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A YOUTH-FRIENDLY APPROACH TO TEACHING DHAMMA IN CONTEMPORARY URBAN BURMA1

Mee Mee Zaw zawm01@student.uwa.edu.au Asian Studies School of Social and Cultural Studies The University of Western Australia

Since the early 1990s, there has been an upsurge of religious education in Burma: contemporary Buddhism is reviving ba-ka schools (monastic schools), organizing Dhamma talks (talks on teaching of the Buddha) in communities, producing Buddhist guidance literature and Dhamma videos, and organizing Buddhist Culture courses and Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses (Buddhist ethics training courses) for children and youth. Ba-ka schools2 were officially revived in 1994 mainly for impoverished children from cities, new satellite towns, remote villages and mountainous border regions. The overall situation of ba-ka schools is still very far from satisfactory due to insufficient support from the government, but the demand for ba-ka schools is on the rise mainly due to social and economic reasons.

This paper was presented to the 18th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia in Adelaide, 5- 8 July, 2010. It has been peer reviewed via a double referee process and appears on the Conference Proceedings Website by the permission of the author who retains copyright. This paper may be downloaded for fair use under the Copyright Act (1954), its later amendments and other relevant legislation.
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Ba-ka schools provide both secular and moral education free of charge while propagating sasana (religion, Buddhism).

There has been an increase in the frequency and momentum of Dhamma talks3 in the suburbs and outskirts of Yangon since the early 1990s. Some communities organize such events for three to seven consecutive days. The authoritative, charismatic manner of giving the Dhamma talks together with the monks confidence and sense of integrity is infectious among the audience, creating social bonding between monks and communities. Another phenomenon is the increasing popularity of Buddhist guidance literature4, which has taken a new approach to communicating to the youth the Dhamma for daily life. Such books are among the best sellers and more monks and lay writers are authoring these guidance texts. Courses on Buddhist culture5, especially for children and youth have been organized to prepare them for Mingala examinations (exams testing basic knowledge of Buddhism with a focus on Mingala Sutta, which stipulates Buddhist ethics for a secular world). Such courses are organized by monks of local monasteries, widely revered senior monks as well as local administration councils and the USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association)6. This paper discusses Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses (Buddhist ethics training courses) that have evolved from preparation courses for Mingala exams, courses on Buddhist Culture, and meditation retreat for youth. In a more open Burma, it may be hard to believe that such Buddhist ethics training courses have become more popular. However, I observed that a modernist version (Parker, 2008) of Buddhism has gained popularity over the past decade. During fieldwork in 2009, I conducted interviews, and participant observation at two of the most popular
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The content of the Dhamma talks reflects the social, economic and political problems of the present day. Criticism of the people in power and indirect messages to government are wittily embedded in the Dhamma talks.
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Most articles deal with how to improve ones mental and spiritual strength through a variety of mental strategies and how to improve relationships in a family and society. The appearance of the books as well as the content spiced with fun words and poetic expressions are attractive to young people.
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At earlier times only some religious associations, such as YMBA (Young Mens Buddhist Association) and Mingalabyuha Association, had organized Buddhist Culture courses. Since the early 1980s, summer meditation course for youth have been held in meditation centers such as Mahasi Thathana Yeiktha, Chanmyay Yeiktha and Panditrama (Shwetaungone Thathana Yeiktha) in slightly different approaches. Another type of Buddhist education is provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and local administration councils. Houtman (1996:128) noted that the governments political arm, USDA (the Union Solidarity and Deve lopment Association), had organized ten-day Buddhist Cultural courses to inculcate Buddhist values in at least 1.23 million youth by September, 1996. Government sponsored courses make use of the common concern for the well-being of youth for political gain.
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USDA became the military governments political party, USDP (Union So lidarity and Development Party) on 2 June, 2010.

Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses: one was for university students and the other mainly for secondary school students. They were live-in camps, and some of the appeal to youth was simply in the mixed-sex socializing that they enabled. In this paper I concentrate on the motivation, inspiration, and philosophy of the two monks who organized these courses, and their pragmatic approaches to teaching young Buddhists Dhamma, disciplines and social norms, and how to live in harmony with others.

