“Controversy between the two groups of monks over the style of wearing

the robe. (during the reign of King Bodawpaya)”

According to Myanmar history, in the reign of King Bodawpaya, the 6th

king in the Konbaung dynasty, and the son of Alaungpaya, there are some
religious controversies among the Saṁgha order known as “Ayon Gaing and
Atin Gaing” regarding the Vinaya.

One particular dispute which remained unsettled was the style of wearing
the robe. Some monks wore the robe covering only one shoulder and leaving the
other bare whenever they left their monasteries. Thus, orthodox monks
criticized them for breaking the Vinaya rules.

There is a dispute between the old school and the new one with respect to
covering both shoulders and only one shoulder with a robe. In Myanmar's
religious history, these schools were Ayon Gaing and Atin Gaing. King
Bodawpaya arbitrated that issue because he himself had been a monk for many
years (before being the king) and he was skillful in (well-versed in)Vinaya.

He issued a royal order in favor of the orthodox school requiring all

monks to cover both shoulders when going out of their residences. He appointed
a council of senior learned monks called Thudhammā Sayadaws and authorized
them to take action against breakers of the Vinaya rules. Thus, by the royal
order a single unified sect was established. So, the long outstanding issue over
the style of wearing robe were put to an end.

In conclusion, during the reign of King Bodawpaya, there was a dispute

among monks about how to wear their robes. He knew a lot about Vinaya rules
and said that they should cover both shoulders. He set up a group of senior
learned monks to make sure everyone followed this rule. He supported
Theravada Buddhism by purifying the Samgha, by removing its dangers for the
development of Sāsanā.