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Buddhism In Myanmar
Buddhism (), specifically Theravāda Buddhism (), is the official and state religion of Myanmar since 1961, and practiced by nearly 90% of the population. It is the most religious Buddhist country in terms of the proportion of monks in the population and proportion of income spent on religion. With approximately 48 million Buddhists, Myanmar has the Buddhism by country#By country, fourth largest Buddhist population in the world, after Chinese Buddhism, China, Thailand and Japan. Adherents are most likely found among the Bamar people, Bamar, Shan people, Shan, Rakhine people, Rakhine, Mon people, Mon, Karen people, Karen, and Chinese people in Myanmar, Chinese who are well integrated into Burmese society. Bhikkhu, Monks, collectively known as the Sangha (Buddhism), sangha (community), are venerated members of Burmese society. Among many ethnic groups in Myanmar, including the Bamar and Shan, Theravada Buddhism is practiced in conjunction with the worship of nat (spirit), nats, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddhist Flag
The Buddhist flag is a flag designed in the late 19th century as a universal symbol of Buddhism. The flag's five vertical bands represent the Prabashvara, five colors of the aura (paranormal), aura which Buddhists believe emanated from the body of the Buddha when he attained Bodhi, enlightenment. History The flag was originally designed in 1885 by the Colombo Committee, in Colombo, British Ceylon, Ceylon (''now Sri Lanka''). The committee consisted of Venerable (Buddhism), Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera (chairman), Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, Don Carolis Hewavitharana (father of Anagarika Dharmapala), Andiris Perera Dharmagunawardhana (maternal grandfather of Anagarika Dharmapala), Charles A. de Silva, Peter De Abrew, William De Abrew (father of Peter), H. William Fernando, N. S. Fernando and Carolis Pujitha Gunawardena (secretary). It was first publicly hoisted on Vesak day, 28 May 1885 at the Dipaduttamarama, Kotahena, by Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera. This wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shan People
The Shan people (, , or , ), also known as the Tai Long (တႆးလူင်, ) or Tai Yai, are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The Shan are the biggest minority of Burma (Myanmar) and primarily live in the Shan State, but also inhabit parts of Mandalay Region, Kachin State, Kayah State, Sagaing Region and Kayin State, and in adjacent regions of China ( Dai people), Laos, Assam and Meghalaya (Ahom people), Cambodia ( Kula people), Vietnam and Thailand. Though no reliable census has been taken in Burma since 1935, the Shan are estimated to number 4–6 million, with CIA Factbook giving an estimate of five million spread throughout Myanmar which is about 10% of the overall Burmese population. 'Shan' is a generic term for all Tai-speaking peoples within Myanmar (Burma). The capital of Shan State is Taunggyi, the fifth-largest city in Myanmar with about 390,000 people. Other major cities include Thibaw (Hsipaw), Lashio, Kengtung and Tachileik. Etymology The Sha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merit (Buddhism)
Merit (; ) is a concept considered fundamental to Buddhist ethics. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts. Merit-making is important to Buddhist practice: merit brings good and agreeable results, determines the quality of the next life and contributes to a person's growth towards enlightenment. In addition, merit is also shared with a deceased loved one, in order to help the deceased in their new existence. Despite modernization, merit-making remains essential in traditional Buddhist countries and has had a significant impact on the rural economies in these countries. Merit is connected with the notions of purity and goodness. Before Buddhism, merit was used with regard to ancestor worship, but in Buddhism it gained a more general ethical meaning. Merit is a force that results from good deeds done; it is capable of attracting good circumstances in a person's life, as well as improving the person's mind and inne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weizza
A weizza or weikza (, ) is a mystic in Buddhism in Myanmar, Burmese Buddhism commonly associated with esoteric and heterodox practices such as recitation of spells, samatha, and alchemy. The goal of this practice is to achieve immortality and await the appearance of the Buddhahood, future Buddha, Maitreya, Metteya. Weikza practices are less common than merit-making practices or vipassanā meditation. During the socialist era from 1962 to 1988, Ne Win banned secret weizza associations, ''weizza'' magazines and literature, and portrayals of ''weizza'' from films and other media, but the concept has made a resurgence since 1988, particularly following the abolition of the national censorship board in 2012. Burmese pagodas often house weizza shrines, where they are venerated for their spiritual purity and their devotion to those in need. Weizza teachers have also amassed hundreds of thousands of followers using social media. Etymology The word weizza (wikt:ဝိဇ္ဇာ, ဝိ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merit-making
Merit (; ) is a concept considered fundamental to Buddhist ethics. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts. Merit-making is important to Buddhist practice: merit brings good and agreeable results, determines the quality of the next life and contributes to a person's growth towards enlightenment. In addition, merit is also shared with a deceased loved one, in order to help the deceased in their new existence. Despite modernization, merit-making remains essential in traditional Buddhist countries and has had a significant impact on the rural economies in these countries. Merit is connected with the notions of purity and goodness. Before Buddhism, merit was used with regard to ancestor worship, but in Buddhism it gained a more general ethical meaning. Merit is a force that results from good deeds done; it is capable of attracting good circumstances in a person's life, as well as improving the person's mind and inner wel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burmese Customary Law
