Suu Kyi Visits Senior Monk
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Burma

Suu Kyi Visits Senior Monk


By THE IRRAWADDY Wednesday, June 15, 2011


Aung San Suu Kyi paid tribute to Ashin Nyanissara at the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy (Yangon) on Tuesday.
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Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi paid tribute on Tuesday to the Venerable Buddhist Abbot Ashin Nyanissara, known as Thidagu Sayadaw, amid the news that the senior monk will deliver an address about the importance of unity in the country at the opening ceremony on Thursday of the new Sitagu International Buddhist Academy (Yangon), which is located in the outskirts of Rangoon.

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi paid tribute to the Thidagu Sayadaw at 3 pm yesterday [Tuesday] and listened to the Sayadaw's talk on dhamma for about two hours,” said Ohn Kyaing, a spokesperson for the National League for Democracy. “She arranged the trip by herself and went there alone without any party leaders accompanying her.”

Allegations emerged recently that the government had interfered in the issuing to political parties of invitations to the opening ceremony of the Buddhist academy.

Asked whether Suu Kyi will attend the ceremony on Thursday, Ohn Kyaing said he did not yet know her schedule.

Sayadaw [Abbot] Ashin Nyanissara arranged to hold a five-day opening ceremony from June 16 to 20, and invited senior abbots from the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, which is the only authorized Buddhist organization in Burma, and is responsible for the management of all the Buddhist monasteries across the country.

Also invited are government officials and diplomats, representatives of political parties, religious and social organizations, and those private donors to the academy, as well as novices monks who will soon begin learning Buddhist teachings at the academy.

Asked about the government's rejection of the abbot's invitation to the political parties in general, a Buddhist monk who assists Sitagu Sayadaw said, “I heard about the issue, but I was not directly involved. The Sayadaw's office staff took care of the invitation arrangements.”

However, several political parties who were invited by the Sitagu Sayadaw said that they first received an invitation letter to the party in general—later the plan was changed and individual representatives were invited instead.

“At first, the party received a letter of invitation informing us that the Sitagu Sayadaw was planning to deliver a speech to various political parties that day,” said Thu Wai, the chairman of the Democratic Party–Myanmar. “The venerable Sayadaw invited government officials alongside members of political parties and other social organizations, so we thought that he was intending to give a speech about national reconciliation and its benefits to the country.

“But when the government found out that the Sayadaw had invited certain political parties, he had to change the letter to only specify the invitee's name.”

Sitagu Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara became well known among pro-democracy activists after the 1988 popular uprising in the country due to his famous dhamma talk about the 10 rules that rulers must abide by. The senior monk actively tried to mobilize humanitarian assistance both inside and outside the country to help the survivors of Cyclone Nargis, which hit the Irrawaddy delta region in May 2008.

According to the itinerary for the Buddhist academy's opening ceremony, the first day includes the attendance of only members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee. Government officials and diplomats from the foreign embassies are invited on the second day. Religious, political and social organizations are invited to the ceremony on the third day.

On the fourth day of the ceremony, Sitagu Sayadaw will present certificates of gratitude to all donors who contributed to the construction of the academy.

The Rangoon monastery is the second Sitagu International Buddhist Academy built by Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara. The other was built on Sagaing Hill in Upper Burma in 1994.

COMMENTS (7)
 
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Kazeronnie Mak Wrote:
18/06/2011
If the freedom and justice are only owned by a few privileged persons, the whole nation will never have the real Freedom and Justice at all.

For the sake of our offspring, we will keep fighting for Democracy, Freedom, Justice and Human Right as long as we can still breathe.

We all live in a world of commonwealth.
Truly hope there will have a better human nature on earth !

Life should be as colourful as the rainbow.......
Remember you are your own painter always.......

ps: Many Happy Returns to Lady Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday !

Roddy Wrote:
17/06/2011
'Mong Pru' and self-proclaimed 'Myanmar Patriot' smell like propagandist plants of the ridiculous gang calling itself 'The Government of the Union of Myanmar' If this is your job, at least make your comments intelligible so we can have a laugh. Maybe you could apply to your master to go and do a course in Inflammatory Rhetoric in North Korea. Your pals over there are very good at it and many of them can put a decent sentence together in English, unlike you guys. I look forward to the day when you are forced to face the truth.

Shwe Yoe Wrote:
16/06/2011
Myanmar Patriots, whoever you are, you need to improve your way of thinking to be compatible with the 21st Century - and your English too!

mong pru Wrote:
16/06/2011
who is a traitor? are you? taking a name that sounds good doesn't guarantee a good person.

Myanmar Patriots ... plural ... talking like Bama racist traitor ... whoow!

Pl change your name since you are not a patriot but traitor ... traitor to the spirit of Myanmar ... does Myanmar mean Bama? No.

Myanmar Patriots Wrote:
16/06/2011
Very clever.
1.Invoking 'hungry' for justice - don't we all want justice?. Such pious talk!
2. Invoking popular religon. Buddhism: well, millions go to monks. What's so special about a woman to a senior monk?

A traitor getting upt to any trick is still a traitor.

Unity is important;without it we will not survive.
No traitor woman,whilst being a marionette of the ex-coloniser and its major ally, having usurped her brother and lusting for power can bring unity.

So there! Western 'branding' (of product),with flower in the hair, will get you nowhere. Still yearning for Panglong II? Still trying to fulfil the evil scheme of Clement Attlee to balkanise Burma?

We can see through any traitor!

shwe moe Wrote:
16/06/2011
Aung San Suu Kyi paid tribute to Ashin Nyanissara at the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy.
Things have changed; I did not expect to see the Rev. Ashin Nyanissara ensconced on a comfortable rattan chair; well lit room, with all the bells and whistles of material comfort. When I grew up - our head pongee always sat crossed legs on a simple, well used bamboo rattan mat glowing with age and simplicity and with a spittoon by his side to rid himself of the beetle nut juice. There were no bright lights just daylight creeping far as it can to light up our presence. The environment was that of humility, peace, respect, and understanding but it was so comfortable emotionally, spiritually and physically; I felt, I was amidst the holiest of the holiest giving me comfort and a sense of purity beyond words. At the moment, I might as well be watching the Old Boar Than Shwe with his regalia of pomp and splendor propped up as a pongee.

Venus Wrote:
16/06/2011
Sayadaw's invitation to give speech on national reconciliation is a good sign.

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