Ministry of Religious Affairs - Department of Religious Affairs

The Ministry of Religious Affairs was established in order to function various affairs of Sasana even during the period not before gaining the Independence of the Union of Myanmar . According to implementation of new system of administration on 15 March 1972, the Department of Religious Affairs was formed comprising the following departmentts. which were under the Ministry of Religious Affairs:-

(a) Secretriat of the Ministry of Religious Affairs

(b) Division of Religious Affairs Directorate

(c) Division of Pali University and Dhamma-cariya

(d) Division of Pali Education

(e) International Institute for Advance Buddhist studies

(f) Buddha Sasana Council

(g) Tipitakadhara Selection Board

The objectives of the establishment of the Department of Religious Affairs are to effectively carry out and function the following matters:-

(a) All people living in the Union of Myanmar have to take faith freely in any religion which they believe and to practise it freely.

(b) As 89.280 per-cent of population of the whole country taking faith in Buddhisam, it is to purify, perpetuate and propagate the three kinds of Sasana of the Buddha namely, Pariyatti, Patipatti and Pativedha.

(c) To promote and cultivate moral conduct and character of people by preserving and promoting traditional and cultural heritage of Myanmar.

The Department of Religious Affairs is established comprising the following four Divisions:-

(a) Religious Affairs and Vinicchaya Division
(b) Examination Division
(c) Administrative Division
(d) Printing and Publishing Division

This Division is to undertake and function the following tasks;-

(a) Keeping records of complete list of members of Sangha and Buddhist nuns and other religious associations in the whole country.

(b) Holding weekly meeting of 15-members of the State Sanghamahanayaka Committee who alternatively take office at Mahanayaka Hall in three groups (4) months each to Vinnicchaya and Education affaris, and holding four-monthly meeting of all 47 members of the State Sanghamahanayaka Committee and annual meeting of the State Central Working Committee of the Sangha of All Orders once a year.

(c) Functions on application for granting religious plots of land and making ordination Halls (Simas).

(d) Election and formation of different levels of Sangha organizations and Buddhist nun organizations and holding meetings of Sangha and presenting religious titles and providing and supporting other religions.

(e) Controlling and supervising list of Boards of Pagoda trustees and their rules and regulations and keeping the list of religious buildings.

(f) Supervising and extending help to solve and settle disputes of Vinnicchaya cases and disputes of Vinayadhammakamma Adhikarana.

(i) Arranging religious talks of respective religions are allowed to be broadcast over Radio Myanmar on their holy days.

(a) Holding Basic level (primary), Pathamab-yan, Dhammacariya, Tipitakadhara Selection, Nikaya and Abhidhamma and Visudhimagga Examinations yearly.

(b) Holding Maha convocation in Yangon and Mandalay alternatively.

(c) Keeping the list of pass and fail examination results and the list of passed candidates systematically.

(d) Editing and publishing Abhidhamma treatises and ancient manuscripts and serutini-zing manuscripts of other religions.

(e) Holding auspicious ceremonies in honour of the successful candidates in the Tipita-kadhara Selection Examination.

(f) Printintg and publishing monthly Magazine "the Light of Dhamma" in Myanmar version.

(g) Controlling and supervising computerized data and records.

(h) Keeping and collecting required books for the State Sanghamahanayaka Committee Library and taking necessary action for hiring books.

(a) Preparing and keeping service-strength and set-up of the Department supervising and controlling service-personnel affairs, office directives, service-personnel records.

(b) Supervising in drawing programmes of projects and planning in accordance with existing State Policies.

(c) Supervising and undertaking of daily offering alms to Sayadaws, taking care of health of Sayadaws, offering alms to Sayadaws at religious meetings and ceremonies and other office-work.

The Printing and Publishing Division is to undertake and function the following tasks:-

(a) Printing and publishing the Sixth Great Buddhist Council approved Pali texts, Athakatha and Tika, Pali-Myanmar version texts, Tipitaka Pali Myanmar Dictionaries, books written by Departmental scholars and religious text and books and being on sale.

(b) Keeping printing materials protecting from loss and waste and damage.

(c) Reparing and maintaing printing-press machanical tools and materials for long standing.

(d) Fixing reasonal prices of various kinds of books for sale and controlling financial expenditure and expenses and depositing in accordance with financial rules and regulations.

The Department of Religious Affairs is consequently carrying out the above-mentioned tasks and besides is implementing to solve and settle disputes arising among other religions. In addition, the Department is also performing to promote other religions respectively.

To attend their religious seminars, conferences and meetings at abroad, the Department of Religious Affairs makes necessary arrangements and requirements for them in order to go there. Members of other religions who visit Myanmar are recommended to obtain their further stay-permit. Islamic believers from Myanmar are sent to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their Haj pilgrimage. Financial aids are yearly granted for other religions and also travelling free-pass is issued to leaders of other religions.

Moreover, ceremonies of Christmas Eve and Easter Day for Christian Community, ceremonies of the Birthday of Prophet Mohammed and IDUL ATHWAHA for Islamic community and Depavali festival and other significant festivals for Hindu community are allowed to be held every year and also their religious talks on their such holy days allowed to be broadcast over Radio Myanmar. Minister, Deputy Minister for Ministry of Religious Affairs and Directors-General of Religious Departments occasionally attend and grace their religious ceremonies.

