matt2819.com/myanmar

This page provides some information about the predominant religion of Myanmar.

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Theravada

Buddhism in Myanmar is predominantly Theravada Buddhism and is practised by 89% of the population. Theravada (Pāli थेरवाद theravāda; Sanskrit: स्थविरवाद sthaviravāda) is the longest surviving Buddhism school, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka and continental Southeast Asia (parts of southwest China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand). The term Theravada, which literally means “The Way of the Elders”, first appears in writing in the 7th century CE in the school’s own manuscripts and implies that the school attempts to maintain the Buddha’s teachings as authentically as possible. Today Theravada Buddhists number over 100 million worldwide, and in recent decades Theravada has begun to take root in the West.

History

During the reign of Emperor Asoka in India, the third Council was held in Pataliputra (250 BCE). The President of the Council, Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled a book called the Kathavatthu attempting to refute what he saw as the heretical, false views and theories held by some sects. The teaching approved and accepted by this Council was known as Theravada. The Abhidhamma Pitaka was included at this Council. Thus the modern Pali Canon was now essentially completed. It was brought by Venerable Mahinda to Sri Lanka in 246 CE and was committed to writing in 110 CE. It is still in use today by Theravadins.

Philosophy

Theravada promote the concept of Vibhajjavada (Pali), literally “Teaching of Analysis” which uses critical methods of investigation as opposed to blind faith. With this method the answer has to be discovered by the aspirant, after being convinced by valid thought and experience, in order to reach the first glimpse of the goal.

The Theravadins goal is the achievement of the state of Arahant (lit. “worthy one”, “winner of Nibbana”), a life where all (future) birth is at an end, where the holy life is fully achieved, where all that has to be done has been done, and whereupon there is no more returning to the worldly life. In the Theravadin view, the attainment of arahatship is equal in every way to the realization attained by the Buddha himself. The Buddha remains a figure of reverence even for arahats because he was able to attain nibbana without the aid of any teacher or outside instruction – he is said to be ‘fully self-enlightened’ in many Pali verses of praise.

Levels of Attainment

Through practice, Theravadins practitioner can attain four degrees of spiritual attainment:

• Stream-Enterers – Those who have destroyed the three fetters (self-belief, doubt, and faith in the efficacy of rituals and observances), will be safe from falling into the states of misery (they will not be born as an animal, peta (hungry ghost), or hell being). At most they will have to be reborn only seven more times before attaining Nibbana.
• Once-Returners – Those who have destroyed the three fetters (self-belief, doubt, and faith in the efficacy of rituals and observances), and the lessening of lust, hatred, and delusion. They will attain Nibbana after being born once more in the world.
• Non-Returners – Those who have destroyed the five lower fetters (that bind beings to the world of the senses). They will never again return to the human world and after they die will be born in the heavenly worlds, there to attain Nibbana.
• Arahant – Those who have reached Enlightenment, awakened to the Nibbana and have reached the quality of deathlessness, free from all the fermentations of defilement; whose ignorance, craving, attachments, and karma have ended.