Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing offer ‘soon’ to religious title recipient Sayadaws

Yangon, 12 March — Under the aegis of Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing, the State Peace and Development Council and Tatmadaw families offered ‘soon’ to State Ovadaçariya Sayadaws, members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and State Central Working Committee of the Sangha, and religious title recipient Sayadaws at Zeyathiri Beikman Hall on Konmyinttha, here, this morning. The ceremony was graced by Ovadaçariya Sayadaws, members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and State Central Working Committee of the Sangha, and religious title recipient Sayadaws and Nuns with their presence. Also present on the occasion were Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San, Daw Khin Than Nwe, wife of Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence and wife Daw Khin Lay Thet, Prime Minister General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein and wife Daw Khin Khin Win, members of the State Peace and Development Council and their wives, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief (Air), Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence, the Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command, the ministers, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, the Auditor-General, the Chairman of Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the Yangon Mayor and their wives, the deputy ministers, senior military officers and their wives, the Director-General of the State Peace and Development Council Office, departmental heads and guests. The ceremony was opened with three-time recitation of Namo Tassa. Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and party took the Five Precepts from Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Magway Maha Withutayama Taikthit Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Bhaddanta Kumara. Members of the Sangha recited Metta Sutta.

Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing donated eight requisites to the Chairman Sayadaw. Vice-Senior General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San offered eight requisites to Secretary Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Osadhabhivamsa of Nyaungdon. Daw Khin Than Nwe, wife of Lt-Gen Tin Oo, presented eight requisites to State Ovadaçariya Shwekyin Sasanabaing Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Agghiya; General Thura Shwe Mann and wife Daw Khin Lay Thet, eight requisites to Agga Maha Pandita title recipient Sayadaw Bhaddanta Gannissara of Sri Lanka; Prime Minister General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, eight requisites to Agga Maha Pandita title recipient Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Mahavichit of Laos; and Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein and wife Daw Khin Khin Win, eight requisites to Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika title recipient Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sirindhara of Kaba-Aye Monastery of Pathein. Member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Aye of the Ministry of Defence, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief (Air), Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence, the commander, ministers, and senior military officers donated provisions to members of the Sangha.

Secretary Nyaung-don Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Osadh-abhivamsa delivered a sermon, and the Senior General and wife and party shared merits gained.

The ceremony ended with three-time recitation of Buddha Sasanam Çiram Titthatu. After the ceremony, Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and party offered ‘soon’ to members of the Sangha.

Rice offered to Sayadaws at Buddha Pujaniya of Shwedagon Pagoda

Yangon, 12 March — The rice offering ceremony to mark the 2549th Buddha Pujaniya of Shwedagon Pagoda, organized by the Pagoda Board of Trustees of Shwedagon Pagoda, was held at its platform, here, 5 pm today.

Ovadaçariya Sayadaws of the pagoda board of trustees, members of the Sangha and nuns went round Shwedagon Pagoda clockwise.   

Member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees, over 60 religious associations, and wellwishers offered rice and alms worth K 18 million to the Sayadaws and nuns.

Sayadaws, nuns arrive

Yangon, 12 March — Sayadaws  and nuns of Sri Lanka , Laos , Thailand , the USA , Nepal and China arrived here by air yesterday to attend the religious title offering and rice offering ceremonies. They were welcomed at Yangon International Airport by Advisor U Ant Maung, Director-General Dr Myo Myint of Department for Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana, ambassadors of foreign missions concerned in Yangon and officials.