A Lump sum of financial aids are yearly granted to respective religous communities as follows:-

	Religion	Yearly financial grant
(a)	Buddhism	Ks 115000/-
	(Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Shan)
(b)	Protestant (Christian)	Ks 36350/-
(c)	Catholic (Christian)	Ks 15600/-
(d)	Hindu	Ks 38500/-
(e)	Islam	Ks 100000/-
(f)	Animism	Ks 86550/-

Due to supporting Buddhism and other religions throughout the country, believers in respective religions and their religious buildings are increasing in number as follows:-

	Religion	Yearly financial grant	Religious buildings
(a)	Buddhism	89.280% of the whole population
(b)	Buddhist monks	226508	58399 Monasteries
(c)	Buddhsit novices	25836
(d)	Buddhist nuns	34365	2749 Nunneries
(e)	Christians	2264884	3265 Churches
(f)	Islam (Muslins)	1692898	2266 Mosques
(g)	Hindu	228654	464 Temples
(h)	Chinese worshipping centres	151

Emergence of different levels of Sangha Organization

The first congregation of the Sangha of All Orders was held at Siri Mangala Kaba Hillock, Yangon on 27 May 1980 (14 Waxing of Nayaon, 1342 M.E) and the Congregation was attended by 1218 Sanghasammuti representatives from different parts of ; the country. The different levels of Sangha Organizations have been formed since then. The different levels of Sangha Organizations are as follows:-

There are many Buddhist nuns dwelling in different parts of the Union of Myanmar. In fact, Buddhist nuns just like Buddhist monks takes meditation and learn Buddhist scriptures. Besides, they take care of children and teach them and perform welfare of others. Therefore, the fundemental principles for formation of Buddhist Nun Committee were drawn up in 1981 and the State Sanghamahanayaka Committee also issued Directives N0.40 on August 1982 to form Township and State/ Divisional Buddhist Nun Committees respectively.

The following religous examinations are yearly held by the Department of Religious Affairs and candidates who have passed these religious examinations are given away lump sum of cash by the Department of Religious Affairs:-

Religious Organizations of different religions in the Union of Myanmar are as follows:-

Tipitaka texts were revised and written on palm-leaves during the Fourth Great Buddhist Council which was convened in Sri Lanka in 94 B.C. After the demise of Lord Buddha in 544 B.C., Six Great Buddhist Councils were convened to preserve the purity of the Tipitaka texts which embody the teaching of Lord Buddha. Sangayana means the congregation of learned monks who collectively revised and purified the Tipitaka texts. The First, Second and Third Great Buddhist Councils were convened in India between 544 B.C. and 308 B.C., and the Tipitaka texts were purified and revised orally. Tipitaka texts were revised and written on palm-leaves during the Fourth Great Buddhist Council which was convened in Sri Lanka in 94 B.C. At the Fifth Great Buddhist Council which was convened in Mandalay in 1871, Tipitaka texts were inscribed on 729 stone slabs. In 1954 which marked the 2500 years of Buddha Sasana, the Sixth Great Buddhist Council was convened inside Mahapasana Cave, Kaba Aye Hillock, Yangon. Bhikkhus from five Theravada Buddhist countries, namely, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, recited and verified the Tipitaka texts for two years. The purified texts were later printed into book for.

The State Peace and Developement Council gave necessary instructions to establish a museum in order to display historical and religious objects pertaining to the historical event of the Sixth Great Buddhist Council for the public veneration. Accordingly. on 23rd October 1997 a committee was formed to establish a museum commenmorating the Sixth Great Buddhist Council. On 10th January 1998, the cornerstone of the foundation of the museum was laid.

The Ministry of Industry (2) built the museum which was completed on 7th June 1999. The State Peace and Development Council instructed that the display of historical exhibits should contribute to increase love for race and religion, historical knowledge and piety and reverence. In keeping with these instructions historical materials and artifact were systematically collected from monasteries, donors and embassies. The collection includes 17 paintings, 32 photographs, 845 replicas of stone inscriptions, 157 manuscripts and 92 historical artifacts. The exhibits are displayed to stimulate interest, to give information and to increase pitey.
One can see large paintings of the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Great Buddhist Councils, maps and historical charts on the ground floor. To these are added religious and art objects from India and Sri Lanka. Paintings and sculpture were created by artist U Ohn Thwin and U Ohn Tin. Daw Nu Mya Zan, Director of the National Museum, is responsible for artistic display of exhibits.

The theme of the top floor is on the convening of the Sixth Great Buddhist Council. The exhibits consist of the clay model of the Mahapasana Cave, the model of congregation of monks and laymen celebrating Sagayana inside the Mahapasana Cave, Photographs showing stage of construction of the Mahapasana Cave, the Sixth Great Buddhist Council version of Tipitaka texts, Photographs of leading monks who presided the Sixth Great Buddhist Council, articles of daily used by Nyaungyan Sayadaw, Mahasi Sayadaw and Mingun Sayadaw, commemorative magazines, pamphlets, books, messages, spoons, badges and religious objects from Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

On completion of the display of historical and religious objects, the historical museum of the Sixth Great Buddhist Council was ceremonially opened at the auspicious hour of 9:00 A.M, 12th October 2000.