Religious title and rice offering ceremonies for 2024 take place
Nay Pyi Taw March 24
A ceremony to present religious titles for 2024 took place in conjunction with a rice-offering ceremony at Agga Dipati Sasana Beikman in the Maravijaya Buddha Park here this afternoon.
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla attended the ceremonies and offer religious titles and rice.
Present were specially invited Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Thanlyin Min Kyaung monastery Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Candimabhivamsa and Secretary of the SSMNC Patron of Masoyein Taikthit monastery in Mandalay Sayadaw of Dhammathamiddhi monastery Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Maha Dhamma Kahtika Bahujana Hitadhaja Bhaddanta Vaselhabhivamsa, who led local and foreign Sayadaws and nuns who would be awarded religious titles. Present together with the Senior General and wife were SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, SAC Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe and wife, Joint Secretary Lt- Gen Ye Win Oo and wife, SAC members and wives, union level officials, union ministers and wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chair, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, officials and religious title recipient laypersons.
The ceremony was opened reciting namotassa three times, and Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Aye Tun read an opening message.
Next, the Senior General and wife and the congregation received the Five Precepts from SSMNC Chairman Sayadaw.
The Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru titlerecipient Sayadaw of Maha Dhamika Yama Taik Meiktila Monastery in Chanmyathazi Township, Mandalay Region, Presiding Nayaka State Ovadhacariya Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sujanapiya delivered Sanmawdniya Katha, and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin supplicated on religious matters.
Then followed the religious title conferring ceremony. The Senior General offered the Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru title and insignia to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sumana of Buddha Sasana Theikpan Monastery and Sein Ma Ma Pali Takkatho Monastery in Mawlamyine.
The Vice-Senior General offered the Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru title and insignia to Sayadaw of Maha Dhamika Yama Taik Meiktila Monastery Bhaddanta Sujanapiya.
Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe offered the Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru title and insignia to Presiding Nayaka Sayadaw of Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha in Bahan Township Bhanddanta Vasava. Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo offered the Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhama Jotika title and insignia to Sayadaw of Zeyathiri Arthawka Monastery in Bago Bhaddanta Sireinda.
Then, the SAC members, union level persons, union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and officials offered the titles of Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhama Jotika, Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru, Agga Maha Pandita, Agga Maha Saddhama Jotika Dhaja, Agga Maha Ganthavasaka Pandita and Agga Maha Kammathana and insignias to the recipient Sayadaws.
The Senior General’s wife offered the Agga Maha Gantha Vasaka titles and insignias to Nun Daw Gunavadi of Zyeya Theingi Nunnery in Sagaing and Nun Daw Dhammaysi of Eithuwadi Nunnery in Monywa.
Then, Sasana Nokgaha titles were presented. The Senior General presented Agga Maha Sirisudhama Mani Jotadhara title to Dr Maung Maung Oo and Sirisudhama Mani Jotadhara titles to U Mann Sein and U Wan Shin Shwe.
The Vice-Senior General presented the Sirisudhama Mani Jotadhara title to U Aung Ko Zaw.
The Senior General and wife presented Agga Maha Sirisudhama Theingi titles to Daw San San Wai and Daw Nu Nu Nge and Sirisudhama Theingi titles to Daw Tin Nyunt, Daw Mya Win and Daw Ni Ni Kyaw. The Vice-Senior General and wife presented Sirisudhama Theingi titles to Daw Maw Maw Nyunt, Daw Htay Htay Yin and Daw Khaing Pyae Sone Kyaing.
Then, the Senior General and wife and the congregation meditated on sermon delivered by the member of the State Sangha Nayaka Committee Mandala Masoyain Taikthit Sayadaw and shared merits for donations before concluding the ceremony by reciting Buddha Sasanam Ciran Titatu three times.
The State Administration Council conferred religious titles on 421 members of the Sangha at home and abroad, 41 nuns and 47 laypersons in 2024 and at the ceremony held today, five Abhidhaja Maha Ratha Guru titles, six Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhama Jotika titles, 21 Agga Maha Pandita titles, 45 Agga Maha Jotika Dhaja titles, 23 Agga Maha Gantha Vacaka Pandita titles, eight Agga Maha Kamatharna Cariya titles and alms were conferred on Sayadaws and two Agga Maha Vacaka Pandita titles and alms were conferred on two nuns. Sasanugghaha titles insignias were conferred on 12 laypersons. Religious titles were also conferred on remaining title-winning Sayadaws and nuns and lay persons by relevant chief ministers and officials in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, regions and states.
Then, rice offering ceremony was held and the Senior General and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, the Vice-Senior General and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, the SAC secretary and wife, the SAC joint secretary and wife, SAC members and their wives, union level officials and union ministers and their wives, senior officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and their wives, departmental staff and wellwishers offered rice and alms to title winning Sayadaws and nuns in respective pandals in the Maravijara Buddha Park.