Yin Kyay Lein Mar Courses: Teaching Buddhist ethics and religious behavior

The two monks who participated in my study have been at the forefront of the Yin Kyay Lein Mar course movement in the 2000s. One monk started such courses in 2001 and the other in 2007. Both of them have received much attention from the media and the public as they make use of popular media to publicize the courses. The number of youth attending each course is well over 1,000, and every year they organize five or six such events during holidays. The courses were free of charge, mainly funded by the monastery and communities. Following their lead, many other monasteries, big and small, have been organizing Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses during school holidays and on Sundays. Motivation The two monks have always wanted a change in societal attitudes towards children, who are not given much priority in the social scene although they are usually described as jewels. It is especially true when it comes to religious places, which are considered reserved for adults and seniors who come to listen to the Dhamma talks, or to practise meditation. They are not expected to discuss serious topics, such as topics related to the Dhamma (the teaching of the Buddha) with elders, but to listen to admonitions of elders. The two monks teach the Dhamma and appropriate religious behaviour for their secular life interactively, and the two way communication strengthens their strong bond with young people. The monks are also motivated to prevent losing young Buddhists to other religious faiths or atheism due to the perceived moral decline among youth and a perceived waning interest in their own culture, tradition and religion as an impact of modernity. This concern is occasionally mentioned in the media. Despite this common concern, the two monks believe that youth have

much potential to become morally sound and well-mannered adults if they have a thorough understanding of the essence of the Dhamma and a good nurturing environment. They focus on the strength of young people rather than perceived moral decline in young people in teaching them Dhamma. During interview one of the monks explicitly expressed his deep concern over the way some international schools coming from abroad are trying to undermine childrens loyalty to Buddhism and their patriotism. He sees himself as countering the threat of losing youth to other religions. In this era of globalization, the monks embrace modernity, but they want young people to choose what is suitable for them. In addition to these courses the two monks give Dhamma talks exclusively for children in communities throughout the country. The two monks, like the senior sayadaws (abbots) they have drawn inspiration from, strongly believe that moral education should start with children so as to equip them with the mental strength to endure suffering and hardships they may encounter later in life. Inspiration The monks inspiration mainly comes from within Buddhism, despite their knowledge of some contemporary approaches to teaching Dhamma elsewhere in Asia. They argue that teaching children and youth Dhamma is not a novelty although different approaches have used in different eras. Much inspiration has come from a revered disciple of the Buddha named Ashin Maha Kassapa, who was believed to be particularly respected by children. Both monks mentioned the late Shwe Oo Mhin Sayadaw (1913-2001), Chanmyay Yeiktha Sayadaw (1928- ) and Panditarama Sayadaw (1921- ) as inspirational pioneers of Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses today. Their own approaches are based on the philosophy and the Dhamma as taught by these pioneers. Another inspirational figure was Hponedawgyi U Thila (1832 - 1906), who built schools for children at places he temporarily resided in. Once the school was settled, he would move on to another place to do the same. This is an instance of a revered monk doing redistribution of wealth early in the twentieth century. The monks well-known for preaching are usually showered with donations that can amount to millions of kyat at the community sponsored Dhamma talks in cities like Yangon and Mandalay. The two monks, like many other monks these days, re-donate large

amounts for social welfare projects such as building ba-ka schools and charity clinics and hospitals. Organizing Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses is also part of the monks contribution to society. Philosophy The monks philosophy is reflected in their approaches to teaching young people Dhamma. They are making Buddhism relevant to young peoples modern secular lives: their education, their personal and emotional well-being, and their relationships with family, teachers and friends. The monks believe that love for children and understanding their nature are essential for any teachers or monks teaching children, and they frequently demonstrate positive attitudes towards children and youth. The monks recognize the strength of children and youth. At the monastery in North Dagon the monk and youth recited together a short verse about childrens strength and capacity to contribute to society in future, which was very much appreciated by the young audience. Unlike more conservative people in society, the monks do not consider that youth following foreign trends of fashion has a deleterious effect on society. The younger monk mockingly pointed out that many youth who followed fashion whole-heartedly took part in relief work after the cyclone Nagis, whereas some local authorities wearing traditional style clothing would just appear for the commemorative photo sessions. The main purpose of the Yin Kyay Lein Mar course is to create a good environment for young people so that they will want to do similar good deeds in return. The monks often talk about the importance of the environment the youth grow up in and the impact of a bad environment on youth. In explaining the seriousness of the impact of ones lack of morality and self-discipline on the environment, one of them gave the analogy of having a drop of poison or dirt in a dish of food or a bottle of water. The senior monk considers the role of parents, teachers and environment very important in nurturing the young. He considers the teachers modeling of good behaviour and attitudes as more important than text books. To both monks, youth bad by nature or bad by birth are very rare. They believe strongly in the idea that nurture has a greater influence on how youth develop than nature.

