RĀMAÑÑANIKĀYA

RĀMAÑÑANIKĀYA − IN RĀMAÑÑADESA OF LOWER MYANMAR

In 3^rd century BC, King Asoka of India sent nine Buddhist Missionaries in nine regions. Of nine regions, the two Mahāthero named Soņa and Uttara came to the region of Suvaņņabhūmi (Thathon) at the reign of king Sīlarājā. In that very occasion, conceptually, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya came into existence in Rāmaññadesa of Lower Myanmar.

From that time onwards, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya survived until 11^th century A.D., but unfortunately, in the same century, due to disaster of the war attached by king Anoratha of Myanmar, the Mon Buddhasāsanā and the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya encountered with weakness under the Myanmar kings.

However, luckily, the Mon Buddhasāsanā and the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya survived again in 15^th century A.D. during the reign of king Dhammaceti. At that time, the king Dhammaceti sent the Mon Sangha to re-ordain at Kallayanī Sīmā of Sri Lanka and then, the Mon Sangha came into one single sect known as Mahāvihāravāsī of Rāmaññanikāya under the leader of Suvaņņasobhaņa Mahāthero in the whole three Mon Kingdoms of Lower Myanmar.

However, the life’s cycle of the Mon people, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya and the Mon Buddhasāsanā changed into the worst situation after defeated war between the Mon and Myanmar in (1757) A.D. during the reign of the last Mon king Banyardala. And then, the Mon people and the Mon Sangha left the country and took refuges in Thailand. At that time, the Mon Buddhasāsanā and the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya almost disappeared from their identity in Myanmar.

Fortunately, in 16^th century A.D., Ariyavamsa Mahāthero established Rāmaññanikāya in Ayutthaya, Thailand while in 19^th century A.D., Ambagahavatte Saranankara Mahāthero also established Rāmaññanikāya in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, during the British Colonial period in 19^th century A.D., Sakko Mahāthero of Blue Island, Mon State, Myanmar was also recognized as Sangharājā of Rāmaññanikāya in Lower Myanmar. In recent year, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya appointed the Most Venerable Tejavanta Mahāthero as a head of Rāmaññanikāya in 2016 and in present day, the Most Venerable Ketu Mahāthero of Sammale, Kayin State, Myanmar is selected as the pioneer of the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya in Myanmar.

Accordingly, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya in Myanmar conducts four main missions in the following:

Rāmaññadhammācariya All Mon Regions Organization (1972)
Rāmaññanikāya Pariyatti (1982)
Rāmaññarațțha Buddhist University (2012), and
Rāmaññanikāya Parahita Organization (2016)

Of the four main missions, Rāmaññadhammācariya Organization is the biggest organization in the Mon community and organized by the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya since 1972. Its task is to write and translate Pāli Tipițaka into Mon versions, and now many works of Vinaya Pițaka, Suttanta Pițaka and Abhidhamma Pițaka are being translated into the Mon language.

Secondly, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya organized Rāmaññanikāya Pariyatti in 1982 and its task is to hold non-government monastic examination in Mon language for Mon Monk-students each year, and in this year of 2026, the 44^th annual of Rāmaññanikāya Pariyatti examination will be held on February at 2500 Sāsanā Pagoda monastery in Mawlamyine, Mon State, Myanmar.

Furthermore, the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya extends its important role in spreading the Buddha’s teachings under the name of Rāmaññarațțha Buddhist University and the University was founded by the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya in 2012 and it is to give Buddhist knowledge and Buddhist education in English in Mawlamyine, Mon State, Myanmar.

Finally, it is the Rāmaññanikāya Parahita Organization which was organized by the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya in 2016. In present decade, the form of acting in regarding with social engagement of Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya has changed into a new page which provide aids to their people through material requirements in the Mon society in Myanmar.

Thus, the Rāmaññanikāya in Myanmar derived from the time of the two Mahāthero, Soņa and Uttara in 3^rd century B.C. and then continued to the time of king Dhammaceti in 15^th century A.D. in Rāmaññadesa of Lower Myanmar. From those times onwards, it came across to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Sakko Mahāthero during the British Colonial period and the Most Late Venerable Tejavanta in 2016in Myanmar. In present day of 2026, the Most Venerable Ketu Mahāthero of Sammale, Kayin State, Myanmar is the leader and the forerunner of the Mon Sangha of Rāmaññanikāya in Rāmaññadesa of Lower Myanmar.