HlaMin

Tag: Era

  • Calendar — Era

    Calendar — Era

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    AD / CE

    • AD stands for Anno Domini / “In the year of our Lord”
    • Also known as CE (Common Era)
    • Usually differs from the Burmese Era by 638
      Note : Burmese New Year falls in mid-April.
      So, the Gregorian year will span two Burmese years.

    BC

    • BC stands for “Before Christ“

    BE / ME

    • Burmese / Myanmar Era
    • Started off with Sasana Era
    • Now differs by 1182 due to “Thet ka rit phyo” (adjustment by two Kings who believed in the astrological “kain khan” sayings)

    SE

    • SE stands for Sasana Era
      Sasana is usually rendered as “Dispensation of Buddha”
    • SE is reckoned from Maha Parinibbana (Death of Lord Buddha)
    • In the mid 1950s, the Sixth Buddhist Council was held at the Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda to celebrate the 2500 year of the Sasana Era.

    Sample Conversions

    Suppose the Burmese Era is 1382 BE,
    then Sasana Era = 1382 + 1182 = 2564
    and Common Era = 1382 + 638 = 2020

    Note:
    January, February, March and early April of 2020 AD will correspond to 1381 BE
    The latter part of April, and May to December of 2020 AD will correspond to 1382 BE.