The younger monk said that Buddhist children should start learning the Dhamma and practise meditation from a young age so that they would have more opportunity to practise it before it is too late. His senior counterpart also shares this view and considers meditation as a means to understand oneself. He is well aware that some people do not approve of young energetic people meditating instead of doing some productive activity for a developing country like Burma. During the interview he explained why meditation was helpful to their mind development as follows: The purpose of meditation is to know oneself, ones own mind, and ones role. Ask yourself what you are. If the answer is we are human beings, we must live as human being. Knowing our role helps us behave accordingly in the family and society. Not knowing oneself, not knowing the occasion can cause one to do irresponsible, irrational deeds. Aims Both monks put much emphasis on teaching the youth how to keep their minds pure and peaceful, and how to live in harmony with others. They believe that gaining control over ones own mind is conducive to becoming morally sound individuals and consequently to becoming a good member of society. The senior monk whilst not wanting to portray himself as a role model hopes that his way of thinking and living can influence good behaviours and attitudes in the youth he comes into contact with. However, none of them intend to urge the youth to renounce the world, and permanently enter the sangha. Instead, they try to equip the youth with morality, spiritual strength to cope with problems, and some social skills they need for their future in the secular world. Teaching Dhamma in pragmatic approaches The two monks in my study apparently have non-conformist and reformist views. Their Dhamma talks for young people focus on the pragmatic aspects of the Dhamma that they can apply in their lives. Their approach to discussing the importance of dana (charity), sila (morality) and bhavana (mental development; meditation) to young attendees has a different focus from that of typical Dhamma talks for a general audience as Jodt (2007: 100) explains:

In the Buddhist framework of cause and effect, dana, sila, and bhavana are the moral causal acts that result in attainment of nibbana, rebirth in higher realms of existence, rebirth in more auspicious conditions in this world, or better conditions in this life. From an individuals standpoint, they are perceived as ethical practices that create ones merit store for future lives and are the basis for ones present merit status as well. The monks teaching the youth focus more on the immediate benefits of practising the Dhamma in this secular world rather than the ultimate goal of attaining nibbana. The approaches the monks use are rational. In teaching the youth how dana pays off, the emphasis is on the secular returns, such as making friends through generosity and prosperity brought about through friendship. The children and youth are also encouraged to help with social projects initiated by monks, such as the construction of schools and hospitals as a form of dana. During the time of my field work, a group of young participants of the Yin Kyay Lein Mar course at Hmawbi were raising funds for a childrens hospital project, collecting regular donations as promised by people in their social network, including some shop owners at shopping centers in Yangon. I also observed a big crowd of youth happily doing chores such as washing dishes and pots, laying tables for over one thousand attendees, and cleaning up after meals. The traditional belief in karma enhanced by the monks praise for their cetana (volition) and their good, selfless work seems to sustain their enthusiasm. The monk said it was a practical way to teach the youth how to live with others in harmony. The monks also explained why people with sila are healthy and how they could keep their sila. The emphasis is on the essence of Buddhism: to avoid unwholesome deeds, to engage in wholesome deeds and to keep ones mind pure. It sounds acceptable and logical to many that they can be healthy and happy if they avoid unwholesome deed for themselves (apparently implying consuming alcohol, taking drugs, stealing, etc. that disturbs their life, families and communities). One way is to follow a pledge to observe the five precepts, and vow not to break them. The monks explained the five precepts to the young people with funny jokes about young peoples naughty habits in the absence of their parents. It was left to them to judge whether they should keep the precepts. In both places, the young crowd was asked to meditate three to four times a day after the Dhamma talks. With the older ones in Hmawbi, the meditation sessions took twenty to thirty

