BURMESE BUDDHISTS CHANTING METTA (LOVING KINDNESS)

With the arrival of Buddhism, Burma underwent major changes in various phases of her life especially in culture, art, literature, and civilisation. Buddhism has played an important role in unifying the peoples of Burma that ultimately brought the racial groups into one united whole under one religious banner. Sanghas (Monks Community) became well-established and religious leaders taking an active role in the political affairs of the country. Buddhism has been influential in the educational progress of Burma since very ancient time. To the growth of the Burmese language and literature too, Buddhism made great contribution. All Buddhists accept Buddha as the historical founder of the religion. Buddha was a man who discovered the way to enlightenment and anyone can follow his footsteps and achieve enlightenment as well. Buddha was a teacher, a guide, a philosopher who taught the middle way between pleasure and pain that leads to Nirvana. Monks and nuns have always been at the centre of Buddhism and the monastic way of life is practiced in all of Burma and the monks are greatly revered. They are supported both by the government and by the local communities; exist upon donations and ties with the monasteries are very strong.

Burmese monks have taken part in protests in the past, against British colonial rule and against military dictatorship. U Wisara was the most prominent monk martyr of Burmese Buddhism, who died in prison in 1929 after a 166-day hunger strike. Burma gained Independence from British rule in 1948 and U Nu became the prime minister. He was a devout Buddhist, a cultured and spiritual man. Burma has been military dictatorship since 1962, after the coup led by Gen. Ne Win. He closed the Burma from international community and ruled the country with repression. In 1988, there were a lot of demonstrations took place in Rangoon, led by students and monks. These demonstrations were brutally repressed by the military killing thousands of people. Eventually, after the bloodshed, Ne Win led regime deposed. Another military came to power in 18th September 1988 and promised to hold the election in 1990. The people of Burma voted overwhelmingly to National League for Democracy led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The military leaders ignore to honour the election result and put her under house arrest.

In August 2007, protests across the country after the junta raised the fuel price overnight by 500 percent without advanced notice. By late September, this movement had become a popular uprising, attracting tens of thousands of ordinary people on to the streets of Rangoon. The unrest was increasing when Swan-Arr-Shin, military sponsored militias, and soldiers beat monks during a demonstration in Pakokku on Sept. 5, 2007. That became a spark that grew into a broad-based challenge to the government, and the biggest antigovernment protests in two decades broke out. Some barefoot monks held their alms receiving bowls upside down before them instead of asking for their daily donations of food. It was a shocking image in the devoutly Buddhist nation. The monks were refusing to receive alms from the military rulers and their families — effectively excommunicating them from the religion that is at the core of Burmese culture.

The military rules by force, but the monks hold ultimate moral authority. Tens of thousands of Burmese people led by monks took to the streets of Rangoon demanding for change. Military responded by shooting, beating, arresting and killing the saffron robed monks and peaceful demonstrators. Soldiers surrounded monasteries; preventing monks from leading further demonstrations and detach from public in order to cut support effectively as the hostages in their own monasteries. Violence against Buddhist monks by the military generals provoked the outcry and outraged to the international community. During the saffron revolution, more than 200 lives were lost and hundreds were missing. They have arrested thousand of political prisoners and crack down continue today by arresting dissidents; tortured, interrogate and put them in prison.

For more information please visit Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) at http://www.bdcburma.wordpress.com

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[MyoThein19]

Feel free to download this video. Peace be upon all.

[melodysoe]

Those who have thought of suicide, listen to Buddha's wisdom, this will give you the peace that you have never had before.

[SchwebominVonBirma]

Very good. When I was a child in Burma I used to meditate at the Buddhist monastery. I would like to be in a Buddisht environment to reconnect with my past life. When I go home to Burma the first thing I would like to do is give alms to the monks and receive Buddha's teachings from them and pray at the Shwedagon Pagoda.

SKH Kronprinz Schwebomin von Birma

[SchwebominVonBirma]

Very good. 

[SandyThinMarOo9]

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu par shin!!!

[xxephraim]

ခ်စ္

[painterbythesea]

Lovely chanting in Burmese - serene and peaceful.