Dear revered Sanghas,

kindly help Burma to free from

Atheist Tatmadaw

Shwe Ba (Burma Digest) 

In Buddhism, Sanghas or Monks are revered in the same rank as Lord Buddha and Dharma, teachings or rules and regulations or Laws of Buddhism taught by Buddha. In Burmese Pha Yar_Ta Yar_Sangha are held in the highest regard amongst the Burmese Buddhists. No one dare to insult Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, except SPDC and its thugs.

After Gautama Buddha’s Parinirvana, Sanghas maintain and preserve the teachings of the Buddha, as the guardians of Buddhism. All the Buddhists in Burma regarded Sanghas as the sons of Buddha who carry on the torch of enlightenment and march forward, continue to propagate and disseminate the Buddha’s teachings.

Myanmar Tatmadaw Generals are very powerful and are confident of continuous dominance in Burma’s corridors of power for a very long time. As this megalomaniacs’ minds are corrupted, they forgot that there are more important, more respectable persons and things in Burma than Tatmadaw, viz Sanghas and Dharma. Now they are insulting, assaulting, arresting, jailing, torturing, de-robbing the venerable holy monks.

As the SPDC Generals, soldiers and their affiliated thugs are the aggressors or A-dharma people, they failed to even follow the Five Precepts and the Eight Precepts, which constitute the basic Buddhist code of ethics, undertaken by most of the followers of the Gautama Buddha.

The SPDC General and soldiers failed to follow the five precepts laid down by Buddha_

1. To refrain from taking the life (killing) of living beings.

2. To refrain from stealing. (= “taking what is not offered” like the governing power of Myanmar)

3. To refrain from sexual misconduct (adultery, rape, exploitation, etc).(Just look at using rape as ethnic cleansing weapon on ethnic minorities.)

4. To refrain from false speech (lying). (Including, the aim of holding election, coup and false reports in their daily newspapers)

5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to heedlessness. (Can include intoxicating ideas, They are taking alcohol and producing, processing, exporting drugs and protecting the drugs warlords.)

The SPDC General and soldiers failed to follow the Eight Precepts laid down by Buddha_

1. To abstain from taking life (both human and nonhuman).

2. To abstain from taking what is not given (stealing).

3. To abstain from all sexual activity.

4. To abstain from telling lies.

5. To abstain from using intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

6. I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time is eating once, after sunrise, before noon).

7. To abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories).

8. To abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping.

As there is overlapping in the first five of the Eight Precepts with five precepts, there are altogether actually eight things to avoid and it is very clear that first five things are more important.

If we thoroughly scrutinized the Myanmar Tatmadaw personnel from SPDC Generals to the soldiers and its affiliated civilian thugs, USDA and Swan Arrshins , I am sure that 99.99% of them will fail in all these litmus test. Although they pretend to donate and build pagodas and monasteries, if they failed the above test badly, what is the use? Although they donate the big amount like a banyan tree, I am not sure whether they could even collect the merits worth a banyan seed.

In the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2006, : Constitutional support for religious freedom does not exist. The government also restricted efforts by Buddhist clergy to promote human rights and political freedom. Virtually all organizations, religious or otherwise, must register with the government. The government continued its efforts to control the Buddhist clergy (Sangha). It tried members of the Sangha for “activities inconsistent with and detrimental to Buddhism” and imposed on the Sangha a code of conduct that was enforced by criminal penalties. The AAPP estimated that there were 85 monks and novices in prison at the end of the year. The government did not hesitate to arrest and imprison Buddhist monks who opposed the government. The government also subjected the Sangha to special restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of association. Members of the Sangha were not allowed to preach sermons pertaining to politics. Religious lectures may not contain any words, phrases, or stories reflecting political views. Sangha members must distance themselves from politics, political parties, or members of political parties. The government prohibited any organization of the Sangha other than the nine state recognized monastic orders under the authority of the State Clergy Coordination Committee (Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee). The government prohibited all religious clergy from being members of a political party.

On August 13, authorities detained 11 HIV/AIDS activists at Maggin Monastery near Rangoon as they prepared for a ceremony to honor HIV/AIDS victims. Also in August local authorities pressured and intimidated Sayadaw Einthariya, a monk from Mahasi Yeiktha Monastery in Yenangyaung Township, Magway Division, to stop assisting HIV/AIDS victims (see section 5).

On August 13, authorities in Toungup Township, Rakhine State, arrested five Buddhist monks and 15 laymen at Bu Shwe Maw village monastery. When the villagers reported to higher authorities about excessive corruption by their village leaders, the leaders took revenge on the villagers by claiming that the monastery allowed NLD members to meet in its premises. At year’s end the 20 remained in prison. The government’s pervasive internal security apparatus infiltrated or monitored meetings and activities of virtually all organizations, including religious ones. Religious activities and organizations were subject to restrictions on freedom of expression and association.

In the International Religious Freedom Report 2006 released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; there was no change in the limited respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The Government continued to infiltrate and covertly and overtly monitor meetings and activities of virtually all organizations, including religious organizations. The Government systematically restricted efforts by Buddhist clergy to promote human rights and political freedom.

Buddhist monks, including novices, numbered more than 400 thousand and depended on the laity for their material needs, including clothing and daily donations of food. The country had a much smaller number of Buddhist nuns.

Highly authoritarian military regimes have ruled the country since 1962. The current military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), has governed without a constitution or legislature since 1988. Most adherents of religions that registered with the authorities generally enjoyed the right to worship as they chose; however, the Government imposed restrictions on certain religious activities and frequently abused the right to religious freedom.Virtually all organizations, religious or otherwise, must register with the Government. A government directive exempts “genuine” religious organizations from official registration; however, in practice only registered organizations can buy or sell property or open bank accounts. These requirements lead most religious organizations to seek registration. Religious organizations register with the Ministry of Home Affairs with the endorsement of the Ministry for Religious Affairs. Leaders of registered religious groups have more freedom to travel than leaders of unrecognized organizations and members of their congregations.

