30 July

The annual Waso-robe offering ceremony was held at the Sasana Maha Beikman of the Uppatasanti Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning, with the offering of donation items to the venerable sayadaws and Buddhist monks. 

The ceremony was graced by members of the Sangha, including the Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Bhamo Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, and was attended by President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior government officials. Before the ceremony, the State Counsellor donated alms, fruits, flowers, water and lights to the Buddha image in the Sasana Beikman. After delivering a sermon and recitation of Paritta by members of the Sangha, President U Win Myint and wife Daw Cho Cho offered a Waso-robe and offertorie0s to the Bhamo Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi presented a Waso-robe and offertories to the leading Sayadaw of the Thanlyin Minkyaung monastery.

Next, the venerable sayadaws received Waso-robes and offertories donated by Vice President U Myint Swe, Chief Justice of the Union U Htun Htun Oo, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the Constitutional Tribunal of the Union U Myo Nyunt, Chairman of the Union Election Commission U Hla Thein, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Deputy Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw U Tun Tun Hein, and Deputy Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw U Aye Tha Aung.

Members of the Sangha also accepted the Waso-robes and offertories donated by the Union Ministers. After sharing merits for the donations, “soon” (day meal) was offered to members of the Sangha. The Waso-robe offering ceremony was also attended by the Auditor-General of the Union, the Chairman of the Union Civil Service Board, the Chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, the Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), the Commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command, the deputy ministers and officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture.

MNA (Translated by Aung Khin)