A ceremony to offer religious titles for 2023 was held in conjunction with the rice offering ceremony at Sasana Maha Beikman in the precinct of Uppatasanti Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon, attended by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla.
Also present were Vice-Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Presiding Patron of Myingyan Koehsaungtaik Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Jotikapala and Vice-Chairman Presiding Patron of Kyaukme Thiho Pariyatti Buddhist Learning Centre Agga Maha Pandita Dr Bhaddanta Candanasara, title recipient Sayadaws and nuns at home and abroad, SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Don Pramudwinai of Thailand, SAC Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe and wife, Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo and wife and officials.
The Senior General and wife, the congregation took the Five Precepts from the Myingyan Sayadaw. Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Presiding Patron of Bago Sasana Mandaing Pali Tekkatho Monastery Bhaddanta Sirinda delivered a Sammodaniya Ovada Katha and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Ko Ko supplicated the religious affairs.
The Senior General offered Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title and insignia to Most Venerable Prof. Kumburugamuwe from Sri Lanka, Somdet Phramahathirachan from Thailand and Shweminwun Sasana Yeiktha Sayadaw of Bahan Township Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Bhaddanta Sobhana on behalf of Mahasi Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sobhana.
The Vice-Senior General also offered Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title and insignia to Sayadaw of Naga Monastery in Kyaukpyu of Rakhine State Bhaddanta Cakkinda Bhivamsa and Thuwunna Theingi Mogok Meditation Dhamma Yeiktha Sayadaw of Thingangyun Township Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Bhaddanta Kissayana on behalf of Mogok Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vimala.
Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title and insignia to Sasana Mandaing Pali Tekkatho Buddhist Learning Centre of Bago Region Bhaddanta Sirinda and Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, to Shwetaung Pali Tekkatho Monastery of Yenangyoung Township in Magway Region Bhaddanta Tejaniya.
SAC members, Union level officials, Union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and officials offered Tipitakadhara Dhammabhandagaika, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru, Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika, Agga Maha Pandita, Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja, Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita and Agga Maha Kammathanacariya titles and insignia to relevant Sayadaws.
The wife of the Senior General presented Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita title and insignia to Nun Daw Khemacari of Dhamma Vihari Nunnery in Aungmyethazan Township and Nun Daw Yucanda of Buddhist Missionary Candarama Nunnery in Mogaung respectively and the wife of the Vice-Senior General, Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita title and insignia to Nun Daw Nandamala of Khemathiri Nunnery in Magway.
The Senior General also presented Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma Mani Jotadhara title and insignia to U Aung Toe, Dr Khin Maung Tun, U Zaw Win and U Maung Maung.
The Vice-Senior General presented Thiri Thudhamma Mani Jotadhara title and insignia to U Ye Tun (aka) U Ye Tin Htut, U Hla Aye (aka) U Ar Ti and U Berin Nel (aka) U Khin Maung Lwin.
The wife of the Senior General presented Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma Theingi title and insignia to Daw Than Than Nwe, Daw Mya Thein and Daw Thin Thin and Thiri Thudhamma Theingi title and insignia to Daw Nang Myint Myint Win respectively whereas the wife of the Vice-Senior General presented Thiri Thudhamma Theingi title and insignia to Daw Khin Mar Cho and Daw Aye Mya Lwin.
Vice-Chairman Kyaukme Sayadaw delivered a sermon, followed by sharing of merits gained.
In 2023, the State Administration Council offered religious titles to 403 members of the Sangha at home and abroad, 38 nuns and 42 laypersons. Yesterday’s ceremony, titles were offered to 15 Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Sayadaws, 12 Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Sayadaws, one Tipitakadhara Dhammabhandagarika Sayadaw, 30 Agga Maha Pandita Sayadaws, 52 Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Sayadaws, 25 Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita Sayadaws, 13 Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Sayadaws, three Agga Maha Ganthavacaka Pandita nuns and 14 Sasana Nuggaha title winner laypersons. Chief Ministers and officials presented titles to remaining recipient Sayadaws, nuns and laypersons in respective regions and states.
The Senior General and wife, the Vice-Senior General and wife, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and officials paid homage to Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title recipient Sayadaw Somdet Phramahathirachan from Thailand at the Museum, Pitakat Chamber and Mawgun Chamber in the precinct of Uppatasanti Pagoda.
The Thai Sayadaw presented Buddha images as Dhamma gifts to the Senior General and party.
Later, the Senior General and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla and party offered rice and alms to title recipient Sayadaws and nuns at home and abroad for 2023 in the precinct of the pagoda. — MNA/TTA
