Yangon, “Happy for the pope’s arrival”, Buddhists monks say
Love, kindness, understanding, and charity are values shared by Christianity and Buddhism. Yesterday, the Holy See's delegation visited the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred place of worship for Myanmar Buddhists. The pontiff’s historic meeting with the Sangha, the highest body of Myanmar Buddhism, will take place tomorrow.
From our correspondent
Yangon (AsiaNews) – "The Pope's visit to Myanmar is an extraordinary event,” said Rev Gandhasara, a senior monk at the State Pariyatti Sasana University in Yangon, a renowned Buddhist institution administered by the Myanmar Department of Religious Affairs.
"Beyond the political and religious significance of his trip, Pope Francis is here for peace,” he told AsiaNews. “Dialogue between religions is crucial for the country and beyond.”
“Christianity and Buddhism share some important values, taught by both Jesus Christ and the Buddha,” he added. “They are love, kindness, understanding and charity. An exchange based on these common values is the key to better relations between the two religions".
The university is located close to the Kaba Aye Centre, where the pontiff tomorrow will hold a historic meeting with the Sangha, the Supreme Council of Buddhist Monks, the highest body of Myanmar Buddhism.
A few miles south is the Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar’s most sacred place of worship and a symbol of Yangon. It is here, according to tradition, that the relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present cosmic cycle are preserved.
Last night, a delegation led by Card Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, visited the important place of worship.
This morning, the pagoda was crowded as usual with tourists, not to mention worshippers and monks gathered in prayer (pictured). Ah Nam Da (pictured) was one of them. "We monks are happy with the presence of the pope here in Myanmar. He is a messenger of peace, and can only be welcomed."
Theravada Buddhism is the country’s main religion and is practiced by about 89 per cent of the population. Myanmar is the most religious Buddhist nation in terms of the proportion of monks to the total population and the money spent on religion.
Treated as venerated members of society, the monks number about 500,000, with some 75,000 nuns.
Most Buddhists are ethnic Bamar, but others are Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Karen, Zo and Chinese. Every day monks (bhikkhu) spend their time as alms mendicants.
Collecting food and offerings is part of the practical discipline of both monks and nuns. This is a way to gain merit, developing generosity, secular Buddhism, and Sangha's material support.
Monks leave each day at dawn with their bowls and wander in villages and cities to collect the offerings of the day. When they return to their monastery, they share the collections and usually eat together, which for some is their only meal, before midday.
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