Dhamma VCDs by Two Well-known Monks Banned in Burma

Source:The Irrawaddy News Magazine Online

by Wai Moe

November 16, 2007

Dhamma VCDs by two of Burma’s respected senior monks, which are interpreted as critical of the junta’s brutal crackdown on the monk-led demonstrations, have been banned by authorities, according to Rangoon sources.

U Nyanithara

The two monks, U Nyanithara and U Kawvida, are well-known for their Dhamma talks [Buddhist teachings] to laypeople.

“Normally all Dhamma cassette tapes or VCDs are sold at shops across the country," said a Rangoon resident. "But we cannot buy these recent VCDs at shops because authorities banned them. But you know it's the IT age. So the VCDs are copied and delivered person-to-person.”

One Rangoon resident told The Irrawaddy on Friday that U Kawvida called the Burmese junta the second "Azartathet" [Azartathet is an infamous villain who killed his father for power in Buddhist stories]. U Kawvida is abbot at Mizzima Gon Yee Monastery in Rangoon.

The monks' dhamma talks, recorded on VCDs, are based on classic Buddhist stories, but the meaning of the words are interpreted by laypeople as critical of Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the junta, in part because the talks were given shortly after the country-wide protest demonstrations.

U Kawvida, a Buddhist PhD scholar, said in his VCD that the worst disease is hunger, and if people are poor and hungry, it is a universal truth that they will explore. According to one layperson who saw the VCD, the story was saying that if a government causes people to be poor and hungry, it is natural for people to protest and demonstrate. His most recent Dhamma talks were in Rangoon and Magway.

Another senior monk, U Nyanithara , also known as Thitagu Sayardaw, spoke before laypeople in Myingyan in central Burma. In his VCD, titled “The Way of Dumb People,” he criticized people who are guided by numerology and astrology. One layperson said the story was critical of Snr-Gen Than Shwe, who is famous for basing important decisions on his astrologer's advice. A second VCD is titled "The Ending of the King."

U Nyanithara openly talked about democracy in many Dhamma talks following the 1988 uprising, and his democracy dhamma tapes were popular among Burmese. He is active in humanitarian work and well-known for his water supply projects, known as Thitagu Water Donations. He has helped establish Buddhist groups in the US, Canada, Australia and in Europe.

Buddhism and war

A post at the forum on Buddhism and war, asked by someone I that I believe is not a Buddhist....

From Buddhist point of view, the Buddha's teachings can be summarized into 4 Noble Truths. Simply, his teaching is about (1) dukkha (stressful, unsatisfactory, etc), (2) the cause of dukkha (cravings, ignorance, etc), (3) the end of dukkha (nibbana), and (4) the path to the end of dukkha (eightfold path).

If a person considers oneself a Buddhist and practice Buddhism, or merely act as a "protector of Dhamma", the teachings of the Buddha, then one would live according to what the Buddha taught (the 4th Noble Truth, the eightfold path). Very briefly, at the minimum is to live a wholesome life, and not engage in unwholesome activities. Since one of the most unwholesome activities one can do is killing human beings, a person who acts to protect Dhamma (or to spread Dhamma) would abstain from taking other people's lives.

So if someone kills other human beings in the name of Buddhism, he/she does not act according to the very basic teachings of the Buddha. So how can he/she be called a Buddhist?

For all I know, the Burmese junta may one day say that they have been killing innocent Buddhist monks over the past few months in order to protect their version of Dhamma/Buddhism. But the act of killing itself is at the opposite end of what the Buddha taught.

Layman's 5 precepts include abstain from taking lives, not only of people's lives, but also of animals' lives. Real Buddhists wouldn't kill to protect Buddhism or Dhamma, because the act of killing itself goes against Buddhism.

To engage in war for Buddhism is not Buddhism.