Work coordination meeting on holding ceremonies to consecrate Maravijaya Buddha Image, hoist umbrellas of stone tablet pagodas and share merits on fullmoon day of second Waso (Dhammacakka Day) 1385 ME held
NAY PYI TAW July 20
A work coordination meeting on consecration of Maravijaya Buddha Image, which will become the tallest stone Buddha Statue in the seated posture in the world, on the fullmoon day of second Waso (Dhammacakka Day) 1385 ME (1 August 2023) and on the a ceremony to hoist umbrellas on top of stone tablet pagodas and share merits was held this morning at temporary briefing hall on the platform of Maravijaya Buddha Image in Nay Pyi Taw, addressed by Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were Advisor to SAC Chairman Lt-Gen Nyo Saw, Union Minister for Construction U Myo Thant, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, directors general and officials.
The Vice-Senior General said the meeting is held for the success of the consecration of Maravijaya Buddha Image, located on Thaephyu hillock, Dekkhinathiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, the umbrella hoisting ceremony and the merit sharing ceremony.
The noble objectives of erecting the Image are: to show the world that Theravada Buddhism is flourishing well in Myanmar, for the country, Myanmar, to become the center of Theravada Buddhism, for national peace and prosperity, and for global peace and tranquility. The starting point of the Image is at the Sakyin Hill near, Sakyin village in Madaya Townsip, Mandalay Region. A huge marble boulder was found on 18 September 2013 at the block mined by Anglo Mining Co.LTD. The company donated the boulder to Shwe Foundation to turn it into a Buddha Image for public obeisance. Shwe Foundation transferred the boulder to Tatmadaw, which is imbued with efficient human resources to carve it into a Buddha Image. A 228-acre land plot was also transferred for the project.
After a team from Tatmadaw examined the marble boulder on 8 September 2017, eight action plans were adopted. A decision was made to mine the marble boulder in October 2018, cut the boulder into a four dimensional shape in December, carve the boulder in four different parts after calculating the Image’s measurements in March 2019, carve the Throne in five different parts, and convey the boulder in parts. The mining work took 21 months from December 2018 to June 2020. The parts were transported to Nay Pyi Taw by water vessels from July 2020 to September and by road from January to April 2021. The work of connecting the parts of the Throne was conducted from October to December 2021, CNC carving of the parts of the Image from September 2021 to March 2022, the work of connecting the parts of the Image from April to August 2022, the work of connecting the parts 1,2 and 3 of the Image from September to October 2022, the work of installing Gantry Tower Crane to convey the connected parts, 1,2 and 3, from June 2022 to January 2023, the work of putting the connected parts, 1,2 and 3, by the Gantry Tower Crane from 26 to 31 January 2023, the work of conveying and putting the part 4 on the Throne from 11 to 13 February 2023, final touches and painting process from 14 February to 31 July 2023, and the work of installing the holy single strand of hair on 1 May 2023.
Officials and well-wishers made utmost efforts to overcome all severe challenges including the terrible impacts of COVID-19 from the time of driving stakes for the bejeweled throne of the Buddha image to the consecration till the fullmoon day of second Waso (Dhammacakka Day) on 1 August 1385 ME during the 1,143 days. As a result, Buddhists across the world, intellectuals and intelligentsia, researchers, the world’s heaviest weight and tallest marble Maravijaya Buddha image across and Myanmar people will have the chance to pay homage to the Buddha image on Thebyu Hillock in Dekkhinathri Town-ship in Nay Pyi Taw Council.
Two stone plaques each bearing Vinaya, Abhidhamma and Sutta preached by the Lord Buddha Gotama within 45 years will be kept in 720 stone plaque chambers comprising 96 chambers for Vinaya, 216 chambers for Abhidhamma and 408 for Sutta. These treatises were carved in Pali and Romanized languages from 16 March to 30 June 2022. Carving the inscription was done by computerized machinery from 13 May 2022 to 29 January 2023. The stone plaques were erected from 11 August 2022 to 30 January 2023. Significantly, all tasks were done by Myanmar Engineering Council and military engineers only from the start of eight tasks to the completion of the process.
