Paper 15

Abstract

Myanmar is one of Theravada Buddhist countries today in the world. Buddhism in Myanmar has long been deeply established as a majority religion for a long time and was declared Buddhism as state religion of Myanmar in 1961. Myanmar Buddhist Community has developed a good foundation of Buddhist thought, which has Buddhist psychological development in their whole lives. Buddhism and Myanmar cannot be separated as Buddhism has been related to the socio-cultural development of the Buddhist people. This is how Buddhist teachings have grown from ancient Myanmar to the present day. Undoubtedly, Buddhist teachings can prove to build a great community and promote mental development. This study aims to explore how Buddhism has influenced the psychological development of the Myanmar lay Buddhist community and the Theravada Buddhist teachings have shaped their main cultures and religion. Its specific objectives are to investigate positive impacts of Buddhist community and how Buddhism influences the inhabitants of Myanmar, to examine Buddhist contribution to a peaceful community, and to provide suggestions on how Theravada Buddhist teachings can develop a harmonious community. This paper will employ documentary research using a qualitative approach. s Textual descriptions from Pāḷi canon, its commentaries, and Buddhist literary works are primary sources and the secondary sources include books, journals, website, etc., written by various scholars. The findings of this research indicate that Buddhism has influenced the Myanmar community by developing a harmonious and tolerant mind as their moral mind. This shows how the Buddhist concepts shape their attitudes toward the last ambition of Nibbana. This study hopes to highlight the psychological development of the Myanmar Buddhist community through the influence of Buddhism even when they are in difficulty.

Keywords: Lay Buddhist Community, Myanmar, Buddhist Psychological Development

Introduction

Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha, has influenced the lives of thousands of millions of different people in the world for around 2600 years. Buddhism has established to understand a way of life with loving-kindness, tolerance, goodwill, and bringing peaceful community and happiness to all living beings. In Vinaya Pitaka of Mahavagga, the Buddha describes “Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.” The meaning is “Walk, monks, on tour for the blessing of many folk, for the happiness of the many folk out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the blessing, the happiness of devas and men.” This is how the Buddhism, the Buddha’s teachings purposes to develop the best social welfare of people and educated communities who understand a way of life. Then, in Dhammacakkappavattana sutta, the early sutta explain the correct way to live in human being such as the noble eightfold path and the four noble truths: getting life is suffering (Dukkha); aging, illness, and death, The Cause (Samudaya), The Cessation (Nirodha), and The Path (Magga). This is how the Buddhist people can establish their psychological and spiritual development in difficult circumstances, and it is also the solution of fundamental problem of life.

Buddhism in Myanmar community has been a majority religion long period such as Pyus and Bagan. Since the 11th century, with the beginning of the Bagan dynasty, Theravada Buddhism started to prevail, and Buddhism infiltrated many aspects of the Myanmar culture. King Anawrahta (AD 1044-77) and his religious guide Shin Arahan, a monk from Thaton, under-took many endeavors in order to purify the existing religion and establish the Theravada Buddhism. Fundamentally, Myanmar’s community cultures and their social standards based on Buddhism from the life of childhood to growth old. Myanmar’s cultures and Buddhism can’t be separated that are related to each other in Myanmar from ancient times to the present. Buddhism in Myanmar largely follows Theravada Buddhism, which was declared as the state religion of Myanmar in 1961.

In recent years of 2019-2026, Myanmar lay Buddhist community has in difficult situation. However, the lay Buddhist community in Myanmar has developed with Buddhist cultures and Buddhist thoughts through daily activities. In particular, Myanmar lay Buddhist community is well recognized the strong practice of Buddhist meditation tradition to develop their mental cultivation. It was an important part of this revival meditation movement among the monastic and lay communities such as Ledi Sayadaw, U Bakhin, S. N. Goenka, Mahasi Sayadaw and so on during British rule. It is how Buddhism influenced the development of Myanmar’s lay Buddhist community until The Buddha’s teachings become their second nature. In present day of world, there face many problems that the people search and solve their problems in many ways but the people from Myanmar have different ways because of well-established of Buddhist spiritual cultivation.

