Buddhist and the Tatmadaw: Knowing History is Vital

Some Buddhist practitioners and meditators don't think that the Dhamma in the Golden Land will be very affected no matter who is in charge-- after all, in their reasoning, yogis and monastics continue along with their spiritual work no matter who happens to running the country. This is the question that was put to Ashin Sarana: what would you say to those who do not think the survival of the Sasana (the Buddha's teachings) will be impacted one or another, no matter who happens in charge? And if the military leaders are themselves Buddhists, won't they be working to protect Buddhist institutions and teachings?

Well, Ashin Sarana did not hold back in his answer, and we share part of his response in this beautiful video made, with music from Arctic Moth in the background.

We need to understand the circumstances.

Like the idea that the military poses no threat to Buddhism, or that it's basically the same for the Buddhists, whether there's military or whether there's democracy is a very clear display of lack of knowledge about history.

About history in Myanmar, about history in Cambodia, and history in other Buddhist countries as well.

When people have nothing to put into their mouth, they also cannot support monks...

...and in our scriptures it is written that it this is exactly the reason why the Buddha's teachings will disappear.

It will disappear, when people don't have enough food to eat, and therefore they don't have enough food to support monks.

Then, because monks are not supported, they will not accept students, when they don't accept students, they will not teach, and therefore the teachings will gradually disappear.

This is exactly written in our Pāli scriptures.

So it's poverty in food, it's poverty in life, it's poverty in education.

And the people know that.

People have experienced poverty in education, and we are going back the same vicious cycle.

When there is poverty in food, today without education without knowledge, how do you want to make good money? 

How do you want to be successful in business or in anything that makes a safe amount of money?

So that's why the people don't like it.

And that's why it's very important to study the circumstances of the environment that we are talking about.

So what did Mingun Sayadaw say?

Mingun Sayadaw said, “I do not know anything about politics. I do not understand anything about politics.”

“Therefore, I want to avoid saying anything about politics.”

“And therefore I am going to the forest and I will stay in silence”. 

So Mingun Sayadaw, not only did he not do anything about the present situation, he stopped teaching. He left.

Basically, Myanmar lost the best, the most knowledgeable monk of all, during the problem that has happened with the military before.

This is a powerful example of what happens with Buddhism in Myanmar, when there's  military rule.

When the military starts to apply their force, then Buddhism stops.

It stops, it doesn't work.

You certainly remember those years when there was a big problem, in 2007, it was actually prohibited for foreigners to come into Myanmar.

So Buddhism stopped.

There is no space for monks to give Dhamma talks to people, to teach Dhamma, to do big things.

I was trying to establish meditation centers when the military was applying their force against the hungry people who don't like to be hungry.