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Myanmar - Buddhism

At a very early period, before the Christian era, Buddhist adventurers, traders, and missionaries had reached Arakan; had even penetrated to northern Burma from Gangetic India, probably through Manipur; and had arrived by sea on the coast of Pegu from Telingána. They brought with them superior civilization, and gradually acquired influence over the rude tribes among whom they settled. They taught the elements of their religion, and in time, though probably long after their first arrival, the knowledge of letters. In the north of Burma it is probable, as is stated in the Burmese history, that Kshatriya settlers came from Gangetic India. They eventually took the name of Brahmá, the designation given in the Buddhist scriptures to the first inhabitants of the world, and which is the origin of the national name Mram-má, pronounced Ba-má, from which is derived the Europeanized form Burma.

From the histories of Arakan, of Pegu, and of Burma, it is evident that during the long period which elapsed from the first conversion of the people of those countries to Buddhism, until about the eleventh century of the Christian era, pure Buddhism did not always generally prevail. Heretical doctrines and practices are acknowledged to have occasionally existed, though from the vague statements of the chroniclers it is not possible to discover their exact nature. It is however certain that at intervals Brahmanical influence prevailed in these countries, before the existing form of pure Buddhism was finally established.

Convinced that they carry on truths that could save the world from its present path, Burmans welcome visitors sympathetic to their religion. Those who admire rationality strip Theravada Buddhism to a philosophy or mental science that proudly proclaims a longtime understanding of the insubstantiality of matter or the essence of relativity. Those who prefer the supranormal to the logical welcome visitors who are bored with science and seek to explore other explanations for phenomena. In between these two groups are millions of Burmans who believe that the Buddha's teachings are the only sensible guides to handling modern life as it increasingly caters to creature comforts.

The Burmans most honored are monks and nuns (few in number), for they control their desires as lay people try to do but cannot. Because almost all male Burmans from their youth onward spend some time in a monastery striving for nonattachment, their self-control is tested; if they cannot control their desires to eat often or be sexually active, for example, they return to normal life, and no stigma will be attached to them. The worst possible behavior would be to accept public honor for being a monk but to cheat and secretly give in to desires, for then the Burman's most respected institution, the sangha, would be sullied. Most monks therefore abide by all 227 rules under the watchful eyes of one another and the members of society at large who support them.

Those monks who need the least are, in such a system, given the most honor and act as exemplars for the society, for they embody a daily reminder of the Buddha's teachings. Lay persons simply do their best to be moderate. Of course, the older one gets, the closer one gets to death and, as in the Indian tradition, the first gray hairs signal that less attachment might be a good idea as the shadows fall. On holy days, older people therefore naturally predominate at the rituals and seek more ardently to practice the wisdom that since youth they have been taught but could not always follow.

Because anyone who is mentally and physically sound and who is not a fugitive from legal responsibilities may join the sangha, any male may become one of the most highly respected members of Burman society. Consequently, the sangha becomes a vital ingredient in social mobility. Because monks move about the country seeking new teachers, a country boy from a poor home has the same basic options as Joes his opposite.

Burmans believe that the best way to ensure a better future life is to give as generously as possible to Buddhism rather than to secular charities or causes. Buddhist giving is noted in golden books kept by heavenly beings and is called "merit." The more merit earned, the better the rebirth. The more one has, the more one should give, but intent is very important, and a simple flower from a sincere poor farmer is said to earn more merit than a disdainful cash donation by a rich merchant. Merit is usually shared or can be entirely transferred. When a boy enters a monastery for the first time, he traditionally transfers the merit he earns to his mother. It is customary to share merit with all beings in this world, in hell or in heaven. Merit is a concept difficult to convert into secular channels. Buddhists do not see themselves earning any merit by paying taxes for a welfare state or by giving to hospitals or the poor. Some socialists wish ardently that they could transform Buddhist merit earning into social improvement projects, but there are strong reasons why Theravada Buddhists do not do so.

Each person, poor or rich, sick or healthy, intelligent or otherwise, is the product of whatever merit or lack of it was earned in previous lives. Each is, in a sense, spending in this life the fruits of merit earned previously. There is no one to blame if this life is difficult; each deserves what was earned before. Others will feel compassion for another's suffering, but ultimately each is responsible for one's own fate. Under such a system, riches are one's just reward; poverty, conversely, is the just consequence of what is called demerit. Demerit is recorded on dog-skin books by supernatural beings, and the record may include the killing of a mosquito as it bit, a drinking party, or perhaps adultery. The standard five precepts include not lying, not taking intoxicants (including alcohol and narcotics but not tobacco or coffee), not committing adultery (some exclude males who use prostitutes) not killing any creature, and not stealing.

The human wish to use an accounting system explains the sudden, conspicuous religiosity of some notoriously wicked individuals in Burma. Those who have earned a great deal of merit in previous lives benefit in this life with visible marks of success, such as power and wealth. The greater the splendor, the more the reserve of merit gained in previous existences. Historically, the monarch claimed the best merit balance, and because he had the most wealth, he was expected to be the most generous donor to Buddhism in the society. Those who rule by force, especially through war, are amassing great quantities of demerit, but their success is nevertheless heralded as proof of a previous good life. Kings, the rebel Saya San, the martyred general Aung San, and General Ne Win are examples of men who clearly had a massive merit balance.

The Theravada Buddhist abhi-dharma means 'the principle leading to the freedom from fear of death', and abhi-raja means a 'fearless ruler' or a 'ruler who does not fear death'. Please note that 'the freedom from the fear of death' is quite different from 'the freedom from death'.

In Burma some hill Karens and many Burmans share hopes that some day a leader will come to prepare the world for the next Buddha' The last Buddha lived 2,500 years ago, and life is believed to become worse as more and more people forget the last Buddha's teachings. Life will deteriorate further, so the prophecy goes, and then a charismatic king will come to Burma (or to the Karens if they express the hope), and under his reign there will be a paradise on earth in which the next Buddha will preach, and all who hear him will be assured of nirvana. Many charismatic historical people, like Alaungpaya, the founder of the last Burmese dynasty, have been seen as this future king or world emperor. Although scriptures can be quoted to prove that the world must wait 5,000 years from the death of the last Buddha for such events, various experts are always on hand to recalculate and to prophesy that the future emperor is indeed imminent or actually here.