The 8th State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee held its second meeting at the Wizaya Mingalar Dhammathabin Hall on Kaba Aye Hill in Yangon yesterday.
 

The first-day meeting was chaired by Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Bhamo Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa and Joint Secretary Sayadaw of the committee Agga Maha Gantha Vasaka Panditta Bhaddanta Dhamma Sara acted as the master of the ceremonies.
 

Also present at the meeting was also attended by member sayadaws of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, Deputy Minister U Kyi Min, departmental officials and staff of the ministry.
In his opening address at the meeting, the Bhamo Sayadaw called on members of the 8th committee formed on 16 March for making efforts for strengthening and propagation of the Buddha Sasana.
 

The chairman Sayadaw also urged them to learn the rules for arbitration, related laws and rules and manual related with the Members of the Sangha and directives so that they can make right decisions when they handled the cases related with the Members of the Sangha.
 

Afterwards, Union Minister Thura U Aung Ko supplicated the matters relating to religious affairs, suggesting the country’s highest Buddhist regulatory committee to conduct refresher courses on works of the committee. The Union Minister also informed the 8th State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee that the ministry was making a count of Buddhist monks and nuns in the coming period of the Buddhist Monsoon Retreat with the use of a digital system.
 

The work would be helpful for purification and uplifting of the Buddha Sasana, he added.
 

There are 526,373 Members of the Sangha and novices and 67,521 nuns, according to the census for 2018 Buddhist Rain Retreat.
Following his supplication, the meeting commenced and the Joint Secretary Sayadaw submitted a report on works done during the first period of duty assignment.
 

At the meeting, the members of the committee also discussed the religious affairs including arbitration in accordance with the rules, learning and teaching of Buddha’s teachings.
 

Nearly 90 per cent of Myanmar’s population practices Theravada Buddhism, the more conservative of the two major branches of the religion. — MNA (Translated by Tun Tun Naing)