Burmese religion

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June 22, 2026

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Myanmar has no official religion, but Theravada Buddhism is followed by nearly nine-tenths of the population, with the majority of Burmans and Shan adhering to it. Buddhism has been a part of Myanmar's culture since the 1st century CE and has blended with non-Buddhist beliefs. While Buddhism is dominant, there is a significant Protestant Christian minority, primarily among the Karen, Kachin, and Chin communities. Other hill peoples often practice local religions, sometimes incorporating elements of world religions. Muslims and Hindus constitute the smallest religious minorities in the country.12

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purification rite
Other purification rites
In a Burmese folktale, an alchemist became discouraged with his experiments and threw his alchemic stone into a latrine pit; on contact with the excrement, the stone achieved purity—thus indicating that contacts with pollution may bring about purity.
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In a Burmese folktale, an alchemist became discouraged with his experiments and threw his alchemic stone into a latrine pit; on contact with the excrement, the stone achieved purity—thus indicating that contacts with pollution may bring about purity.
Read More