Sangha

Nationalist Protesters do not Represent Majority: Government

August 8, 2017 by thiha

The government has announced that the protesting monks in Yangon and Mandalay represent neither the majority of the Sangha mass nor the people’s wishes. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture released the statement on August 3 concerning the week-long protest of about 100 nationalists including some monks against the government, alleging those in power […]

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: culture, Former MP Daw Khin Wine Kyi, Kyae Thon Pagoda of the Shwedagon, lawyer U Aye Paing Thway, mandalay, Myo Chit Union Party, nationalist leader, Sangha, Social Minister of Yangon Region, The Ministry of Religious Affairs, U Aye Paing Thway, U Naing Ngan Lin, U Thway Chon, Yangon

The Soft Power Limits of Chinese Theravada Buddhism

July 22, 2017 by Thiha

Chinese Theravada Buddhism is in no position to serve as a tool of soft power for the state. For centuries Yunnan has served as China’s gateway to Southeast Asia. Besides trade, an important component of this linkage is the exchange of religion and religious groups, in this case Theravada Buddhism. Since its 7th century arrival […]

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: anti-feudalism, Blang, Buddha statues, Buddhism, Cambodia, China, China’s gateway, China’s land, Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Theravada Buddhism, Cultural Revolution, Dai, Dai and the Han, Dehong Prefecture, ethnic harmony, Foreign monks, Laos, local state religious affairs administrations, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Mahamakut Buddhist University, Mahayana, monks, Myanmar, national unity, pagodas, Palaung nationalities, Pali-language school, Public diplomacy, rebellious Tibetans, Sangha, Soft Power, Southeast Asia, Temples, Thailand, Theravada Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhist temples, Trade, world-class Buddhist universities, Xishuangbanna General Buddhist Temple, Yunnan, Yunnan via Myanmar

Myanmar’s highest Buddhist authority bars radical nationalist group

May 25, 2017 by Thiha

Myanmar’s top Buddhist authority banned a hardline monks’ group on Tuesday, raising pressure on extremists after they barred a firebrand monk from public sermons and authorities arrested several Buddhist nationalists. The radical group known by its Burmese initials Ma Ba Tha was declared illegal and “no person or organization” is allowed to use its name, […]