Sincere hearts of Myanmar Buddhists and religious freedom

Generally, Buddhism is called a religion. But it is unlike other religions and its views on the human life are serious. Based on the views, it teaches man to find a way to free himself from the vicious circle of life. It teaches man to strengthen his mental power to calmly cope with life and face death.

The Buddha came into existence in India in 624 BC, and Buddhism is a religion that originated in India. Water from different streams and rivers that flow into the ocean becomes ocean water of the same colour and taste. All human beings under the teachings of Buddha become the peoples of same status without discrimination in race and other matters. Diversity in unity has become a mighty force.

The Buddha taught man the loving-kindness to stay away from evil things, and downplaying and slandering others to put them into trouble, but to have sympathy for others. His teachings are based on conviction, wisdom and Sarana practice. With morality, integrity and knowledge as the base, Sarana practice enables man to lead a peaceful life. As Buddhism is based on conviction, knowledge, Sarana practice, morals and integrity it never criticizes other ideologies or religions. It encourages objective thinking permits freedom of thought, always encourages study, shows the way to see the Four Noble Truths, and believes in self-reliant efforts to find the right path.

The Kalama Sutta said that if one knew by himself which acts were evil and sinful, condemned by the wise, and senseless enough to harm the person who practised them, he should stay away from those acts.

The Buddha also taught man that greed, anger and delusion would give them no benefits; that persons under the influence of greed, anger and delusion would commit evil acts such as killing other people and stealing others’ property; that a person who was free from greed, anger and delusion would find the real happiness and peace. He also delivered the Samadhi and Byamhavihara, which taught man to totally discard greed, anger and delusion to possess loving-kindness in addition to mindfulness and wisdom. The Buddha said that man could become Ariya if he would practise vipassana that began with the meditation. For 45 years till His demise, the Buddha discoursed Abhidhamma and Sutta to teach man to have the correct thoughts and views and taught monks to live according to the Vinaya. There are 84,000 Teachings of the Buddha.
When the relics of the Buddha were about to be distributed after His demise, kings of eight city states were preparing for war to get the relics. Then, the Brahma named Dona told them that as the Buddha did not like hostility and humiliation, the kings should equally divide the relics among themselves in accord with His wish. Similarly when the two city states Koliya and Kapila were going to fight for water, the Buddha discoursed Dhamma for peace after asking a question — Which is more valuable, water or human lives? Buddhists are against aggressive acts, wars, and the acts of bullying and giving trouble to others. They always help and feed others to the most possible degree.

Buddhism arrived in Myanmar since the life time of the Buddha. Likewise Hinduism spread to Vesali, Hanthawady, Thaton and Dagon lying on the coastal areas of Myanmar through trade routes in AD 3rd century. But the Myanmar people who were already following Buddhism never reject nor oppose, suppress nor antagonize the arrival of Hinduism in Myanmar. Successive Myanmar kings ensured Hinduism’s religious freedom, and the practice of religious tolerance is still accorded by the present government.

Similarly, discharging military services or trading, Muslims entered Myanmar starting from the 14th Century. Previous successive kings and governments and the ruling government have allowed them to profess their faith and teach and learn religious teachings freely. The Ministry of Religious Affairs also allowed them to form five Muslim organizations that are now cooperating with the government in the religious matters. The close location of the Sule Pagoda, mosques, a churche and a Hindu temple in downtown Yangon bears witness to the religious freedom in Myanmar. All the religions have existed in harmony in the nation. All the national people are allowed those of other religions to profess any faiths they believe in and to carry out religious tasks as they wish.

Now, in Myanmar there are many mosques for Muslims to say prayers. Muslims have been allowed to open mosques and Islam religious schools across the nation. Successive Myanmar governments have allowed Muslims to publish, distribute and teach Koran treatises. Those Moulvis and Moulanas who are playing a leading role in Muslim religious affairs have enjoyed freedom to teach Koran Treatises in the mosques. According to the faith of Muslim, assistance is provided for schools for orphans, homes for the aged, homes for widows, and needy students. The government does not levy taxes or inspect the financial accounts of Muslim religious organizations, but duly provides cash assistance to various religious organizations of other religions. Families of Tatmadaw personnel provide provisions such as rice, edible oil and salt for respective religious organizations.

According to the records, Christianity has spread into Myanmar since 1496. Roman Catholic Portuguese men, Armenians and Syrians introduced Christianity to Myanmar while trading with the nation. While trading with Asian nations, Portuguese merchants dropped in Myanmar. The Christian priests who accompanied the Portuguese merchants carried out missionary tasks in Lower Myanmar including Pyay, Myeik, Mottama, Thanlyin and Pathein. Missionary priests Judson and Dr Mark won respects of Myanmar kings. Successive Myanmar kings and governments allowed Christians to carry out missionary tasks in Lower Myanmar. It is a convincing evidence that Myanmar Government and Buddhists have loving-kindness and equality for followers of other religions and encourage freedom of faith.

In Myanmar, Buddhists do not disturb, oppress or restrict other faiths at all. The government takes religious freedom seriously with a view to ensuring harmonious and peaceful coexistence of the believers of all the religions in the nation.

In Myanmar where Buddhists make up the majority of the population, Theravada Myanmar Buddhists starting from the government to common people hold in esteem four cardinal values— loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity towards others, disapprove of violence, and encourage peaceful coexistence with loving-kindness. Under the Buddhist principles, Myanmars never oppress, force nor persuade those of other faiths to profess Buddhism. But they hold equanimity considering that good results and evil consequences are based on wholesome or unwholesome actions one acted in the past.

It is simply believed if one pays a visit to Yangon City downtown, one can witness the close location of the Sule Pagoda, magnificent mosques, a church and a Hindu temple and will realize the true attitude of noble-minded Buddhists and that the people in Myanmar enjoy the most religious freedom in the world.

Author :  Sithu Myaing (Research)