Religion

Buddhism is the national religion of Myanmar and consequently about 85 % of the population are Buddhists. But like Thai Buddhism Myanmar Buddhism is strongly intertwined with spiritism.

Myanmar was the first country in Southeast Asia where the words of the Buddha were spread. Buddhism has been taught since the first millennium of Christian reckoning by Indian merchants, who entered the Ayeyarwaddy delta for trade purposes.

But Buddhism became the dominant religion of Myanmar only after King Anawratha ascended the throne of the Burmese Kingdom in Bagan in 1044. King Anawratha was converted to Buddhism by a Mon missionary by the name of Shin Arahan.

As in Thailand, which was considerably later converted to Buddhism by Mon missionaries, in Myanmar a Buddhist temple is always the center of the village community. Like in Thailand, Myanmar Buddhist temples are the traditional places for education; and again like in Thailand, every male Burmese is expected to temporarily don the monk's robes at least once in his lifetime usually as adolescent.

More on Myanmar:

The Country and its People

Myanmar - Burma
Geography
Climate
Population
Burmans
Mon
Shan
Karen
Kachin
Chin and Naga
Rohingyas
Religion
History
Bagan Era
Taungu Dynasty
Konbaug Dynasty
Colonial Times
World War II, Postwar Period
Independence
Myanmar Today

Travel Information

Immigration Regulations
Currency
Celebrations and Holidays

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Bago

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Keng Tung