Ceremony of Merit Sharing : Merit-sharing ceremony held at Botahtaung Pagoda

A ceremony of the ribbon-cutting for the donation of security glass enclosures for the entrance/exit of the Hair Relic Chamber and the installation of polycarbonate sheets on the gilded walls surrounding the Hair Relic Chamber, followed by a water-pouring to share merits for all the donations was held the at the Botahtaung Kyaik Dae Up Hair Relic Pagoda in Yangon in the morning on September 28.

First, Venerable Van Shichang Zang from the Ling Guang Si  Monastery in Beijing, People's Republic of China, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Aye Tun, Region Minister for Social Affairs U Htay Aung, Chairman of the Myanmar-China Friendship Association (Central) U Tin Oo, and rotating Chair of the Pagoda Board of Trustee Dr. Tin Tun jointly cut the ribbon to inaugurate the security glass enclosures and the polycarbonate installations.

They then sprinkled scented water on the security glass doors and toured the area. Subsequently, the merit-sharing ceremony continued at the Nan-U  pagoda prayer Hall and the attendees received the Five Precepts from the Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee.

Following this, the members of Sangha recited the Paritta suttas. Next, a member of the Pagoda Board of Trustee, U Aung Myat, explained the details of the donated work. Venerable Van Shichang Zang then expressed words of joy and appreciation for the collective donations.  

Afterwards, Deputy Minister U Aye Tun conveyed words of joy and appreciation for the collective donations. Subsequently, the Yangon Region Chief Minister, the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture, Region Ministers, Trustee Board members, and donors offered the donation items to the Sayadaws. Venerable Van Shichang Zang then donated 10,000 Yuan for the construction of a new treasury building, which was received by Deputy Minister U Aye Tun and the Trustee Board members.

The attendees then took the sermon from the presiding Sayadaw of the Tipitakalankara  Monastery and shared the merits of all the donations.

After the ceremony, the Yangon Region Chief Minister, the Deputy Minister, Region Government Ministers, Trustee Board members, and donors offered the day meal to the members of Sangha at the Seikpan Workers' Multi-Purpose Dhamma Hall on the pagoda platform.