Close to 90% of people in Myanmar today are Buddhist, and virtually all of them practice Theravada Buddhism. This branch of Buddhism adheres most closely to the oldest texts in the Buddhist tradition and generally emphasizes a more rigorous observance of the monastic code than other schools of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhists ultimately aim to be released from the cycle of suffering, samsara, and to achieve nirvana. To achieve success in this world—and to advance to enlightenment in subsequent rebirths—they must build positive karma, or merit.

Lay people...

The military government’s decision to raise oil and gas prices in 2007 led to widespread discontent, ultimately culminating in the short-lived Saffron Revolution. Buddhist monks were centrally involved in these protests; the color saffron alludes to the traditional color of monks’ robes. Higher oil prices placed a greater burden on an already-impoverished Burmese populace. Such hardships would also be transferred to the Sangha, which...