gaing

In his 1975 text Sangha and State in Burma, Michael Mendelson argues for translating the Myanmar term gaing into English as "sect", as explained in the quote below from page 86.

"Sect is being used here as an approximate, if slightly unsatisfactory, substitute for the word gaing (Burmese). Spiro (1970: 315-320) suggests "branch" as a gloss for the term gaing. A gaing, from the Pali term gana (a chapter of monks), is, sociologically speaking, a group of taiks who recognize the somewhat charismatic leadership of a sayadaw who is considered the leader. It may at first have practices or beliefs (such as ordination rites, unique textual interpretations) no different from other established sects, but it may develop such differentiating characteristics and become both a self-defined and lay-defined sect, or what is known in Pali as a nikaya. Lay definition be a wealthy lay supporter (taga) usually precedes self definition. The difficulty is that the Burmese word gaing (collection, assemblage) is used by informants to cover both the Pali gana and nikaya. The problems involved with these terms are discussed in the Introduction. A further difficulty is that gaing can also have messianic overtones (Mendelson 1961a, b, 1963b, c)."

Michael Aung-Thwin, however, prefers the term "order" rather than "sect", as he argues in the quote below, taken from page 18 of his December 2009 paper "Of Monarchs, Monks and Men: Religion and the State in Myanmar."

"The Shwegyin considers itself stricter in discipline that the Thudhamma, the Maha Dwaya considers itself stricter that the Shwegyin, while the former's own offshoots consider themselves stricter that it. But in fact, all of these Orders are distinguished from one another more by the degree of adherence to the Vinaya--such as whether or not to wear sandals, or use umbrellas when going on their daily rounds for food--than by any substantive philosophical or doctrinal differences, hence my use of the term "Order" rather than "Sect."