Myanmar Sangha Administration of Pali Studies in the 21stCentury

บทคัดย่อ

Objectives of this research were to study the Myanmar Sangha administration of Pali
Study in the 21st Century, the factors affecting the Pali Studies administration by Myanmar
Sangha and to find the results of Pali study by Sangha administration committees in
Myanmar, using qualitative research collected data from 20 key informants and analyzed
data by descriptive interpretation. Findings were that Pali studies of traditional and modern
methods up to 2019. At present Myanmar Sangha Pali study consists of two different
systems; traditional and modern Pali study with university system. Main traditional Pali
studies were also divided into three systems of examinations. There are Pali Pathmapya
examination, Dhammacariya examination and Tipitaka selection examination. The Supreme
Council of Sangha Administration that takes care of Pali Studies is structured with three
Sangha committees. There are state Sangha Mahanayaka Committees, State Central Working
Committee, and State Admonition, or Supervisory Committee. Under the administration of
Sangha Mahanayaka Committee, both of two Pali examinations were controlled, and those
were held by Sangha Mahanayaka Committee and Ministry of Religious Affairs. Sangha
Mahanayaka Committee and state government established Sangha Universities in which Pali
is studied with modern methods in 1986. Those are called governmental Pali study. Main
concern is the situation of Sangha population in Yagon Region. Numbers of monks and
novices who remained in the monkhood more than three Buddhist Lents and studied Pali in
Sangha universities are declining drastically year by year.