The Buddha Sasana has existed in the world for more than 2550 years. Now, it flourishes in 50 countries, especially in Asian countries. According to British Encyclopaedia published in London in 1975, the world Buddhist population was about 250 million. According to the book “Buddha’s Way” (1971) by Abbot of London Buddha Vihara Monastery (Dr) H Saddha Tissa (Tipitakacariya Pandita), the number of Buddhists around the world stood at 516 million.

The book “What Did the Buddha Teach?” (1972) by Researcher Sri Lankan Sayadaw Dr Wallpo Rahula (Ashin Vepulla Rahula) stated that the number of Buddhists throughout the world was more than 550 million. Today’s world population is over 2000 million more than that at that time. Some Socialist (Communist) nations impose restrictions on political destructionists, but bestow religious freedom upon the people concerned. Now, the world Buddhist population is more than 1000 million. (Today, the world’s population is 6500 million.)

The Buddha not only expounded sermons but also asked His monk disciples to deliver sermons to human beings, celestial beings and higher celestial beings.

In the time of the Buddha, Shin Devadat attempted to set up a separate religious sect and to jeopardize the Sasana. The Chapter “Sangha Bhedaka Vinayas” in the Treatise “Vinaya Pitakat” manifests the Vinaya rules the Buddha prescribed regarding the acts to set up breakaway sects among members of the Sangha and to undermine the Buddha’s Teachings (Dhamma). The Buddha prescribed that any monk who tried to create disunity among members of the Sangha was guilty of breaking Sangha Disis Vinaya.

In Kosambi Province, members of the Sangha became disunited with reference to cups used in latrines, the monks failed to respect the admonition of the Buddha in that regard. So, that year, the Buddha sojourned in solitude during the Buddhist Lent in Palale forest, rather than in Kosambi Province.

Despite attempts Shin Devadat made to set up a separate religious sect, the Buddha managed to maintain the integration among more than 700,000 members of the Sangha.

In BC 543, the Buddha attained Nirvana. At that time, His great monk disciple Shin Maha Kassapa was away in Pava Province. Hearing the news about the Lord Buddha, he returned to Kusinarun. On the way, he heard the words of monk Subad of Atuma, who told weeping ordinary monks, “Hey, don’t cry. Don’t be worried about that. Now, we are all liberated from the restrictions of Gotama.” Being shocked at such irresponsible words, Shin Maha Kassapa murmured, “Buddha has just attained Nirvana, but there has emerged someone whose irresponsible words can tarnish the image of the Sasana.”

Three months and four days after Buddha’s Parinibbana, an assembly of 500 arahats under the patronage of Shin Maha Kassapa and under the leadership of Shin Upali, Shin Ananda and Shin Anuruddha held the First Buddhist Synod in the cave at the foot of Waibara Mountain in Rajagaha Province. The monks recited the whole body of the Teachings of the Buddha and Vinaya Rules for seven months at the Synod.

One hundred years after the First Buddhist Synod in BC 442, the Second Buddhist Synod was held for eight months by arahat members of the Sangha led by Shin Maha Yassa, Shin Revata and Shin Sabbakami at Palikayon Monastery in Vesali Province with the sponsorship of King Kala Soka due to the fact that monks from Vijji Province submitted ten points designed to make amendments to the Teachings of the Buddha.

In 235 Buddhist Era, 1000 members of the Sangha led by Shin Moggali Putta Tissa held the Third Buddhist Synod for nine months at Asokayon Monastery in Pataliputta Province with the sponsorship of King Asoka (Siri Dhamma Soka). The Third Buddhist Synod passed a resolution for members of the Sangha to take sabbath. The bogus monks of some Ganas were forced to leave the religious order. Shin Moggali Putta Tissa prescribed Katha Treatise, one of the Seven Abhidhamma Treatises, to standardize the different principles. As a result, the Sasana came to flourish and the number of members of the Sangha reached about six million.

In 485 Buddhist Era, the Fourth Buddhist Synod was held under the patronage of Shin Vasumitra with the sponsorship of King Kanishaka (Kanittha) in Kasamiya (Kashmia region, north of India), Gandhara Province. Treatises written by Shin Asvaghosa and other eminent monks were submitted to the Synod. The monks from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) did not accept the submission and held the Fourth Buddhist Synod simultaneously in Ceylon. The Gana led by Shin Asvaghosa of northern India was named Mahayana Gana while the Gana from southern Ceylon, Hinayana Gana. The people of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) said that they were Theravada Buddhists (members of Theravada Gana).

The Fifth Buddhist Synod was held for five months and three days by 2400 monks at Mandalay Yadanabon Royal Palace in 1856 with the sponsorship of King Mindon. To mark the 2500th anniversary of the Sasana, the Sixth Buddhist Synod was held under the patronage of Nyaungyan Sayadaw with the sponsorship of the government of Myanmar at Maha Pasana Cave on Kaba Aye Hill in Yangon from 1954 to 1956. Eminent monks from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia also took part in the Synod.

