Auspicious ceremony to present religious titles for 2023 and donate provisions held
NAY PYI TAW March 5
Auspicious ceremony to present religious titles for 2023 and donate provisions was held at Sasana Beikman in the precinct of Uppatasanti Pagoda, Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon.
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla attended the ceremony and presented religious titles and donated provisions.
Present were title recipient foreign and local Buddhist monks and nuns, led by honoured guests, Vice Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (SSMNC) Patron of Koehsaung Monastery in Myingyan Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Jotikapala and Vice Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Patron of Thiho Pariyatti School, Kyaukme, Shan State (North) Agga Maha Pandita Dr Bhaddanta Candanasara.
The Senior General and wife were accompanied by SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, SAC Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dway and wife, SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo and wife, SAC members and their wives, Union level officials and their wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, officials and Sasananuggaha Title recipient laypersons.
The ceremony was opened by reciting namotassa three times. Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Aye Tun read out the agenda.
The congregation led by the Senior General and wife received the Five Precepts from SSMNC Vice Chairman Myingyan Sayadaw.
Patron of Sasanamandine Pali University in Bago, Bago Region Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sirinda, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title recipient, read out the Sammodani Ocadakatha and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Ko Ko supplicated religious matters.
At the ceremony, the Senior General presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Most Venerable Prof.
Kumburugamuwe, a revered monk from Sri Lanka, Somdet Phramahathirachan a revered monk from Thailand and Sayadaw Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Bhaddanta Sobhana of Shweminwun Sasanayeiktha, Bahan Township, Yangon Region, on behalf of Mahasi Sayadaw Bhaddana Sobhana.
The Vice-Senior General presented Abhadhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Sayadaw Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Bhaddanta Kiccayana of Thuwunna Theingi Mogok Vipassana Dhamma Yeiktha in Thingangyun, Yangon Region on behalf of Sayadaw Bhaddana Cakkinda Bhivamsa of Nagakyaung Religious School in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State, and Moegok Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vimala.
The SAC Secretary presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sirinda of Sasanamandine Pali University in Bago Region, and the SAC Joint Secretary, Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Title and insignia to Sayadaw Bhaddana Tejaniya of Shwedaung Pali University in Yenanchaung Township, Magway Region.
SAC members, Union level officials, Union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and officials presented Tipitakadhara Bhantagarika, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru, Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika, Agga Maha Pandita, Agga Maha Saddhammajotikadhaja, Agga Maha Gandavacaka Pandita, Agga Maha Kammathanacariya titles and insignia to Sayadaws.
The Senior General’s wife presented Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pantita Title and insignia to Nun Daw Kemacari of Dhammawihari Nunnery School, Aungmyaythazan Township, and Nun Daw Yucanda of Theravada Buddhist Missionary Sandarama Nunnery Religious School in Mogaung, and the Vice-Senior General’s wife presented Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pantita Title and insignia to Nun Daw Nandamala of Kemathiri Nunnery Religious School in Magway.
Next, the Senior General presented Agga Maha Thiri Thuddhama Mani Jotadhaya titles and insignia to U Aung Toe, Dr Khin Maung Tun, U Zaw Win and U Maung Maung.
The Vice-Senior General presented Thiri Thuddhama Mani Jotadhaya titles and insignia to U Ye Tun (aka) U Ye Tin Htut, U Hla Aye (aka) U Ar T and U Bay Rinnal (aka) U Khin Maung Lwin.
Then, the Senior General’s wife presented Agga Maha Thiri Thuddhama Theingi titles and insignia to Daw Than Than Nwet, Daw Mya Thein, Daw Thin Thin and Thiri Thuddhama Theingi title and insignia to Daw Nan Myint Myint Win,and the Vice-Senior General’s wife presented Thiri Thuddhama Theingi titles and insignia to Daw Khin Mar Cho and Daw Aye Mya Lwin.
The State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Vice Chairman Presiding Sayadaw of Thiho Pariyatti School in Kyaukme delivered a sermon to the congregation led by the Senior General and wife sharing merits gained. Then, the ceremony came to a close with a three time recitation of Buddha Sasanam Cirum Thitthatu.
SAC conferred religious titles to 403 local and international Sayadaws and members of the Sangha, 38 nuns and 42 laypeople this year.
During the ceremony, 15 Sayadaws conferred with the title of Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru and 12 Sayadaws with Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika,
one Sayadaw with Tipitakadhara Dhammabhandagarika, 30 Sayadaws with Agga Maha Pandita, 52 Sayadaws with Agga Maha Saddhama Jotikadhaja, 25 Sayadaws with Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita, 13 Sayadawswith Agga Maha Kammatthanacariya, and three nuns with Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita were pre sented with those titles and offertories. And 14 laypeople were presented with Sasana Nuggaha and insignia. The remaining recipient Sayadaws, nuns and persons were also presented with their titles by the officials of Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Regions and States.
After the ceremony, the Senior General together with his wife, the Vice-Senior General and wife, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, the SAC’s secretary and joint secretary and Union ministers, paid homage to Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru titlerecipient Sayadaw Somdet Phramahathirachan of Thailand at the parlour of the museum, Pitakat Taik and Mawgun Taik in the Uppatasanti Pagoda precinct, supplicated on religious matters and sought Ovadha.
The Sayadaw presented Buddha statues as Dhamma gifts to the Senior General and party and posed for documentary photos.
Later, a riceoffering ceremony took place. The Senior General and wife, the Vice-Senior General and wife, the secretary and joint secretary of SAC and their wives, Union level officials, Union ministers and their wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, departmental personnel and well wishers offered rice and alms to the titlerecipient Sayadaws, members of the Sangha and nuns.