In this study, a well-established the foundation of Buddhist thought of psychological and spiritual development of Myanmar lay Buddhist community that it means Myanmar lay Buddhist community cultivate their minds how to live and practice in the daily life happily through the psychological structure of belief in the Buddhist doctrines of good kamma (kusala), tolerance (khanti), and loving-kindness (metta), etc. It is the fundamental foundation of positive impacts of Buddhist community how Buddhism influences the inhabitants of Myanmar. Essentially, generosity (dana), ethical conduct (sila), and meditation (bhavana) are the three main practices of meritorious deeds for The heart of Buddhist spiritual life. From the point of view of Buddhist psychological theory, the cultivation of generosity, ethical conduct, and meditation are kammatic and nibbanic Buddhism in Myanmar lay Buddhist community. This present study thus does hope to develop the Buddhist psychological community in Myanmar.

Research Aim and Objectives

This study aims to explore how Buddhism influenced the psychological development of the Myanmar lay Buddhist community and the Theravada Buddhist teachings developed their main cultures and religion. The objectives of this research study are: to investigate positive impacts of Buddhist community how Buddhism influences the inhabitants of Myanmar, to examine Buddhist contribution to be a peaceful community, and to provide suggestions on how Theravada Buddhist teachings are to develop a psychological development community.

Method of Study

In this paper, document research is applied; qualitative study of a textual description from Pali canon, its commentaries, and Buddhist literary works as primary sources and related to the other secondary sources are books, journals, website, etc., written by various scholars. This textual study method is applicable for this study because this study is to focus the Buddhism influenced on psychological development of the Myanmar lay Buddhist community through Theravada Buddhist teachings of their main cultures and religion. This study is Buddhism and community development in Myanmar to find out intellectual and emotional cognitive growth of lay Buddhists with Buddhist faith.

Research Questions

This paper will be explored the following research questions:

What are positive impacts of Buddhist community influenced by Buddhism in the inhabitants of Myanmar?

What is the Buddhist contribution to being a peaceful community?

What suggestions on how Theravada Buddhist teachings are to develop a psychological development community?

Literature Review

In this present study, the significant theoretical terms will be explained and related research through various sources: books, research articles and internet sources, etc. will be presented. There are the previous studies regarding Buddhism in Myanmar on the Lay Buddhist Community researched by scholars that will be studied in this paper. This study doesn’t focus to study Buddhist psychology but in here how Myanmar lay community has a well foundation of Buddhist thoughts.

The term of “Lay Buddhist Community” in here, doesn’t use the plural word “Communities” but the meaning is both male and female. Lay Buddhist community is essential to support to the existence of Buddhist Sangha community in Buddhism, is to comprise the two: male (upasaka) and female lay disciple (upasika) who declares to goes the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha as refuge. There are the four significant “communities (assemblies)” (parisa): monks (bhikkhu), nuns (bhikkhuni), male lay followers, and female lay followers to grow and be strong emerges the Buddhist teachings. The Buddha confirms to achieve his mission with accomplished disciples from each of these four assemblies. This is how the four assemblies can help and support each other in the implementation of the Buddha’s teachings. There specifically address that the members of each of these four assemblies are necessary in Buddhism to prevent the decline of the Dhamma and to propagate the Dhamma, and in dire need of the harmonious cooperation of the four assemblies to live and practice the Buddha’s timeless teachings in modern society. However, in this study the lay Buddhist community in Myanmar is the purpose to develop the cultivation of generosity and meritorious deeds with the practicing of spiritual development and how the lay Buddhist community in Myanmar can live with a good kamma in difficult events because of Buddha’s disciples.

The word “Buddhist Psychological Development” is to develop spiritual and moral community of Buddhism that doesn’t mean the western psychology (the scientific study of the mind and behavior, the science of mental life as a natural science grounded in empirical research and objectivity (William James-1842-1910) often emphasizes individualism and self-actualization in this study. however, Buddhist psychology is the study of mind in order to understand its true nature as a spiritual science focused on consciousness, self-realization, and liberation; because of practice of the Dhamma what the Buddhist teachings on the mind. Buddhist psychology always explains the nature of mind. The important teaching of the Buddha is difficult to restrain the mind but it is very necessary to control the mind to attain happiness and the three stages mental development of Sila, Samadhi and Panna. Here, Buddhist Psychological Development is a way of life how to live without mental illness, stress, and loneliness in our day to day life.

In the Pāḷi textual sources, Mahāvagga pāli (Vinaya Pitaka) (P.27), describe for the blessing of many folk, for the happiness of the many folk out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the blessing, the happiness of devas and men. It is concerned the two kinds of welfare: the mundane and the supra-mundane. Moreover, it focuses only on the well-being of living beings that this is to develop a peaceful and harmony community in the world. In the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta, states to understand the Psychological Development of life.

