Published Paper Details:

Abstract The 19th century is marked as the turning point in the history of Pali Buddhism once again in it getting strong in Myanmar because of the sponsorship of Buddhist texts by the Burmese kings starting from King Mendon Min of the Kobang Dynasty, as alluded to earlier in the article. This article notes the contribution of the monarchs in the compilation and promotion of the Pali Buddhist literature, emphasizing their involvement in the canonizing and redacting efforts of the Pali Canon. During the rule of King Mendon Min, the first and only ever-held Fifth Buddhist Council was also held within the time frame of 1871 and 1872, and this allowed the restart of the practice of the recitation, verification, and preservation of all versions of the Pali Tipitaka across the whole country of the Union of Myanmar. Their royal patronage was not limited only to the council but also supported the development of monastic education, sponsorship of scholars, and dissemination of copies of the canonical texts across Myanmar's territory. Such benefaction was crucial to preserving the Buddhist canon, but it also established Buddhism as one of the primary identities of the Burmese people.