minutes, whereas the younger crowd at North Dagon was given only ten minutes each time. The time allotted for meditation seemed just right for the young people. The main purpose was to let the young attendees know vipassana bhavana (vipassana meditation) was relevant to them. Both monks gave examples of how one can apply the Dhamma in daily activities. While using soap in the shower or while going to the toilet, one can keep in mind that one is getting rid of the dirt of the body in the same way of the Buddha getting rid of kilesa (defilements). He gave an example of how one can do buddhanussati (contemplating the Buddhas nine virtues) while cooking or taking a shower or even while sitting on the toilet seat. Buddhists believe that practising buddhanussati can help them reduce loba (greed), dosa (anger), moha (ignorance), and consequently the mind becomes calm and peaceful, which is conducive to practising vipassana meditation. During meditation sessions, the young attendees mainly practised mindfulness of breathing in and out in a sitting posture while a monk or teacher talked quietly about the meditation techniques, the virtue of the Buddha and the virtue of parents. It was also for reducing loba (greed), dosa (anger) and moha (ignorance). The monks reminded the young attendees to avoid harmful consumption and unwholesome thoughts and deeds in order to live safely, and not to think about harmful things. They believe that the most effective way of ground clearing before meditation is having a peaceful state of mind and keeping unwholesome thoughts at bay. At the monastery at North Dagon, meditation is taught by a lay teacher. The youth in the course I observed were between nine and twenty. So it was a mixed crowd, with a majority in their early teens. There was no shortage of young people seriously meditating while listening to the teachers instruction although some were not doing so. Both monks could make the audience enthusiastic and lively when giving Dhamma talks. Like the monks who give Dhamma talks in communities, both monks occasionally inserted criticism of the authorities in their talk. The difference is that they made it easy for the young ones to understand their point, and such criticism would draw loud approval from the audience. The monks clearly had knowledge about urban young peoples priorities, concerns, likes, dislikes and even teen lingo. They also used some catch phrases, or some well-known excerpts from the lyrics of pop songs as the titles of the Dhamma talks they gave to the youth. In both

places the talks were very interactive. The relationship between the monks and their crowd is apparently close and warm. While preaching, the monks always use plain Burmese language spiced with word play, puns, colloquial expressions and slang like words and phrases. This is criticized by conservative monks who would say and write that Dhamma is made to be too far simplified to the point of inaccuracy. However, their priority is to fulfill their goal of making the audience understand the Dhamma for their daily life and practice it. Teaching discipline and social norms Departing from the traditional approach of laying down a set of rules and disciplining the young people by requiring them to do some chores, the senior monk of Hmawbi is trying to train them to have self- discipline. Apparently having non-conformist, reformist views, he never likes rules written on signs; however, he has his own sense of responsibility and self-discipline. He believes insensibly strict rules can even turn a good person into a bad one. His training of the youth to become self-compliant with norms and unwritten rules is appreciated by many despite some taking advantage of his hands-off style. The younger monk of North Dagon has his own somewhat different approach. In disciplining he uses both traditional and modern approaches. He goes round the monastery compound holding a long walking stick like many conservative sayadaws teaching novices, but it is just to give the look of disciplining with a cane. He said that it was necessary for the type of children and youth in his Yin Kyay Lein Mar course, because many grow up with disciplining by caning. He explained further to me as follows: If the attendees are mature enough to have self-discipline, it would not be necessary, but due to their background and age, many need such type of disciplining. Unlike in western societies, where self- discipline is observed in public places, the children and youth need to be forced to follow discipline. I myself grew up being disciplined that way, and I appreciate that the strict disciplining has brought about success in my monastic life. Although the two monks differ in their philosophy and approaches to teaching discipline, they believe that the approach of their choice suits the type of youth they are teaching.

