Popular abbot must leave monastery in one month

Thursday, 19 January 2012 21:26 Myo Thant

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The abbot of the Thadu Pariyatti Monastery must leave his teaching monastery by February 19, confirming his eviction following an appeal to the state Sangha authority.

The abbot signed a bond in front of Rangoon Region Sangha authorities and government officials confirming his eviction.

“I signed as they directed and agreed to leave my monastery,” said Abbot Shwenyawah. “I have no plan yet to move to another monastery. I’m still considering what to do next with calmness and a cool head.”

The authorities banned the abbot from preaching sermons in February 2011 for one year for teaching things incompatible with Buddhism.

In addition, the highest Sangha authority on December 12, 2011, ordered him to leave his monastery in Kyimyindine, Rangoon, and to halt all training conducted in this monastery, which teaches about 1,000 student-monks. The ban came because he preached a sermon at the NLD Mandalay Region branch office in September 2001, in violation of a Sangha order. The abbot’s appeal was rejected. Religious classes for higher exams are taught at his monastery.

The popular abbot did relief work during Cyclone Nargis, which hit southern Burma in 2008, distributing relief supplies and drinking water and disposing of corpses.