A world Buddhist summit of more than 1,000 monks from as far apart as Jamaica and Japan ended in Myanmar on Saturday with promises to strive harder to spread the 2,500-year-old religion's central theme of harmony and goodwill.
"We will contribute to bringing about peace and prosperity in the world by spreading the Buddha's sublime message of loving kindness," the Venerable Bhaddanta Silanandabhivamsa, a top monk in the former Burma, told a closing session.
The summit, which opened in the military-ruled southeast Asian nation on Thursday, attracted controversy because of the junta's reported persecution of some monks and its detention of democracy icon and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
One major Japanese Buddhist sect, which had been due to provide much of the funding for the three-day meeting, pulled out in November amid concerns over Myanmar's human rights record.
However, the military government, which has run the country in various forms since a 1962 coup, praised organizers of the conference -- a rare international gathering in one of the world's most closed countries -- and said it had contributed to world peace.
"This summit was conducted to promote mutual understanding between Buddhist countries and promote peace in the world," Myanmar Prime Minister Lt-Gen. Soe Win said in closing remarks.
The prime ministers of Thailand, Laos and Sri Lanka also attended various parts of the proceedings.
Buddhism in Myanmar remains particularly pure and untainted, devotees say, in large part due to the military government which has left the country diplomatically isolated, keeping modern or Western influences at bay.