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The monks also teach young attendees decent social manners and table manners during the course. This is to prepare them for social encounters with diverse people in the near future. The monks and their assistant organizers used decent and gentle tones even when disciplining them. The courses included some daily Buddhist activities, such as how to pay obeisance in a proper way to the Buddha and the sangha (Buddhist monks), and offering alms to monks on the morning alms rounds. This is to make the youth familiar with the traditional daily practices of Buddhists. Teaching young people how to live in harmony with others Both monks teach the young disciplines, norms in social settings and how to solve problems related to relationships in order to live in harmony with others in family and society. The young attendees learned how to listen to others. The younger monk included literary talks and public health lectures given by academics, writers and doctors. This is also to complement moral education. During the Yin Kyay Lein Mar course for university students at Hmawbi, the monk modeled a mini seminar on two kinds of meditation: samatha (concentration meditation) and vipassana (insight meditation). Many were not familiar with the seminar process due to the limitations of the education system. He taught them how to listen to each other, how to raise relevant questions, and how a paper presenter should take the comments, opinions and advice from participants. He demonstrated open-mindedness in taking questions and answering them. He pointed out that the root cause of many problems was misunderstanding, which often led to violence, and that talking, discussion, and listening to each other were essential for social integration in Burma. The young attendees also learn how to live in harmony with others through recreational activities such as playing games, bush walking, a bonfire, and swimming for young children, singing verses related to the Dhamma along with the monk, watching a short animation film (made by an upcountry monk) about the consequences of doing unwholesome deeds, and watching the performances of famous singers and sing-alongs.

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During the course, the monks paid much attention to helping the children and youth solve problems they had with family members, siblings and especially with parents. Both monks said problems caused by unequal power relations are harder to solve than those incurred between two parties of equal status. In Burmese culture, as in many other Asian cultures, children are not expected to talk back to parents, teachers or elders. In such a case, children and subordinates suffer silently until the problem grows and becomes a conflict or rift with undesirable consequences for the family or the work place. The monks believe that problems caused by asymmetrical power relations well outnumber problems between equal parties. They also believe the youth need to be equipped to solve more serious problems caused by power relations they may encounter in the next stage of their life. Another purpose of dealing with such problems is to pass messages to parents and society. The monks said parents should understand the children when they want to follow the fashion trends and children should not think their parents out of date or ignorant of the changes today. Mutual understanding should bring about a loving relationship in a family and peace and harmony to the society as a whole. The following piece of advice given during the Dhamma talk was noteworthy: Kids, one way to improve your relationship with your family is to consider your relatives strangers and strangers your relatives. When we have problems with relatives, we need a break while cooling ourselves down. Likewise, when we have problems with strangers, we should consider them our relatives in order to seek understanding. During the break in the Yin Kyay Lein Mar course at Hmawbi, many young attendees would queue on the verandah of the Dhamma hall to air their grievances and problems concerning personal matters, including romantic relationships. They appreciated the monks undivided attention in listening to each of them, demonstration of empathy and understanding and his advice. Both monks believe that through bonding they can teach the youth more easily. Conclusion Spiro (1971) hypothesizes that people take those aspects of Buddhism they deem suitable for them and practice them. In Buddhism, the ultimate goal of practising the Dhamma is to attain nibbana (enlightenment). The monks teaching the youth also mention nibbana (enlightenment) in their Dhamma talks; however, the emphasis is on empowering the youth to discover their own

