ENGLISH

8
2
3
(From a speech to the All-Burma Peasants
Organization at Mandalay, May, 1953)
Myanmar

5
Myanmar The Union of Myanmar
is made up of 135
national races, of
which the main
national races are
Kachin, Kayah, Kayin,
Chin, Bamar, Mon,
Rakhine and Shan.
6
Location Myanmar is situated in
Southeast Asia and is
bordered on the north and
north-east by China, on the
east and south-east by Laos
and Thailand, on the south by
the Andaman Sea and the Bay
of Bengal and on the west by
Bangladesh and India.

7
U Nu (Prime Minister of Burma)

8
(From a speech to the All-Burma Peasants
Organization at Mandalay, May, 1953)
⬗ Humanity has been led astray by three evils –
greed, hatred and ignorance. Whether we are
Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians,
Animists, or Atheists, we cannot escape the
three inevitables: old age, disease, and death.

10
⬗ Nobody can deny that the five sense objects –
pretty sight, delightful sound, fragrant smell,
savory taste, and nice touch – are only
fleeting phenomena. They are neither lasting
nor permanent.

11
⬗ Nor can anybody deny that property is
transitory: no one can carry away his
property after death. Men have been chasing
these transitory pleasures with a dogged
tenacity mainly because they hold false views
regarding property.

12
⬗ They forget that this life is not even
one millionth part of the whirlpool
of Samsara (the cycles of rebirth),
and go on amassing wealth even
though it never brings them full
satisfaction.

13
⬗ This insatiable greed for wealth
results in the profit motive which
is not directed toward any
utilitarian purpose. Once upon a
time all commodities were
common property, and everybody
had a right to use them for his own
benefit.
14
⬗ But with the advent of the profit motive
these commodities became objects of
exploitation. They became instruments of
wealth and stimulus for greed. This led to the
following phenomena:

15
 On the Three Evils cont.

1. Human society
was split into two
classes: Haves
and Have-nots.

16
 On the Three Evils cont.

2. The Have-nots had to

depend on the Haves
for their living, and
thus the evil system of
exploitation of one
class by another
emerged.
17
 On the Three Evils cont.

3. With class exploitation, the

poor became poorer
because they could not get
adequate returns for their
work. They had to resort to
evil ways like stealing,
looting, and prostitution.

18
 On the Three Evils cont.

⬗ 4. The Lord . Buddha

has taught us that
there are four causes
of death: kamma,
frame of mind,
weather, and food.

19
 On the Three Evils cont.

5. How can the Have-nots

care for education with
their hard struggle for a
bare living? Lack of
education breeds an
ever-increasing band of
ignoramuses and Mr.
Zeros.
20
⬗ 1. What lesson does the legend of the
Padaythabin tree teach the Burmese?

⬗ 2. What does this excerpt reveal about the

temperaments and psyche of the Burmese?

21
⬗ 3. Can you still lead a simple life today even
amid the ongoing technological advances?
Elaborate.

⬗ 4. Explain the line, “Live simply so that

others may simply live.”

22
⬗ 5. If you were a parent, what would you teach
your children to make sure that they do not
grow up to be greedy people?

23
24
Thank You!

25