Linh Pham

Buddhism in Myanmar (Burma) has made news in recent years. The monks of Burma and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi resisted the military junta that ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. More recently, a faction within the monastic sangha has incited violence against the Muslim minority in Burma.

For centuries Buddhism has permeated Burmese culture. Indeed, Buddhism is credited with binding together the diverse ethnic groups within its borders and making them one nation. For centuries monks were the chief educators of Burma, spreading knowledge and literacy.