As only Myanmar engineers without any foreigner experts worked all process, the Maravijaya Buddha image and the Buddha image emerged wonderfully. So, Chairman of SAC Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the leading donor, on 29 June 2023, explained the process of emergence to 280 persons including religious title recipients, officials from local banks and companies, those from UMFCCI, metal companies, local TV channels and telecom operations on 29 June 2023. For the second time, the Senior General made one more clarification on work process for finding the marble rock, excavation and consecration ceremony to Pro Tem President U Myint Swe, President (Retired) U Thein Sein, retired senior military officers and their wives, Union ministers, chief ministers of regions and states, senior military officers and their wives, totaling 51 on 16 July. The attendees donated more than Ks-16 billion to the fund for the Image in the first and second time ceremonies. As such, they will be founders for the Buddha image and the Buddha park before holding the consecration and meritsharing ceremony for the Buddha image and religious buildings of the park. Hence, the Vice-Senior General notified all attendees of enjoying the consequences of the meritorious deeds for the consecration and hoisting umbrellas atop the small pagodas on the stone plaque chambers.
The Vice-Senior General disclosed that the Head of State will hold the third clarifications on the emergence of the Buddha image, the stone plaque chambers and religious edifices in the Buddha park to more well wis hers and disciples as well as Sasana Nuggaha title recipients who were not involved in the list of attending the first and second clarifications, and such clarification will be held on 23 July 2023 (Sunday).
Therefore, the SAC formed the leading committee and nine subcommittees on 18 July, 2023 to successfully hold statelevel auspicious ceremonies to consecrate the Maravijaya Buddha Image, which was carved into the Bhumiphassa style of the Yadanabon Era (the image and the plinth are 63 feet and 18 feet high respectively, totalling 81 feet while the image and the plinth weigh 1,782 tons and 3,510 tons respectively, totalling 5,292 tons), to hoist umbrellas atop stupas for stone inscriptions built with the noble aim of establishing a world's Buddhism library and to share merits for religious edifices constructed in the Buddha Park. As the date for ceremonies has drawn near, respective subcommittees are required to make preparations, to carry out remaining tasks, to coordinate assistance from the central committee and to rehearse arrangements day and night concertedly.
Respective subcommittees are also required to make detailed arrangements to enable members of the Sangha and guests including Sayadaws from other countries, local senior Sayadawss, unionlevel officials, union ministers, officials from respective ministries and well-wishers to share merits in peace of mind from the beginning to the end of the ceremonies and to meditate on their donations in elation. Officials, who are not members of subcommittees, are also urged to make suggestions and point out requirements based on their experience. It is of greatest importance to hold the auspicious ceremonies successfully. Therefore, respective sub-committees are required to discuss completion of tasks, remaining tasks and needs frankly. Security measures be fore, during and after the ceremonies must be reviewed from various perspectives and carried out systematically.
After holding ceremonies to consecrate the Buddha image, hoist umbrellas atop stupas for stone inscriptions and share merits, any member of the public who has undergone security checks will be allowed to pay obeisance to the Buddha image free of charge until 16 August to mark the success of the auspicious ceremonies. It is necessary to submit proposed arrangements and seek the approval for them to allow pilgrims to pay obeisance to the Buddha image by paying charges in accordance with international practices.
Then, U Thura, an expert from the Department of Religious Affairs, reported to the Vice- Senior General on arrangements for the ceremonies to consecrate the Buddha image, to hoist umbrellas atop stupas and to share merits while Quarter-master General Lt-Gen Kyaw Swar Lin reported to the Vice- Senior General on preparations to hold the ceremonies successfully. Director General U Myo Nyunt Aung of the Religious Affairs Department reported to the Vice Senior General on invitations extended to members of the Sangha.
Afterward, officials of the invitation subcommittee, the reception subcommittee, the transportation subcommittee, preparation subcommittee, the organizing sub-committee, catering subcommittee, health subcommittee, the security subcommittee and information subcommittee reported to the Vice- Senior General on completion of tasks and measure to be taken for the successfully holding the ceremonies and Advisor to the Chairman of the SAC Lt-Gen Nyo Saw, Union Minister U Myo Thant and officials made supplementary reports to the Vice- Senior General.
After hearing the reports, the Vice-Senior General coordinated the needs concerning the reports and the meeting concluded with remarks by the Vice-Senior General.