6 June 2023
Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Patron of Bhamo Monastery, Maha Nwezin Ward, Maha Aungmyay Township, Mandalay Region, Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dr Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa passed away peacefully at 11.11 pm on 7th waxing day of Nayon 1385 ME {25 May (Thursday) 2023} at the age of 94, vasa 74. Funeral rites of the Sayadaw were held at the monastery this afternoon.
Present were eminent Sayadaws led by Secretary of SSMNC Patron of Minkyaung Pathamabyan Religious School in Thanlyin Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Dr Bhaddanta Candimabhivamsa and State Ovadacariya Vice Sangha Raja of Shwekyin Nikaya Chancellor of Sitagu International Buddhist Academies Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Dr Bhaddanta Nyanissara, Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo and wife, SAC member Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, union ministers, the Mandalay Region chief minister, senior military officers from Office of Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Central Command commander, devotees, members of Sangha, nuns, Buddhist association, associations of other faiths, and local people.
The congregation led by the Senior General received the Five Precepts from Thanlyin Minkyaung Sayadaw. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Ko Ko, Chief Minister U Myo Aung, and Command Commander Maj-Gen Ko Ko Oo covered the coffin in which the remains of Bhamo Sayadaw were placed with a holy velvet.
Thanlyin Minkyaung Sayadaw read out the message of condolence. The Union Minister for RA and C read out the message of commiserations. Of the messages of condolence sent by internal and external leaders and religious associations, the message sent by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the message sent by the chairman Sayadaw of Amarapura Sangha Council in Sri Lanka were read out by an official of region government, the message sent by the Pope was read out by Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon Catholic Archdiocese, the message sent by All Myanmar Islam Association was read out by U Wunna Shwe, the message sent by the Buddhist Association of China was read out by an official of region government.
The Senior General and wife presented offertories to Thanlyin Minkyaung Sayadaw. Other attendees also presented offertories to Buddhist monks.
Member of State Central Working Committee of the Sangha Patron of Masoeyein Taikthit, Mandalay Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Maha Dhammakathika Bahujanahitadhara Bhaddanta Vasethabhivamsa delivered a sermon, and the congregation shared the merits gained.
Master of ceremonies read out the brief biography of Bhamo Sayadaw.
Devotees led by the Senior General asked for forgiveness of sins and paid respects to the Sayadaw’s remains.
At the second phase of the ceremony, the remains were conveyed to the funeral ground in Chanmyathazi Township. After the MC made a request to convey the remains to the decorated Karaweik carriage, eight devotee monks carried the remains to the archway, eight dignitaries led by the Senior General from the archway to the designated place, eight steering committee members and eight relatives from the respective designated places to the decorate carriage. Then the remains were conveyed to the crematorium in the funeral ground.
The Karaweik decorated float carrying the remains of the Sayadaw flanked by administration vehicles, vehicles of State Ovadacariya Sayadaws and Maha Nayaka Sayadaws, the vehicles carrying pictures of the Sayadaw, vehicles of religious flag bearers and disciples, vehicles of royal ceremonial troupes, 500 monks each in east and west positions of the Karaweik decorated float, relatives and religious association, was pulled by 50 disciples each and local residents on both sides of the decorated float.
Along the route, members of the Sangha, nuns and disciple people also flanked the decorated float.
In the third portion of the ceremony, the final rites ceremony took place. Conveyance of the remains of the Sayadaw was started by eight members of the Sangha onto the incineration chamber, and the officials of the region government conveyed it onto the decorated float.
The master of ceremonies supplicated conveyance of the remains onto the incineration chamber with the Abhiyacana Nimantana Gatha and the remains was conveyed onto the chamber on the agenda.
The Senior General paid homage to the remains of the Sayadaw.
They all led by members of the Sangha paid homage to the remains for forgetting their sins by reciting Aniccavata Sankhara Gatha.
Then, the congregation recited Sadhu three times and members of the Sangha pressed the button to cremate the remains.
The Sayadaw has served as Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and the Chairman of the State Sangha Central Working Committee of the Sangha for some 13 years. He was born to U Bo Thit and Daw Aye Thaik in Yabe Village of Taungtha Township in Mandalay Region on 14th Waxing of Tawthalin, 1291 ME, Monday. He was initiated into novice on 8 waxing of Waso 1304 ME. The Sayadaw was ordained on 10 waxing of Tabodwe 1310 ME. The Sayadaw learned Pariyatti literature and received many religious titles offered at home and abroad. The Saydaw served as member of the State Central Working Committee of the Sangha from first to sixth times till March 2010, as Secretary of the SSMNC from March to July 2010 and Chairman from July 2010 to date. He also served as Chancellor of State Pariyatti Sangha Universities.
The government offered Abhidhaja Maha Saddhamma Jotika title to the Sayadaw in 2009 and Abhidhaja Agga Maha Rattha Guru title in 2011 for serving the religious affairs. The Sayadaw, aged 94, vasa 74, passed away at 11:11 pm on 25 May (Thursday) 2023, 7th waxing of Nayon 1385 ME.
The ash of the Sayadaw will set adrift into the water of Ayeyawady River at Mayanchan Port in Mandalay on the morning of 7 June.
