THE Yangon Rice Donation Association has begun its annual Tazaungdine donations to monasteries throughout the city.

Association secretary U Aye said the donations started on November 1 – the full moon day of Tazaungdine – and will continue for about three weeks.

“This year we have 228 monasteries on our list of donation recipients, which is six more than last year. We’re preparing to meet this increased need,” he said.

Association president U Maung Maung said the donation project was started in 1925 with the aim of supporting monasteries that encourage monks to study the Buddhist scriptures.

“It is a good deed to help maintain the Theravada sasana, or the teachings of the Buddha. And we want to continue to increase the amount we donate in the future,” he said.

The association donates rice to monasteries three times a year, starting on the full moon days of the lunar months of Waso, Tazaungdine and Tabaung and continuing for about three weeks.

Monasteries that focus on pariyatti (the study of the Buddhist doctrines) are eligible for donations from the association, with each monk receiving 5 pyi (10.7 kilograms, or 23.5 pounds) of rice valued at about K8000.

During Waso (July) of this year the association donated more than 6000 bags of rice (one bag contains 24 pyi, or 51 kilograms, of rice) valued at more than K70 million to 23,748 Buddhist monks from 226 monasteries in Yangon Division.

The association buys rice using funds from donation boxes that it hands out to individual donors at the beginning of year. The donors put money into the boxes throughout the year and then return them to the Yangon Rice Donation Association at the end of the year. “In the past we have asked for donations only in Yangon Division but we plan to start collecting funds from Bago and Ayeyarwady divisions in the future. The rice donations are getting bigger, and we’re seeing more appreciation from well-wishers,” U Maung Maung said.

Last year, for the first time, the association also awarded a total of K12.8 million to monks who passed the Buddhist exams held by government each year.

“We plan to make this award an annual event,” U Maung Maung said.

Anyone interested in learning more about the activities of the Yangon Rice Donation Association can call 537-928 in Yangon, visit the group’s website at www.ygnricedonate.org.