Burmese customary law, also known as Myanmar customary law (), is the foundational body of legal principles primarily applied to Buddhists in Myanmar, governing family matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and matrimonial rights. This legal system is not codified but evolved from ancient indigenous customs, including pre-colonial legal treatises ( ''dhammathat''), and continues to be shaped by judicial case decisions and legislative adjustments in the modern era. Myanmar is the only majority Buddhist country in the world that has developed and maintained a system of family law for Buddhists enforced by the courts. This law synthesizes indigenous customs, principles from pre-modern legal treatises ('' dhammathats''), and the impact of British colonial rule. In contemporary Myanmar, it operates within a complex legal pluralism, coexisting with state statutory law (e.g., Myanmar Penal Code), other religious personal laws (for Muslims, Hindus, and Christians), and justice syste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nat (spirit)
The nats (; MLC Transcription System, MLCTS: ''nat''; ) are god-like spirits venerated in Myanmar and neighbouring countries in conjunction with Buddhism. They are divided between the 37 ''Great Nats'' who were given that status by Anawrahta, King Anawrahta when he formalized the official list of nats. Most of the 37 ''Great Nats'' were human beings who met violent deaths. There are two types of ''nats'' in Burmese Belief: ''nat sein'' () which are humans that were deified after their deaths and all other nats which are spirits of nature (spirits of water, trees etc.). Much like sainthood, ''nats'' can be designated for a variety of reasons, including those only known in certain regions in Burma. ''Nat'' worship is less common in urban areas than in rural areas and is practised among List of ethnic groups in Myanmar, ethnic minorities of Myanmar as well as in mainstream Bamar people, Bamar society. However, it is among the Theravada, Theravada Buddhist Bamar that the most highly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sangha (Buddhism)
Sangha or saṃgha () is a term meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community". In a political context, it was historically used to denote a governing assembly in a republic or a kingdom, and for a long time, it has been used by religious associations, including Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Given this history, some Buddhists have stated that the tradition of the ''sangha'' represents humanity's oldest surviving democratic institution. In Buddhism, ''sangha'' refers to the monastic communities of ''bhikkhu'' (monks) and '' bhikkhuni'' (nuns). These communities are traditionally referred to as the ''bhikkhu-sangha'' or the ''bhikkhuni-sangha''. As a separate category, those Buddhists who have attained any of the four stages of enlightenment, whether or not they are members of the monastic community, are referred to as the ''āryasaṅgha'' ("noble Sangha"). According to the Theravada school and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, the term ''sangha'' does not refer to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhikkhu
A ''bhikkhu'' (, ) is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male, and female monastics (''bhikkhunī''), are members of the Sangha (Buddhist community). The lives of all Buddhist monastics are governed by a set of rules called the pratimokṣa, prātimokṣa or pāṭimokkha, pātimokkha. Their lifestyles are shaped to support their spiritual practice: to live a simple and meditative life and attain Nirvana (Buddhism), nirvana. A person under the age of 20 cannot be ordained as a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni but can be ordained as a samanera, śrāmaṇera or śrāmaṇērī. Definition ''Bhikkhu'' literally means "begging, beggar" or "one who lives by dāna, alms". The historical Buddha, Gautama Buddha, Prince Siddhartha, having abandoned a life of pleasure and status, lived as an alms mendicant as part of his śramaṇa lifestyle. Those of his more serious students who renounced their lives as householders and came to study full-time under his supervision also adopted this lifest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese People In Myanmar
Chinese Burmese, also Sino-Burmese or Tayoke (), are Burmese citizens of Han Chinese ethnicity. They are a group of overseas Chinese born or raised in Myanmar (Burma). Burmese Chinese are a well established ethnic group and are well represented in all upper levels of Burmese society. They play a leading role in Burma's business sector and dominate the Burmese economy. They also have a strong presence in Burma's political scene with several having been major political figures, including San Yu, Khin Nyunt, and Ne Win. Etymology In the Burmese language, the Chinese are called ''Tayoke'' (, ''tarut'', ) and formerly spelt (''tarup''). The earliest evidence of this term dates to the Bagan Era, in the 13th century, during which it referred to the territory and a variety of peoples to the north and northeast of Myanmar. Various scholars have proposed that it comes from the Chinese term for "Turk" (突厥, ''Tūjué'' / ''tú jué''); from the name of Dali (大理國, ''Dàlǐg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
