morning. The Venerable BOUNMA SIMMAPHON and delegation arrived here at invitation extended by the Senior General during his goodwill visit to Laos in October for further flourishing and propagation of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar and Laos and promotion of cordial relations between the two countries.
First, the Senior General and wife, Lt-Gen Than Tun Oo and wife of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Lt-Gen Hsan Oo and wife, Lt-Gen Soe Htut and wife, the commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command and wife and senior military officers ushered the Venerable monk and party. Later, the Senior General and wife and senior military officers paid homage to the Venerable monk and members of the Sangha.
The Senior General supplicated on religious matters, saying that Myanmar and Laos are good and friendly neighbours, both professing Theravada Buddhism. The Senior General expressed pleasure for their visit. The Tatmadaw has been striving for the flourishing and propagation of Theravada Buddhism to the most possible degree. In Nay Pyi Taw, the Thatta Thattaha Pagoda, the scale model of Maha Bawdi Pagoda of Bodh Gaya, was built. The visit of the Venerable monk and delegation will further promote religious affairs and friendship of the two countries.
The Venerable monk expressed pleasure for the invitation. He said peoples of the two countries with same religion are much similar to each other in physical features and culture. As Theravada Buddhist monks, they will have to work for the propagation of the Sasana. The Venerable monk dispensed metta and prayed for the health and wellbeing of the peoples of the two countries and further cementing of the bilateral friendship.
Afterwards, the Venerable monk presented a Buddha Image as a Dhamma gift to the Senior General and wife who in turn offered bird’s nest and cash donation to him. Later, senior military officers and wives presented offertories to the members of the Sangha. Mr. Chanthavong Seneamatmontry, Vice President of Lao Frontfor National Construction, who accompanies the venerable monk, presented gifts and the Senior General and wife also presented gifts. Next, the Senior General and wife offered day meals to the monks.
The monks and delegation members led by Venerable BOUNMA SIMMAPHON are now in Myanmar on a goodwill visit from 26 to 30 November at the invitation of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
The Laotian delegation called on State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Chairman Mandalay Bhamo Monastery Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maharathaguru Abhidhaja Agga Mahasaddhama Jotika Dr Bhaddanta Kumara Bhivamsa and State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee member Sayadaws at Thrimingala Kabaaye Hillock in Mayangon Township, on 26 November. In supplicating on religious matters, the delegation expressed its delight on behalf of the entire monk folk of Laos in warm welcome and hospitality during its visit to Myanmar.
The delegation also expressed its wish to carrying out more Buddhist missionary tasks under the cooperation between Laos and Myanmar. It then continued to supplicate on Laotian monks’ attending of International Theravada Buddhist University in Myanmar, inclusion of a Laotian monk who attended the university in the delegation and his teaching of the subjects he learned in Laos and continued efforts for the propagation of the Sasana under the cooperation between the two countries.
The Laotian delegation led by the venerable Sayadaw visited the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon this morning and made cash donations. In the afternoon, the delegation paid homage to the Thatta Thattaha Pagoda and the Four Places of Phwa Pwint Haw San Thanway Zaniya. Then, the delegation visited the Uppatasanti Pagoda and studied the white elephants in the white elephant shed.
During the visit, the Laotian delegation will visit ancient pagodas in Bagan ancient cultural region, famous pagodas in Mandalay and Abayalaba Muni Buddha Image in Kengtung.
