Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win delivers speech at coordination meeting of leading committee and work committee for Organizing 14th Kason Water Offering Ceremony
NAY PYI TAW May 10
The coordination meeting of the leading committee and work committee for Organizing the 14th Kason Water Offering Ceremony was held at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture in Nay Pyi Taw at 2 pm this afternoon and Chairman of the leading committee Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice- Senior General Soe Win delivered an opening speech at the meeting.
Also present at the meeting were Member of State Administration Council Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Ko Ko, the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, the commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command, deputy ministers, members of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, permanent secretaries, directors general and responsible officials.
First, the meeting was opened with the homage-paying and three-time recitation of Namo Tassa. Then, the Vice-Senior General delivered a speech, say it is the 14th time Kason Water Offering ceremonies were held at No. 1 and 2 Maha Bodhi trees in the precinct of the Uppatasanti Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw. Previous ceremonies were organized by the Nay Pyi Taw Council and the pagoda board of trustees and the ceremony has been organized as a state-level one since the 13th ceremony.
As Maha Bodhi trees were one of the seven birth mates of future Buddha, Prince Siddhattha, and contributed a lot to the enlightenment of Sammsambuddha, it is a kind of pagoda which is enshrined with the relics of Buddha. Offering water to Mahabodhi trees in Kason of Summer, when there is little water in the ground, can help make the trees green and strengthen branches and contribute their longevity and it amounts to paying homage to the living Buddha. Therefore, it brings benefits not only to building a stable and prosperous county but also to the peace of mind of citizens.
In addition, the full moon day of Kason on which Kason water offering ceremony is held coincided with the day on which future Buddha during the life of Hermit Sumida got Niyata blessings from at the feet of Dipankara Buddha, the birthday of Prince Siddhattha and the enlightenment day of Buddha on which Buddha received omnipotence, and the day on which Buddha passed away. As it is a very significant day in the history of Buddhism, the United Nations General Meeting designated the day as International Vesak day or Visakha day on 13 December 1999 under its resolution No.54/115.
As the Maha Mingalar ceremony of pouring water at Maha Bodhi banyan trees will be held within the precinct of the Uppatasanti Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw on the full-moon day of Kason, as per the Order 69/2022 of the Office of State Administration Council issued on April 24, the Steering Committee to hold the 14th Maha Mingalar Ceremony has been formed and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, the working committee, has formed eight sub-committees to assign duties on April 25 as well.
To carry out preparatory works before the day of holding the ceremony, the coordination meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Working Committee and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture has been held on April 28. Therefore, it is assumed that the sub-committees have done their sector-wise tasks adequately.
The forthcoming Maha Mingalar Ceremony will be in two parts. The first part will be held inside the Cave of the Uppatasanti Pagoda and the second at the place of Maha Bodhi banyan trees within the precinct of the Uppatasanti Pagoda. It is to systematically prepare for security measures over the whole ceremony as the two parts will be held one after another.
The sub-committee responsible for the first part of the ceremony needs to smoothly carry out its part of task, and there are separate tasks to be taken for the 14th Maha Mingalar Ceremony, the second part. Both parts of the ceremony are to be held in accordance with the guidelines on the COVID-19 prevention and control. It is to specially focus on security measures from the start of carrying out the tasks to the end.
From the point of view of the cultural tradition and religious teachings, pouring water on the Maha Bodhi banyan tree is a virtuous action for merit as well as an act of preserving the national culture characteristics.
Despite this ceremony held yearly along with relevant tasks, all the sub-committees are to work together to successfully hold the ceremony without suffering a lapse in taking duties.
Next, Union Minister U Ko Ko, chairman of the working committee, briefed on measures being taken to successfully hold the Maha Mingalar Ceremony and Deputy Minister U Aye Tun, secretary of the working committee, on the schedules of the ceremony.
Then, officials of the subcommittees reported on their sector-wise measures.
The Vice-Senior General discussed the reports, made coordination on them and gave concluding remarks.