On the auspicious Tazaungmone Full Moon Day, also known as Samanaphala Day, Yangon was vibrant, with worshippers and devotees offering merit and donations at the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda and other pagodas. Yesterday, Myanmar’s Buddhists celebrated one of the nation’s most revered days by making offerings and paying homage to Shwedagon Pagoda and other sacred sites throughout Yangon.

The Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees organized the 1386 ME Tazaungmone Full Moon Samanaphala ceremony on designated areas of the pagoda platform yesterday morning. Attendees included Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, regional ministers, board members, staff, religious associations, participants from the 36th Robe Weaving Contest, and worshippers. Carrying traditional golden robes, participants circumambulated the pagoda in a clockwise direction, starting at the ancient Buddha statues and paying homage by offering the golden robes.

Following this, the chief minister and officials offered golden robes to the precious Buddha image on the upper terrace of the pagoda. Board members and religious groups then presented the golden robes to the four Buddha images — Kakusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa, and Gotama — on the lower terrace. Afterwards, they offered traditional alms, including food, flowers, water, and incense, at the Shwedagon Pagoda. The Board of Trustees also made offerings to the distinguished Sayadaws presiding over the event.

The morning was full of water sprinkling ceremonies, robe offering ceremonies, and Sayadaws blessing attendees with the Five Precepts and delivering sermons. At the Botahtaung Pagoda, officials, board members, religious associations, and donors offered golden robes to Buddha statues, participated in circumambulation, and presented awards to winners of the robe-weaving contest.

Similar ceremonies were held at other significant Yangon pagodas, including the Maha Wizaya Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, Kyaikkasan Pagoda, and Koehtetkyee Pagoda, where monks and donors offered alms, golden robes, and prayers for world peace.

Across Myanmar, the Samañaphala Day was marked with large gatherings at pagodas for robe offerings, Buddha sermons, and massive communal alms events. — Zaw Min Latt (MNA)/KZL