NAY PYI TAW August 11
A gala ceremony of growing Barringtonia acutangula plant at Mucalinda lake, erecting stone inscription plaque for Pitakat treatises in line with Sixth Buddhist Synod took place at the Buddha Park where Maravijaya Buddha Image would be built in Dekkhinathiri Township of Nay Pyi Taw Territory yesterday morning, attended by members of the Sangha led by Presiding Nayaka of Paukmyaing Monastery in Lewe Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Janinda and Abbot of Maha Thihanada Monastery of Tatkon Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Acinna.
It was attended by Leading donor of the Buddha image Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Vice-Chairman of the SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Council members, the secretary, the joint-secretary, Union level officials, Union ministers, the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, chief ministers of regions and states, chairmen of Self-Administered Zones and religious association members.
The ceremony was opened with three-time recitation of Namo Tassa. Members of the Sangha recited Paritta and dispersed Metta. The Senior General, Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dway and Lt-Gen Kan Myint Than of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) took the positions to grow No 1 Barringtonia acutangula sapling, Vice Chairman of SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Council members General Mya Tun Oo and Admiral Tin Aung San at No 2 Barringtonia acutan-gula plant and Council member Mahn Nyein Maung and Union ministers U Maung Maung Ohn and U Ko Ko at No 3 Barringtonia acutangula sapling.
The master of ceremonies read the declaration of occasion. The Senior General placed gems into the places of No 1 Barringtonia acutangula sapling. At the auspicious time, the Barringtonia acutangula plant was grown. The Senior General and party fed humus to the plant, poured clean water and sprinkled scented on it.
At the same time, the Vice-Senior General and party planted No 2 Barringtonia acutangula sapling and Council members Mahn Nyein Maung and party, No 3 Barringtonia acutangula sapling and sprinkled scented on them.
The Senior General and party led by venerable monks went to the site where Pitakat treatise stone plaque chambers and started erecting the plaques at the auspicipus time.
Under the leadership of Ab-bot of Pali Tekkatho Mingala Zeyon Monastery of Pyinmana Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhammajotikadhaja Bhaddanta Vimala Buddhi, the Senior General and party sprinkled scented water on the stone plaques. The ceremony ended with three-time recitation of Buddha Sasanam Ciram Titthatu.
At the briefing hall, Lt-Gen Kan Myint Than reported on excavation of marble rocks to build Maravijaya Buddha image and conveyance of the parts of rocks, carving of the Buddha image on the marble rocks in line with the inscriptions of 6th Buddhist Synod using modern machine, Lt-Gen Kyaw Swa Lin on construction of religious buildings in the precinct of the park and Lt-Gen Nyo Saw on plans to carve Pitakat treatises in Pali and Romanize languages on the marble plaques under the guidance of venerable monks, respectively.
In his speech related to carving the Buddha image, the Senior General said that he led well-wishers in the arrangements to carve the Buddha image on the marble rocks in modern techniques in accord with the guidance of Sitagu Sayadaw, Shwethuwun Sayadaw and the Rector Sayadaw on request of Shwe Foundation.
Survey work started in 2018, and the block of marble dug was X-Rayed to study its measurem-ent, volume and any damage. After the calculations, the block could be curved into an image with 65 feet in height and plans were made for an additional 18-foot throne. Advice was sought from Sitagu Sayadaw, Shwe Thuwun Sayadaw, Professor Sayadaw and Pali Takkatho Monastery Sayadaw.
For conveyance of the Buddha image to Nay Pyi Taw, arrangements were made to cut the image in four parts and the throne in five parts and carry them as they are so huge. A channel was dug for the conveyance from the marble mountain in Madaya Township by barge. Next, they were conveyed along the Ayeyawady River to Hsimeegon Port in Myingyan Township in the first phase. Weight cutting tasks were carried out at the port and those parts were carried in modular trailers to Nay Pyi Taw along Mandalay-Yangon Expressway despite difficulties. It was a world record long-distant conveyance in terms of both water and land transport modes. Upon completion, this Buddha image will be the largest and highest of all the ones made of marble in Myanmar and the world.
Carving was made with the help of high-tech CNC machines. After rough curving, the finishing touches will be put by seasoned Myanmar sculptors. Under the guidance of the Sayadaws, plans were made to keep stone inscriptions in Pali language and Romanize language so the Sixth Buddhist Council Pitakat treatises can be known to the world. It exemplifies the Fifth Buddhist Council Pitakat treatises at the Maha Lawka Marazein Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay. As these stone inscriptions are also the verbal words of Lord Buddha, they will be erected in the front part of the Maravijaya Buddha Image. Pilgrims can study them when they visit the image.
For religious ceremonies, a Sasana Beikman hall is also under construction like the Maha Pasana Cave on Thiri Mingalar Kabaaye hillock in Yangon Region where the Sixth Buddhist Council meeting took place. It can house 1,200 members of the Sangha and congregation. Mucalinda Lake is also being dug in accord with the advice of the Sayadaws. We have intended to complete the Buddha image during the time of our SAC government. Engineers are working day in day out with the help of modern machinery to complete the work. Rough work is expected to finish by the end of this year. When the Buddha Park project completes, monastery buildings will be constructed for pagoda board of trustees Sayadaw to reside in. Preparations are also being made to publish and distribute the Tri Pitakat treatises like international ones in accord with the set standards. The Pitakat treatises will programmed into mobile tablets for the study of visitors to the stone inscriptions. Those tablets will also be on sale, said the Senior General.
Later, the Senior General and party inspected work progress in the curing of the throne for the Maravijaya Buddha Image and construction retaining walls, Thudhama rest houses and stone inscription camps
and digging of Mucalinda Lake.
