Religious Occasion: Myanmar delegation tours in Sri Lanka

Myanmar delegation led by Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin OoLwin attended the Centenary Ceremony of the Makutarama Myanmar Buddhist Temple and other religious events in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from August 20th to 22nd.

Upon their return to Yangon, Ministry officials welcomed the delegation back at Yangon International Airport on August 23rd.

The Centenary Ceremony of the Makutarama Myanmar Buddhist Temple took place on August 20th. Prior to the ceremony, the Chancellor of Sitagu International Buddhist Academies the Sangha Raja of the ShwekyinNikaya Buddhist Order, the Oxford Sayadaw of Shan State Buddhist University and Union Minister U Tin OoLwin inaugurated the statue of the temple’s founder SayadawBhaddantaVinayalankara and the stone inscription.

The congregation later received the Five Precepts from the Vice Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha MahaNayaka Committee. Following this, a trainee Sayadaw shared his learning journey and praised the founding Sayadaws as well as the member Sayadaws of the Nayaka Committee.

During the ceremony, the SitaguSayadaw, the Oxford Sayadaw, and the AnuNayakaof Sri Lankan Kotte Chapter delivered Ovada Gathas, respectively. Additionally, the Sri Lankan Minister of Transport and Highways read out a letter of praise for the successful celebration of the temple’s centenary.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Union Minister stressed that SayadawBhaddantaVinayalankara founded five Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka in 1924, including the Makutarama Temple. He praised Makutarama temple for producing scholarly monks annually and being highly esteemed by Myanmar’s Buddhist community, noting that around 120 monks are currently studying there. He highlighted the long-standing religious and cultural ties between Myanmar and Sri Lanka, underscoring the need for Myanmar monks to preserve the temple and expressing a wish for continued friendship and cooperation in Buddhism between the two countries. Then, the Union Minister, officials and donors donated offertories to the members of Sangha led by SitaguSayadaw.

In the evening, the Union Minister visited the Myanmar Embassy in Colombo where he warmly met with the embassy staff, urging them to focus on the nation’s road map, objectives and "Our Three Main National Causes."

On August 21st, the Union Minister and delegation paid homage to the Buddha's sacred tooth relic housed in Kandy City, viewed international and Myanmar Buddhist exhibitions and visited the Kandy Myanmar Monastery. There, they paid homage to the residing Sayadaw and supplicated the matters related to the long-term preservation needs of Makutarama Temple, support for disciple monks who will preserve it and donated offertories. They then visited Malaya Janapada, Aloka Mountain and Shin MahaBuddhaghosa Cave, where they donated offertories to the residing Sayadaw of MataleAluViharaya Monastery.

On August 22nd, the Union Minister and delegation visited the Kelaniya Temple in Sri Lanka, paid homage to the Chief Incumbent and presented offertories.

Later, they attended a ceremony in Colombo where the State Ovadacariya Sangha Raja of the ShwekyinNikaya Buddhist Order, AbhidhajaMahaRattha Guru SitaguSayadaw Dr. BhaddantaNyanissara was awarded the title of Theravamsa Lankara Mahagana Cariya Saddhama Kittisiri by the Sri Lanka Supreme Sangha Council of Kotte.