Auspicious ceremony to present religious titles for 2025 and donate provisions held
NAY PYI TAW March 13
An auspicious ceremony to present religious titles for 2025 and donate provisions was held at Aggadipati Sasana Beikman in the precinct of Maravijaya Buddha Park here this afternoon.
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla paid respects to the Sayadaws and presented religious titles and provisions and offertories.
Also present to pay respects to the local and foreign Buddhist monks and nuns, who will receive religious titles, led by specially invited Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Thanlyin Minkyaung Monastery Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Dr Bhaddanta Candiama Bhivamsa, and Secretary of SSMNC Patron of Masoeyein
Taikthit Monastery Sayadaw of Dhamma Thamaiddi pariyati school in Mandalay Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Maha Dhamma Kahtika Bahujana Hitadhara Bhaddanta Vaselabhivamsa, together with the Senior General and wife were Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, SAC Secretary General Aung Lin Dway and wife, SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo and wife, SAC members and wives, union level dignitaries, union ministers and wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander and officials and Sasana Nuggaha title winner laypersons.
After opening the ceremony by reciting Namotassa three times, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Aye Tun read out the agenda and declared the ceremony open.
The Senior General and wife and the congregation received the Eight Precepts from SSMNC Chairman Sayadaw.
Rector of State Pariyatti Sasana University, Mayangon Township, Yangon Region, Dr Bhaddanta Kumara Mahahte, winner of Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title, delivered Ovdakahta and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin supplicated religious matters.
At the ceremony, the Senior General presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Panobhasa of Mahahtuparyon Pariyatti School in Thonse, Thayawady Township, Bago Region.
The Vice-Senior General presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Bhaddanta Kesava, Principal of monastery head monk training school, Aungmyaythazan Township, Mandalay Region.
The SAC Secretary presented Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Sayadaw Tipitakashara Dhamma Bantagarika Yaw Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sirindabhivamsa of Shwekyin Taikthit Monsatery, Maha Withuddayon (Pali University), Bahan Township, Yangon Region, and the SAC Joint Secretary, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title and insignia to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Candavarabhivamsa of Khemathiwun religious school, Myitkyina, Kachin State.
Subsequently, members of the council, Union-level officials, Union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and other responsible persons offered honorary titles and ceremonial items to the venerable monks who have been conferred the titles of Abhidhaja Mahārattha
Guru, Abhidhaja Agga Mahā Saddhammā Jotika, Agga Maha Pandita, Agga Mahā Saddhammā Jotika Dhaja, Agga Mahā Ganthavācaka Pandita, and Agga Mahā Kammatthānācariya.
Following this, the wife of the Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister presented the Agga Mahā Ganthavācaka Pandita title and ceremonial items to the senior nun, Dr. Daw Sandasīngī, the patron of the Samiddhodaya Pyapon Nunnery in Bahan Township, Yangon Region, and to the senior nun Daw Visingī, the patron of the Zeyyasīngīchaung Nunnery in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region.
The Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister then conferred the title of Agga Mahā Sīrisudhamma Mani Jotadhara to U Kyaw Pe, U Kyaw Zeya, and U Brang Mai, presenting them with honorary titles and ceremonial items.
Next, the Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister awarded the title of Sīrisudhamma Mani Jotadhara to U Myint Soe Htun, along with the corresponding honorary title and ceremonial items.
The wife of the Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister then conferred the title of Sīrisudhamma Sīngī to Daw Than Than Nwe, Daw Khin Aye Myint, Daw Htwe Htwe Nyunt, Daw Aye Myint, and Daw Myint Myint Yi. Similarly, the wife of the Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister awarded the title of Sīrisudhamma Sīngī to Daw Hla Win, Daw Mu Mu San, Daw Wah Wah Hlaing, and Daw Chaw Su Myat, presenting them with honorary titles and ceremonial items.
Afterwards, the Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister, along with his wife and the congregation, listened to a sermon delivered by the Sayadaw from the Masoeyein Monastery in Mandalay, the Secretary Sayadaw of the State Sangha Mahā Nayaka Committee.
They then shared merits gained for all the donations made, and chanted “Buddha Sasanam Ciranthithatu” three times before concluding the ceremony.
The State Administration Council has previously awarded religious titles to 120 monks, 2 senior nuns and 10 laypersons, in 2025. In today’s 2025 religious title conferment ceremony, 8 Sayadaws were awarded the Abhidhaja Mahārattha Guru title, 5 Sayadaws received the Abhidhaja Agga Mahā Saddhammā Jotika title, 20 Sayadaws were presented with the Agga Mahā Pandita title, 52 Sayadaws were honoured with the Agga Mahā Saddhammā Jotika Dhaja title, 25 Sayadaws were bestowed the Agga Mahā Ganthavācaka Pandita title, and 10 Sayadaws were conferred the Agga Mahā Kammatthānācariya title. Additionally, 2 senior nuns were awarded the Agga Mahā Ganthavācaka Pandita title, and 13 laypersons received the Sāsanānuggaha honorary title, along with ceremonial items.
The remaining title recipients, including senior monks, senior nuns, and laypersons, were honored by respective chief ministers and officials in the Nay Pyi Taw Council area, regions, and states.
Later, a rice-offering ceremony was held, attended by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, along with Vice Chairman of the Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe.
Also present were the Secretary of the Council and his wife, the Joint Secretary and his wife, other council members and their spouses, Union-level officials and their spouses, Union ministers and their spouses, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their spouses, departmental staff, and donors.
They offered rice and other alms to the monks, nuns, and senior nuns who had been honored with religious titles in 2025, at the designated pavilions within the grounds of the Māravijaya Buddha Park.