The Government continued to fund two state Sangha universities in Rangoon and Mandalay to train Buddhist monks under the control of the state-sponsored State Monk Coordination Committee (”Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee” or SMNC). The Government also funded one university intended to teach noncitizens about Theravada Buddhism.

In November 2005, the minister of religious affairs called a meeting of leaders of the four main religions in the country. The minister used the meeting to denounce the 2005 State Department International Religious Freedom Report and requested each leader write a letter stating that their religious communities may practice their faith freely in the country, which the ministry would display on its official website.The Government while controlling the organization and restricting the activities and expression of the Buddhist clergy (Sangha), although some monks have resisted such control. Based on the 1990 Sangha Organization Law, the Government banned any organization of Buddhist monks other than the nine state-recognized monastic orders. These nine orders submit to the authority of the SMNC, which monks indirectly elect.

Violations of this law are punishable by immediate public defrocking, and often by criminal penalties. Authorities defrocked and arrested a group of twenty-six monks in 2003 and sentenced them in 2004 to jail terms of seven years (eighteen years for the leader) for refusing to accept government donations of robes and other items.

The authorities released these monks from prison on July 6, 2005. Monks serving sentences of life in prison reportedly included the Venerable U Thondara of Myingyan (arrested during the 1988 anti-government demonstrations). The exile-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) estimated that there were eighty-four monks in prison for various charges. The AAPP estimate could not be verified.

In 2004, the regime hosted a three-day World Buddhist Summit, despite international criticism and the last-minute withdrawal of the summit’s original Japanese sponsors due to political and security concerns following the October 2004 ousting of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt. The summit drew approximately 1,600 attendees from around the world (although most were from within the country). The prime ministers of Thailand and Laos also attended.

The Government infiltrated or monitored the meetings and activities of virtually all organizations, including religious organizations. Religious activities and organizations of all faiths also were subject to broad government restrictions on freedom of expression and association. The Government subjected all media, including religious publications, and on occasion sermons, to control and censorship.

In 1995, the Government prohibited any opposition political party member from being ordained as a monk or religious leader. Although this measure remained in effect, it was not strictly enforced.

A Buddhist nun, Daw Thissawarddy, got into a dispute with the SMNC when she tried to use the honorific title “bikku” for nuns. Authorities detained her in May 2005, but reportedly released her when she agreed to exile in a foreign country. In 2003, troops reportedly fired on monks protesting the arrest of a local abbot and killed two of them.

Since 1999, the secretary of state has designated the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom. Because of the country’s poor human rights situation, including its abuses of religious freedom, the United States imposed extensive sanctions on the regime.

Dear revered Sanghas or Monks, please forgive me for “showing the Crocodile King the water way”. But as the learnt guardians of Buddhism, the following Buddhawin story would confirm that SPDC Junta is not ruling the country according to Buddha’s teaching. Please kindly correct me and forgive me if there are wrong interpretations in the following scripture/story.

Once, ‘King Azar Da That’ sent the minister ‘Mar Gada’ to the Lord Buddha to ask opinion whether to attack Wai Thar Li or not.

Although humanly problems are not his concern, Lord Buddha seen the detriment or dangers of the plan and instead of answering directly, asked the brother ‘Ananda’ the following seven questions.

Those seven great questions and answers became famous as the ‘A Pari Har Niya’ meaning the ‘Seven precepts which could never lead to failures’ and later popularly known and accepted as_

‘The Seven precepts for the Kings and Rulers’.

Brother ‘Ananda’ answered Lord Buddha’s questions:

“Dear Lord, those ‘Wazzi’ kings from Wai Thar Li are:_

1. They are united and always have meetings, discussions and conferences.

2. They used to go to the meetings together and finished together.

3. Old tested Customs, Laws, Rules and Regulations are not abolish or abandoned but kept and obeyed.

4. Respectable persons are duly honoured , respected and obeyed.

5. They never molest or rape the women.

6. Peoples worshipping places are duly took care of, respected and always regularly paid homage.

7. Excellent explanatory Government Servants and those who had sacrificed for the country are well rewarded.

Then Lord Buddha replied, “Dear son Ananda, if those ‘Lizza Wee Kings’ are observing the ‘A Pari Har Niya’, meaning the ‘Seven precepts which could never lead to failures’; they could not be defeated and they would never lead to failures but progress only.”

These are later famous as the ‘Seven precepts for the Kings and Rulers’ to observe.

‘Mar Gada’ Minister reported all he seen and heard to the ‘King Azar Da That’.

The King realized his wrong intention, decreed the ‘A Pari Har Niya’ or the ‘Seven precepts for the Kings and Rulers’ as his way of governing the country. Since then, this ‘A Pari Har Niya’ became famous. [Please also read the compare and contrast of SPDC to ‘Lizza Wee Kings’.]

The present government had arrested NLD leaders including Daw Aung San Suu Kui, Ethnic Minority leaders including U Khun Tun Oo, 88 Generation Student leaders and all the leaders of those who protest or show dissent against them without fear of vigorous repercussion from all the strata of Burmese people.

But they dare not repeat like this on the Sanghas or Monks as this would lead to a popular uprising of all the Burmese people. So please may the revered Sanghas or Monks kindly allow us to request for your continued help on all of us, till Burma is free from this Atheist Tatmadaw leaders, soldiers, police, Intelligence agents and their affiliated civilian thugs from USDA and Swan Arrshins.