NAY PYI TAW May 14
An auspicious ceremony to start the inscription of the Sixth Synod version of the Pitaka on stone tablets to be placed in Maravijaya Buddha Park in Dekkhinathiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw, Union Territory, was held today.
Present were members of the Sangha led by Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa of Bhamo Monastery, Mandalay, Chancellor of Sitagu World Buddhist Universities Vice Chairman of Shwekyinnikaya Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Maha Dhammikahtika Bahujanahitadhara Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Nyanissara, Principal of Paukmyaing Monastery in Leway, Nay Pyi Taw, Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Janinda, Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Acinna of Mahathihanada Monastery, Tatkon, Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members and the secretary and the joint secretary of SAC, the Union Chief Justice, the chairman of Constitutional Tribunal, the chairman of Union Election Commission, Union ministers, the Union auditorgeneral, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander and officials.
The ceremony was opened by reciting namotassa three times. Sitagu Sayadaw delivered a sermon on the Buddha Day, the fullmoon day of Kason. Sayadaws then recited religious verses.The congregation led by the Senior General recited ratanattaya puja and sabbasingaha three times. Bhamo Sayadaw and Sitagu Sayadaw unveiled the curtainsof machines that will inscribe Pitaka treatises.
The Senior General pushed the button of the machines to start the inscription work and sprinkled scented water on them. Sayadaws and the congregation led by the Senior General observed the mechanized inscription of stone tablets and sprinkled scented water. The Senior General presented a report on the progress in carving the parts from one to four of the Maravijaya Buddha Image and in building the park to Bhamo Sayadaw and Situgu Sayadaw. He also sought ovada from the Sayadaws. The ceremony ended with the three-time recitation of Buddha Sasanam Cirantithatu. After the ceremony, the Senior General scattered showers of gems, gold and silver to mark the success of the ceremony.
To build the stone inscription stupas, a total of 729 stone inscriptions were erected, not only making them the world’s largest book but also being inscribed as UNESCO heritage in 2013. Measures were being taken to carry out maintenance tasks for the houses for stone inscriptions of Pitaka Canons approved by the fifth Buddhist Parley in the precinct of the Maha Lawka Marazain Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay. The central stupa which houses the historic stone inscription will have a length of 21 feet, a width of 21 Feet and a height of 27 feet and the other stupas will have a length of 12 feet, a width of 12 feet and a height of 18 feet. The stone slabs will have a length of 45 inches, a height of 6 feet and 3 inches, a thickness of 7.2 inches. As the stone slabs are inscribed with Buddhist cannons, they will be erected in front of the Maha Wizara Buddha Stupa and measures will be taken to allow pilgrims to study the stone inscriptions when they make pilgrimage to the pagoda. In doing so, Buddhist cannons will be inscribed on marble slabs in Pali, Romanized language by using modern machines.
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