Contexts - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 517

BUDDHISM AND POLITICS
Myanmar'smonksplayanimportantroleinBurmeselifeasspiritualleadersandhavealso
assumed an important role in many of the last century's political struggles. U Ottama and
U Wisara (both of whom starved themselves to death while in British prisons) were two
leading figures in the anti-colonial movement. The Sangha also played a leading part dur-
ing the 1988 and 2007 uprisings - despite their revered status they suffered particularly
badly from military brutality, with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of monks being murdered
duringthe1988uprising(duringwhichnumerousgovernmentinformersreportedlyshaved
their heads and donned robes in an attempt to infiltrate the monastic orders and identify
protesters). Their decision during the 2007 uprising to “overturn the alms bowl” ( thabeik
hmauk ) and refuse all offerings from the military - a kind of Buddhist version of excom-
munication - served as a powerful, if ultimately unsuccessful, symbolic statement against
military rule.
NotallmembersoftheSanghaareirreproachablypeaceful,however,asprovedbythein-
fluential 969 Movement , led by controversial monk Ashin Wirathu, whose sermons have
been accused of stoking Burmese Islamophobia, declaring (with reference to his Muslim
fellow nationals) that “You can be full of kindness and love, but you cannot sleep next to a
mad dog”.
Burmese Buddhism and the occult
Running alongside the country's orthodox Buddhist beliefs is a string of arcane and outland-
ish beliefs. First and foremost is a strong belief in astrology many Burmese will consult an
astrologer when planning, say, a new business or preparing to sit an exam. The day of the
week on which one is born is considered especially important.
Numerology
Numerology is considered particularly significant. Ne Win's disastrous 1987 currency re-
forms can be blamed on numerology, while the ultra-auspicious date of August 8, 1988 was
chosen for the date on which the main thrust of the 8888 Uprising was launched; another
rebellion was later planned for September 9, 1999, but failed to materialize. More recently,
the 969 Movement chose its name (whose three digits “symbolize the virtues of the Buddha,
Buddhist practices and the Buddhist community”) in overt numerological opposition to the
popular Islamic cipher 786, corresponding to the opening phrase of the Qu'ran (the fact that
7 + 8 + 6 = 21 being seen as proof by the 969 Movement that Muslims intend to take over
Myanmar during the current century).