NAY PYI TAW February 16
Families of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) donated rice, edible oil, salt, gram, medicines and cash for alms to Pariyatti monasteries and nunneries in Taunggyi of Shan State (South), at the downtown Dhammayon of Atulamarazein Hsutaungpyae Pagoda this even-ing, attended by Presiding Nayaka of Theintaung Pariyatti Monastery Chairman of Shan State Sangha Nayaka Committee Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita Bhaddanta Tejavamta and members of the Sangha.
Also present at the ceremony were Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San and wife, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, the commander of Eastern Command and wife, officers, other ranks and families of religious associations and guests.
First, the Senior General and congregation took the Five Precepts from Theintaung Pariyatti Monastery Sayadaw and Parittas recited by members of the Sangha. The Senior General and wife offered rice, edible oil, salt, gram and offerings to the Sayadaw.
Admiral Tin Aung San and wife and senior military officers donated alms to members of the Sangha while wife of the Senior General and party presented offertories to nuns.
The Senior General presented cash for alms donated by families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) to Chairman of the Dhammayon board of trustees U Maung Maung Myint.
In his supplications related to donating rice, edible oil, salt, gram, medicines and cash for alms by families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air), the Senior General said donations of rice, edible oil, salt, gram, medicines and cash for alms to 99 monasteries and two nunneries in Taunggyi aimed to fulfill four basic needs of members of the Sangha so as to conveniently and smoothly carry out propagation and promotion of the Buddhism. With regard to the first objective of the donation, members of the Sangha are safeguarding Buddhism. Safeguarding Buddhism means safe-guarding the State. As advice of members of the Sangha who lead promotion and propagation of the Buddha Sasana in accord with the guidance of the Lord Buddha contributes to peace and tranquility, local people enjoy fruits of mental peace. Hence, these offerings were donated to members of the Sangha in order to continuously maintain good practices of language, Sasana and culture.
As the second object, Tatmadaw members are discharging duties to protect race, language and Sasana and defence duty of the State round the clock. As they met the opportune time to perform donation, precept and meditation, they made donations. With regard to the third objective, traditional culture of Myanmar Buddhists derived from Buddhism. The Lord Buddha gave guidance to His disciples to exercise Mingala Dhamma and public ethics in all aspects for having present prosperities as well as practices of various ways to escape from the plights. The Senior General said he had the opportunities to learn such kinds of Desana from venerable Sayadaws. That is why he decided to protect culture, national prestige and national favour based on the Dhamma of the Lord Buddha. So, the Senior General supplicated the donations aimed to continuously maintain good practices of language Sasana and culture.
The Senior General and congreg-ation took a sermon delivered by Theintaung Pariyatti Monastery Sayadaw and shared merits gained.
Today’s donations of families of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) totalled Ks-12.7 million, 505 bags of rice, 1,010 viss of edible oil and 505 viss of gram and 505 viss of salt.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party paid homage to ancient historic Mwedaw Kakku Pagoda in Taunggyi Township of southern Shan State.
On arrival at the pagoda, the Senior General, his wife and party were warmly welcomed by officials of the Leading Body of Pa-O Self-Administered Zone and local people. The Senior General and party paid homage to an ancient Buddha image in the northern prayer hall, offered flowers, water, oil lights and fruits and donated cash for all round development tasks. In his message written in the visitors’ book, the Senior General expressed his delight and pleasure for grasping the opportunities to pay homage to historic Mwedaw Kakku Pagoda and to maintain it. He noted down that may the Buddha Sasana be existent so long as the world exists and may the whole Pa-O region be peaceful and prosperous.
After viewing round the pagoda, the Senior General and party inspected all parts of the pagodas in detail so as to renovate and maintain them for long term existence, and gave advice to systematically carry out maintenance tasks and undertake cleaning and beautifying of the environs. He then viewed construction of the chamber where sacred replica tooth relics conveyed from China and Sri Lanka will be kept and gave necessary items of advice.
The Senior General donated offerings to Pinson Monastery Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kesara and members of the Sangha at Buddha Rekkhita Monastery, and the Sayadaw returned Dhamma gifts to the Senior General.
On arrival at Shwephonepwint Pagoda in Taunggyi, the Senior General and party were welcomed by Patron of the pagoda board of trustees Wunna Kyawhtin Sithu Thray Sithu U Aung Ko Win and members. The Senior General and wife paid homage to the Buddha image at the pagoda and offered flowers, water and oil lights. They then went round the pagoda clockwise. They donated cash for all round renovation to members of the pagoda board of trustees.
The Senior General inspected progress in repairing the retaining walls of the pagoda and cracks and damage of heat resistant tiles on the platform and placing of heat resistant tiles on the platform with contributions of families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air). The patron and members of the pagoda board of trustees conducted him round the workplaces. After hearing the reports, the Senior General gave necessary instructions.
