A Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Presiding Nayaka Sayadaw of the Bhamo Monastery passed away at 11.11 pm on 7th Waxing of Nayon in 1385 ME (25th May, 2023, Thursday) at the age of 94 years after attaining monkhood for 74 vassa. The remains of the Sayadaw has been displayed for public obeisance at the Bhamo Monastery and Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and party paid obeisance to the remains of the Sayadaw on 26 May. Then, the Senior General and party addressed matters relating to ceremony for funeral rites of the Bhamo Sayadaw.
Afterwards, the Senior General greeted members of the Sangha led by member of the SSMNC Presiding Nayaka Sayadaw of Minkyaung Pathamabyan Sarthintaik in Thanlyin who arrived in Mandalay to attend the funeral ceremony and stressed the following points –
- The Bhamo Sayadaw is a long-lived Sayadaw who served as the Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and the State Central Sangha Executive Committee for 13 years from 2010 until his passing-away.
- Preparations have been made to organize the funeral ceremony of the Sayadaw on a grand scale as a national level ceremony.
- The passing-away of the Bhamo Sayadaw, who served as the head of the Sasana since 2010 amounts to a great loss for the Sasana and the country.
- Systematic preparations will be made to allow the public to pay obeisance to the Bhamo Sayadaw. Then, the Senior General sought advice from the Sayadaw and donated offerings to the Sayadaw.
Afterward, the Senior General presented cash donated by the SAC, officers, other ranks and families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) to hold the funeral ceremony of the Bhamo Sayadaw.
The Sayadaw studied Pariyatti literature and received Pariyatti Sasana Hita Dhammarcariya, Vatansaka, B.A (Mandalay University), Sasanadhajasiri Pavara Dhammarcariya in 1315 ME, Palisirawmani title in 1318 ME, D.Litt conferred by State Pariyatti Sasana Universities Central Administration Committee in 1378 ME, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) conferred by Yangon University in 2003 AD and Ph.D conferred by Sehan University in Korea in 2016 AD. As the Sayadaw served the interests of the Buddha Sasana enthusiastically and persistently and met the criteria of attributes, the government conferred the Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika title in 2009 and the Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title in 2011.
Source: Myawady Daily Newspaper (27-5-2023)
- Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and party paid obeisance to the remains of the Sayadaw on 26 May. Then, the Senior General and party addressed matters relating to ceremony for funeral rites of the Bhamo Sayadaw.