Metta from Monywa
We have received a collection of funds from meditators around the world who specified that they wished their donation to go towards feeding monastics, as it has become well documented that there is no longer sufficient food for monks and nuns across many regions of Myanmar. Our local supporter on the ground has finished delivering this dana to a full 30 monasteries and nunneries, and he shares his report here. The following letter details his donation to the middle group of 10 sites where our local team visited.
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10. Nighrodhā-rum Monastery
We could donate to the abbot of this Pariyatti monastery.
11. Pajjotā-rum Monastery
This is one of the largest Pariyatti monasteries in the northern urban areas of Monywa. There are over 200 monks and novices. Since the novices and monks are taking the exams, we could only take a group photo of the abbot and his few assistant monks.
12. Tipitakā-Lankāra Samane Kyaw Monastery
This is a Pariyatti monastery of around 60 novices who are outstanding in novice education which is called "Samane Kyaw education". It was founded by the famous monk who passed his novice education when he was a novice. We donated one more sack of rice as we know the current population is bigger than that we knew (according to the Vassa Rain Retreat Resident Population List.)
13. Dhamma Pāragu Monastery
We resumed the donation after lunch and went to Dhamma Pāragu Monastery. There are 24 monastics in the monastery. It is located in the downtown area. It had over 100 monastics before the pandemic. The abbot of this monastery is 85 years old.
14. Myoma Guard Monastery
This is a Pariyatti monastery where there are 30 monks and novices live and study. We saw a group of novices studying under the supervision of a monk. It was really delightful to see the novices studying. The abbot of Myoma-Guard Monastery is in his 80s and he himself received the donation.
15. Kha-pan-ni Monastery
This is also a Pariyatti monastery. They do not stop teaching thought there was a decline of the population. We learned that there are 30 other small Pariyatti monasteries in this quarter.
16. Ahae-Lay-Htet Monastery
This is located in the downtown of Monywa and next to the clock tower which is the town's glory landmark. Since there is another donation event at this monastery, we could only take a photo of the abbot alone.
17. Weizā-thitpan Monastery
Weiza-thitpan Monastery is just very near to the Sudaung Pyae Pagoda, the town's glory. We saw the 74 year old abbot was teaching Buddhist Pali cannon to the novices around him in an opening hall.
18. Shwe Thein Daw Gyi Monastery
There are only monks in this monastery. It has around 23 monks. The abbot received the donation.
19. Zaung Gyan Bin Monastery
The abbot said that there are only 49 monks and novices though there were more than 90 monastics before 2021. He emphasized the shortage of food though it is located in the downtown area near a market. He said that the locals in this area are mostly vendors and they are not rich. They could offer alms-bowl food at the beginning of the pandemic and for a year. After the political crisis in 2021, the local lay-sponsors have been hard to offer the alms-bowl meals. Hence, he directed the resident monks and novices not to go alms-round in groups and a big number. A few of monks and novices went alms-round and shared the collected alms-bowl food at first. Now, he decided to borrow some rice from farmers from his native village. Since we donated now, he could solve out for a few months. He is hoping and sending Metta to all the lay-sponsors and the donors of this donation as well.
20. Tha-hton-won-tha Monastery
When we went in this monastery, we heard some monks and novices are studying out loud and this sound motivates us with a deep inspiration. The abbot was happy and made a short Anumodanā talk (praising about this Kāla Dāna).