Honorable Buddhist monks of Myanmar: Where are you going?

Monks are the only persons who really have the trust of majority in Myanmar, when they speak, people listen. Myanmar monks, Sayadaw U Wisara and U Uttama revolted against British colonization of Myanmar. Myanmar monks were at the forefront of mass protest in 1988 and held saffron revolution in 2007 which ended when the army cracked down  violently by forces.

The influence of Hponegyi or monks on the majority’s lives is indeed considerable; according to Buddhism, Buddhists should worship monks, they are masters and teachers. Theravada Buddhism of Myanmar is based on Tripitika, authoritative Buddha’s doctrine, there are Vinayapitaka, Suttapitaka, and Abhidhammapitaka in which Suttapitaka is ethical doctrine.  A monk who practices that ethical doctrine is considered the most eminently qualified to dispense moral guidance to others and to provide moral direction for the whole of humanity. Followers of that doctrine should be spontaneously capable of conducting right things and just things.

It is essential for every monk to follow and practice Eight Fold Path; a monk’s view, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mind and concentration should be on the right  path or correct way called samma.

A monk’s attitude of friendship has to be boundless and all encompassing. It should not be limited by the common bounds of attachment familiar in narrowly defined human relationships such as family, race, and religion, it should be for everyone and equal. Metta is its ideal form of universal love.

People admire monks because they think that they are doing right things, people trust them and worship them. Though Myanmar is secular country, monks involve in political movements, monks are supporters of democracy movement. Until May 2012, monks’ contributions for the democratic processes of Myanmar, were remarkable but from May 2012, monks of Myanmar changed their minds , supporting regime’s law, conducting polices’ duties, and creating hatred among people instead of Metta. Where are these monks really going, Buddhism to racism? Why don’t they reconsider their conducts, are their actions really right?

It is unquestionable for the monks’ political involvement in a secular country if they are optimistic and conduct for the benefit humanity but now, they are trying to stop humanitarian help for the internally  displaced Rohingya Refugee, they are trying to spread racism instead of Buddhism, in the name protecting Buddhism, they are eradicating essence of Buddhism. Some politicians believe that thousands of monks were trained by military regime. 

Yours faithfully

Aung Aung Oo