Ashin Janakabhivamsa was one of great Buddhist scholars in Myanmar, he wrote many well-known Buddhist treatises widely. The book in Anagatthathanayay (The Future of the Sāsanā)(12-Reprint-2003) described one of chapter is Burmese Buddhism (Buddhism in Myanmar) from Thaton, Bagan, Ava Buddhism to present time. In this chapter, lay Buddhist communities; from the kings to public people have developed a well-established faith (saddha) into Buddhism. The people practice the five precepts that this is how Buddhist psychological development in their lives and developed the meritorious deeds (kusala kamma) such as donation of monasteries, ceremony of ordination and novitiation and so on. The young community has found a foundation theory of kamma and social development because of novitation ceremony, a temporary ordination for every boy in Myanmar Buddhism. This ceremony has profound psychological effects: introduced to the Buddhist concepts, a key virtue in Buddhism, and provides a powerful training in self-control to young life. This is how the young boys develop psychological development from young life. This study focused on lay Buddhist community is well-developed the Buddhist educational and spiritual development even from the young life.

Similarly, Khin Maung Myint. (2025) “How Culture and Buddhism Shape Psychological Development in Burmese Children” discussed in this article how Burmese culture infused with Buddhist teaching (Dhamma), influences the emotional and cognitive growth of children from early childhood through adolescence that related to the belief of Theravada Buddhism. In this study, there is to explore the different between Western psychological and Eastern or Buddhist psychological development from children to growth old life of cultures such to solve mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and self-harm especially the lay life of Burmese Buddhism. This is found how a good foundation of Buddhist Psychological Development to contribute a positive futures.

The research “Impacts of current socio-political movements on Burmese Buddhism” is also conducted by Dr. Ven. Acinna (2017). The researcher examines the situations of current Burmese Buddhism, monastic institution and lay Buddhist community due to the impacts of current socio-political movements in contemporary Burmese Buddhism past two decades to present - 2016. In this research, the researcher focuses on Mynamar Buddhist community of socio-political and cultural point of view with a critical study and documentary research as well as interviews. The gradual involvement of monastic members and lay Buddhist community in inter-religious activities and in social welfare works are the progressive aspects of Burmese Buddhism. Another study is social Buddhist community done by Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2016). “The Buddha's teachings on social and communal harmony: an anthology of discourses form the Pali Canon” focused on community to live together freely as individuals, and equal in principle for each other. This work is the anthology of discourses from Sutta Pitaka that to underline living with the Dhamma in a free and intended to bring to light the Buddha’s teachings on social and communal harmony. There also explain the personal training, and the different of natural and intentional community.

Gethin, Rupert. (1998). “The Foundation of Buddhism” discussed to explore the foundation of Buddhism and Buddhist community in the world as an introduction to Buddhist thought and practice. This study is an introductory work to some kind of general-survey approach of different traditions of ‘Buddhism’ and attempts to give an equal treatment of all in the world today. Some chapters study a textual and scriptural and an overview of the history of different traditions of Buddhism in Asia. This intends to study and provide some form of orientation for further study. Moreover, this study is only Burmese Buddhist community done by Spiro, Melford E. (1970). “Buddhism and Society: A Great Tradition and Its Burmese Vicissitudes” in this study described the observation of Burmese Buddhism In an important anthropological study of post-war Burmese Buddhist practice, and proposed a distinction three forms of Buddhism: ‘apotropai: protection of a community and individual and improving conditions in the here and now, kammatic: Buddhist practice that is concerned with acquiring 'merit' and producing a better rebirth, and nibbanic: Buddhist practice that aims directly at the attainment of nibbana’. This study explores the close relationship between Buddhist traditions and Myanmar identity and examines how Buddhism has influenced Myanmar community.

Findings and Discussion

In this section, the findings are presented: background observation- aim and objectives, the pāḷi Buddhist literature, and literary works of book sources - journals, articles by various scholars. In this study, there used qualitative study method of a textual description to focus on Buddhism influence on the psychological development of Myanmar lay Buddhist community through Theravada Buddhist teachings of their main cultures and religion.

As found in Myanmar, lay Buddhist community has a long historical background believed in Buddhism and a well-foundation through the Buddhist concepts as their main cultures. In Myanmar from ancient times to the present, such as Pyus, Thaton, Bagan, Ava, and so on, largely practice of Theravada Buddhism was declared as the state religion of Myanmar in 1961.