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inner strength through the practice of dana, sila and bhavana so that they achieve balance between their spirituality and their secular life. These days leading monks are young and educated, and they have ample secular and religious knowledge to share. This is appealing to many young Buddhists, especially in the city. There is no language barrier between the youth and the young monks. The monks active style of working also has an infectious effect on the young people. Due to this, the demand for Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses is on the rise. A new breed of monks is making Buddhism relevant to young peoples modern secular life: their education, their personal and emotional well-being, and their relationships with family, teachers and friends. It is in line with Durkheims theory of social functions of religion. Participating in Yin Kyay Lein Mar courses apparently brings young Buddhists joy, serenity and enthusiasm. The monks apparently believe that religion promotes social integration by strengthening the bonds between the individual and their society as Durkheim theorized (Aldridge 2007: 68). Starting from helping youth attain inner peace, the monks aim at cohesion in the family, and, on a broader scale, social integration, vital for the country nowadays. Bibliography A new breed of monks rises in Myanmar, Wall Street Journal, 19 August 2008, [http://atbu.org/node/65] accessed 14 February 2010 Ashin Wayama 1995 Hpone daw gyi kyaun pinnya yei thamai (History of Monastic Education) (M.A. thesis, State Pariyatti Sasana University, Yangon) Durkheim, Emile 1973 Moral Education: A Study in the Theory and Application of the Sociology of Education, translated by Everett K. Wilson and Herman Schnurer, New York & London: The Free Press & Collier Macmillan Publishers Houtman, Gustaaf 1999 Mental Culture in Burmese Crisis Politics. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy. Monograph series no.33. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa Hpone daw gyi thin pyinnayei kyaun (Monastic Education School), Tha Tun Pyant Dhamma Journal, vol. 14, no. 17, 2009

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Jordt, Ingrid 2007 Burmas Mass Lay Meditation Movement: Buddhism and the Cultural Construction of Power, The United States of America: Ohio University Press Kaw, Eugenia 2005 Buddhism and Education in Burma: Varying Conditions for a Social Ethos in the Path to Nibbana, PhD thesis, Princeton University Lawson, Thomas E 2003 Agency and Religious Agency in Cognitive Perspective in Selected Readings in the Anthropology of Religion: Theoretical and Methodological Essays, Stephen D. Glazier and Charles A Flowerday (eds), the United States of America; Praeger Publishers, pp.99-106 Leehey, Jennifer 2005 Writing in a Crazy Way: Literary Life in Contemporary Urban Burma, in Burma at the Turn of the 21st Century, Monique Skidmore (ed), Honolulu: University of Hawai`i Press, pp.175-205 Mahastipathana Sutta: The Great Frames of Reference http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html (14 February 2010) Mendelson, Michael E 1975 Sangha and State In Burma, Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press Mingalabyuha a-thin gyoke Buddha batha thindan (Mingalabyuha courses on Buddhsim), Mingalabyuha Silver Jubilee Commemorative Journal, 19 May 1982, pp.146-161 Mingalabyuha a-thin gyoke phit paw la bon (How Mingalabyuha association has come into existence), Mingalabyuha Golden Jubilee Commemorative Journal, 19 May 2006, pp.269 Parker, Lyn 2008 The experience of adolescent students in modernist Islamic boarding schools in West Sumatra, Indonesia, in proceedings of the 17th Biennial conference of Asian Studies Association of Australia, Melbourne, 1-3 July 2008, Monash University, Melbourne, accessed October 4, 2010 http://arts.monash.edu.au/mai/asaa/proceedings.php#p Schober, Julian 2005 Buddhist Vision of Moral Authority and Modernity in Burma, in Burma at the Turn of the 21st Century, Monique Skidmore (ed), Honolulu: University of Hawai`i Press, pp.113-132 Skidmore, Monique

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2005 The Future of Burma: Children Are Like Jewels in Burma at the Turn of the 21st Century, Monique Skidmore (ed), Honolulu: University of Hawai`i Press, pp.249-270 Spiro, Melford E 1971 Buddhism and Society: A Great Tradition and Its Burmese Vicissitudes, London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd Steinberg, David I 2006 Civil Society and Legitimacy: The Basis for National Reconciliation in Burma/Myanmar, in Myanmars Long Road to National Reconciliation, Trevor Wilson (ed), Singapore and Canberra: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Australian National University, pp.149176 Tin Maung Maung Than 1993 Sangha Reforms and Renewal of Sasana in Myanmar: Historical Trends and Contemporary Practice in Buddhist Trends in Southeast Asia, Trevor Ling (ed.). Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, pp.6-63 U Khin Maung Thit and U Kyaw Thein 2009 Buddhist Education for Children. (Paper to be presented at a Conference on Buddhism in Myanmar) Yangon:Y.M.B.A

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