In the times of Pyu state cities such as Tagaung, Srikestra, Beikthano and Hanlin, Buddhism spread to Myanmar through various routes. In Bagan Period, the number of religious edifices, pagodas, stupas, temples, monasteries and Buddha images was on sharp increase. King Anawrahta of Bagan Period, like King Asoka of India, took measures to purify and promote the Sasana. He drove members of deviant sects of Buddhism out of the Sasana. In olden days, the breaking away of Sangha sects was based on the Teachings of the Buddha or on Vinaya Rules. Some kings such as Asoka and Anawrahta got rid of such kinds of monks with misconduct. In Sri Lanka also, the Buddhist monks who had deviated from Buddhism were driven out of Abhaya Giri Monastery.

After Buddha’s Prarinibbana, His discourses were conveyed to the next generations by word of mouth. As the discourses were not properly documented or recorded due to lack of facilities such as cameras, video cameras, tape recorders and movie cameras, disputes often arose over the authenticity or originality of the Teachings. Among the members of the Sangha there occurred cracks followed by forming of different sects. As such, members of the Sangha had to prove the authenticity or originality of the Pitaka treatises by convening the Buddhist Synods.

Violation of Vinaya rules and deviation from the Buddha’s Teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and Anattalakkhana were committed by Alajjis and Addhamma vadis only.

Members of the Sangha, who have renounced the worldly affairs, practising ganthadhura and vipassanadhura are more than 500,000 in Myanmar and more than one million in the entire world. On the other hand as very limited number of the members of the Sangha (or the minority) are carrying out social activities in violation of the Vinaya rules the lay disciples are unhappy about it. They feel so since this may tarnish the image of the Sasana. After regaining independence in Myanmar, there were four or five different cliques among the Communists, as many as ten party factions among the Socialists, and various rightists and leftists vying for gaining power for the parties they supported. Clashes finally broke out with the use of arms as the rivalry grew unchecked. This led to the internal strife causing the losses of lives and property of the people.

Party factions were determined to seize the power. Under the democracy system, those who win the public support through votes or the majority support would be elected to take hold of the power. However, many were not sure of themselves to win public support. Under the circumstances, they attempted to create public riots to seize power through a short cut. A study of events past and present of the nation reflects this.

In seeking power they have discarded the proper method of canvassing for public support. By using the short cut they try to trick and exploit the public or different strata, student youths and service personnel. The worst is that they mislead members of the Sangha (especially the young monks) to serve their purpose. This is a subversive act against the nation and the Sasana (religion).

Certain internal politicians and various party groups have employed all means to organize the monks. They have instigated the monks to make them take interest in politics and participate in the political activities under their control. The monks begin to put aside their normal parayatti and patipatti duties. This way the monks are persuaded to go out of the monasteries and are exploited.

Some political groups have planted their cadres among the monks in advance. Those decoys posing as fellow monks persuade others to realize the desired objectives. Majority of the monks know the trick and they do not fall victim but some have been unfortunate. Even the ignorant few began to realize the trick and tried to free themselves from the political trap. Similar incidents were common in the history of the nation.

Some monks were involved in the incidents that took place in August and September 2007. Those days, many noticed that when the monks in procession went to the Shwedagon Pagoda, several men with bald heads bought saffron robes from the shops at the foot of the pagoda close to the eastern stairway and mingled with the monks wearing robes themselves. Well, it was not the honest procession of the genuine monks. It was an act of stupidity committed in accordance with the dictates from abroad designed to create an incident similar to the one in 1988.

One day protester monks of about 300 were walking in procession from north to south on Botahtaung Pagoda Road. On reaching the point between Merchant Street and Strand Road a monk with fair complexion and plump body was seen distributing K 1000 notes to each of the monks. All the onlookers on the pavement saw this and were saying who had given such a large amount of cash.

During those days, 18 monasteries were searched. At some monasteries things that had nothing to do with the monks were seized.

Destructive elements at home and abroad were found to have exploited monks to seize power. Meanwhile, the eminent Sayadaws have issued directives asking members of the Sangha including novices to practise Ganthadhura and Vipassanadhura only; instructions for the perpetuation of all levels of Sangha organization; directives prohibiting members of the Sangha including novices from engaging in party politics; directives warning the members of the Sangha that action would be taken against acts sacrilegious to the Sasana; and directives informing members of the Sangha that due action would be taken if they committed violent acts in violation of Vinaya rules or the existing laws individually or in groups. As the State has profound reverence for the members of the Sangha, the latter will have to uphold the prestige of Myanmar that is respected by the international community for its being a leading Buddhist nation.

May Buddha Sasana be flourishing and perpetual.