This study was aimed at exploring the influence of Buddhist psychological development of lay Buddhist community in Myanmar. The objectives of this study found that Myanmar lay Buddhist community cultivates their minds to live and practice with happy in the daily life through the psychological structure of belief in the Buddhist doctrines of good actions. It rather aspires to a future worldly existence in which their desires may find satisfaction of life and a peaceful community. The people view their suffering as a temporary state, the result of their present position in samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). But, Buddhists practice to transcend the samsaric world in a future life and achieve Nibbana.

Based on the Pali literature, the teaching of Buddha is to develop the best social welfare of people and educated communities who understand a way of life. The main teachings for living beings are the noble eightfold path and four noble truths. Fundamentally, the three main practices of meritorious deeds and the foundation of Buddhist thought of psychological and spiritual development; generosity, ethical conduct, and meditation are the heart of Buddhist spiritual life in Myanmar for the lay Buddhist community to develop the final liberation.

Furthermore, Ashin Janakabhivamsa stated that Myanmar lay Buddhist community has support the Buddha’ Sasana and develop themselves for the Buddhist psychological development in their lives and developed the meritorious deeds (kusala kamma) such as the practice of five precepts, donations, ceremony of ordination and so on that introduce to Buddhist virtues and Buddhist psychological development from young life to growth old. The same result that was found in the study of Khin Maung Myint on Burmese Buddhist community build a concept of kamma as psychological development linked to the tenets of Theravada Buddhism form the growth of early childhood. Burmese culture and Buddhism related each other. This is how shape Buddhist psychological development the lay Buddhist community in Myanmar. Likewise, this study also supports the finding of Spiro, Melford E, on Burmese community in major religions of Buddhism with the living faith of daily thoughts. Researcher turns to the ‘two-way’ relationship between religion and culture: the Psychological setting of the religion and the influence of Buddhism on the world.

Bodhi, Bhikkhu. This study found that the purpose of life to be happy and to bring peace into all communities in wider world. The Buddha illustrates the teachings for social and communal harmony that this work has collected the Buddha’s teachings on conflict resolution, interpersonal and social problem-solving and the developing of harmonious relationships. Moreover, Gethin, Rupert, the finding is to try to identify and focus on those fundamental ideas and practices that constitute something of a common heritage shared by the different traditions of Buddhism. The monastic and Buddhist lay community ways of life have a progressive path of practice leading on from good conduct and devotions through stages of meditation to a higher understanding. Hopefully, this study will contribute to understand a well-established of Buddhist community in Myanmar.

Conclusion

To conclude, the aims of this study “Buddhism in Myanmar and its Buddhist Psychological Development: a Focus on the Lay Buddhist Community” is to explore the influenced Buddhist psychological development on the Myanmar lay Buddhist community with document research study of a textual description. The finding revealed that Buddhism in Myanmar has been faced many difficult circumstances and communal conflicts such as socio-political, economic and healthy movements but the Myanmar lay Buddhist community is strongly believed and cultivated the positive distribution of meritorious deeds and moral actions in daily activities. In Myanmar the lay Buddhist community, generosity (dana), ethical conduct (sila), and meditation (bhavana) are the three main practices of meritorious deeds for The heart of Buddhist spiritual life. From Buddhist psychological theory, apotropaic, kammatic and nibbanic are the main practices for lay Buddhist community in Myanmar. The lay Buddhist community plays an important role to support the Sasana fundamentally. This work is strongly believes that will light on the understanding of Buddhist lay community in Myanmar how they have a well foundation of Buddha’s teachings and the spiritual life.

References

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2. Bischoff, Roger. (1996). Buddhism in Myanmar A Short History. Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society.

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A short Biography

I am Ven. Kavinda, was born in 1982, Rakhaing State. I become a novice life about thirteen years old in 1995, and the date of higher ordination is in 2004 in my native village. My education journey in Pali literature has studied the level of Dhamma cariya.

I have graduated Bachelor of Arts (English) (B.A) at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (Chiang Mai, Thai Land) form 2009 to 2012, Master of Arts at Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka 2014-2015 academic year; and Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Management Shan State Buddhist University, Shan state, Myanmar 2022-2023 academic year.

Furthermore, I am also a Ph.D. student at University of Global Peace and working in the Library as a librarian. Now, I am at Shan State Buddhist University.

Current Address: Shan State Buddhist University, Phaya Phyu, Taunggyi, Shan State, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, 06011.