Scorched Enlightened Earth in Myanmar
We are writing to bring your attention to a disturbing event that took place in Myanmar on December 21st, 2022. This news was shared with us by a local Burmese individual who wanted to ensure that foreign meditators were aware of what happened, as such incidents are often not reported in detail in English, so he translated this news and provided further commentary. We understand that hearing about such violence and devastation can be difficult, but it is important for us to remain informed. By reading this report, you will have a better understanding of the challenges and struggles faced by the Buddhist and monastic communities of Myanmar, and can use this knowledge to help support and uplift them in their time of need. Together, we can stand in solidarity with those affected by this tragedy and strive to cultivate compassion and non-violence in the face of adversity.
“The Myanmar military junta will even set Enlightened Sites on fire for their power.”
On December 21st, 2022, Myanmar Now reported how disaster struck the peaceful village of Linn Yin in Myanmar's Sagaing Region. Troops from the Myanmar military, known for their ruthless tactics in maintaining power, raided and burned down the village. This village held special significance to the people of Myanmar, as it was the native village of the two most revered Head Sayadaws of the prestigious Shwe Kyin Nikāya Order, a monastic sect that is highly respected and valued for their strict adherence to monastic disciplines, and also happens to be the second largest in the country.
The ninth and fourteenth leaders of the order were born in a village called Linn Yin near the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway. The villagers mentioned the names of the two reverend head leaders, Ven. Chandābhivamsa and Ven. Aggija. (The current head monk Ven. Vijota is the fifteenth and the 21st Shwe Kyin Nikāya Conference which is going to take place approximately in February, 2023, and is likely to elect Sitagu Sayadaw as the sixteenth head monk of the sect. Recent news reported that the soldiers also had raided and threatened the villagers of the native village of the most reverend Tipitaka-dhara Yaw Sayadaw and set the nearby villages on fire, too.)
As the flames ravaged through the village, more than 3,000 locals fled to the nearby forests, seeking refuge from the military's brutality. The soldiers did not stop there, however, as they also raided and set fire to four other nearby villages: Linn Yin Year Thit, Moe Thauk, Shan Kon, and Kon Gyi, destroying a total of 729 civilian homes.
The devastation caused by the military's actions was made all the more heart-wrenching by the fact that the Shwe Kyin Nikāya Monastic Order, established in 1869, has been led by highly disciplined monks for over 150 years. The news of this horrific attack has spread like wildfire, with many Buddhists in our country expressing shock and outrage yet again at the military's actions, however knowing there was very little they could in return.
In the face of such unimaginable violence, it is difficult to find hope. However, the strength and resilience of the Buddhist people in Myanmar, as well as the power of compassion and non-violence, may yet prevail in the face of such darkness.
A local man who wished his name to be unpublished, said "The Myanmar military junta will even set the Enlightened Site (of the Buddha) for their power."