Ceremony to drive in stakes to build pagodas to keep stone inscriptions and Sasana Beikmandaw in the Maravijaya Buddha Park, Dekkhina Thiri Township was held
NAY PYI TAW March 16
A ceremony to drive in stakes to build pagodas to keep stone inscriptions and Sasana Beikmandaw in the Maravijaya Buddha Park, Dekkhina Thiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory was held this morning.
Present were Abhidhaja Maha Rahtta Guru title recipient Sayadaws and local Ovadacariya Sayadaws led by Chairman of Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Abhidhija Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhija Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika, principal of Bhamo Monsatery Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members, Union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander- in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, invited guests and religious associations.
After the ceremony was formally opened, Sayadaws recited Parittas. The Senior General and the congregation recited the Ratanattaya Puja and dispensed metta.
The Senior General, the leading sponsor, and party took their respective positions at the stake-driving area for the pagodas to keep stone inscriptions in accord with the ancient traditions drove in stakes. At the auspicious time, the Senior General drove in the Ratana stake and sprinkled scented Paritta water on it.
Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members General Mya Tun Oo, Admiral Tin Aung San, Mahn Nyein Maung, U Moung Har, U Sai Lone Hsai, Dr Banya Aung Moe and U Shwe Kyein drove in stakes at the respective places and sprinkled scented Paritta water on them.
At the Ratana Beikmandaw stakedriving area, the Senior General drove the Ratana stake and sprinkled scented Paritta water on it. SAC member Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, SAC Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dway, Union ministers U Wunna Maung Lwin, Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, U Ko Ko, Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Dr Maung Maung Naing, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung and Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Tun Aung drove in stakes at the respective places and sprinkled scented Paritta water on them.
Led by the Sayadaws, the congregation recited religious verses to mark the successful completion of the ceremony.
Rituals of gold and silver showers were performed.
Pitaka stone inscriptions library, the record of the 5th Buddhist Synod, the world’s biggest book and a UNESCO heritage, of Maha Lawkamarazein Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay, were taken as the model in designing the library which has 729 stone tablets. The library will be 21 feet long, 21 feet wide and 27 feet high. Each stone tablet will be 45 inches long, 75 inches high and 7.2 inches thick. Buddhist Pali texts and Buddha’s teachings will be inscribed on the tablets. The library is placed in front of the Maravijaya Buddha Image for enabling the pilgrims to the Image to study them. The Buddhist treatises will be inscribed with the help of modern equipment in Romanized Language. The grand Sasana Beikmandaw will be built in accord with Myanmar traditional designs.