YANGON, Nov. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar will host the Fourth World Buddhist Summit as scheduled, expecting participants from over 40 countries and regions, The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reportedTuesday.

    Earlier reports said that the plan of the summit might be affected by the withdrawal of its co-sponsor, the Nenbutsushu Buddhist Sect of Japan.

    The three-day event, to be staged in Myanmar for the first time,was scheduled in Yangon's Maha Pasana Cave starting Dec. 9, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

    Participants are initially known as those from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, South Korea, Japan, Britain, the United States,Australia.

    Along with hundreds of Myanmar monks, thousands of observers are also expected at the religious meeting.

    The summit aims at promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation among the Buddhist countries, maintaining Buddhistteachings and practices among such countries, enhancing Buddhist education and helping and creating a peaceful world, according to the Ministry.

    The first world Buddhist summit was held in Japan in 1998, the second in Thailand in 2000 and the third in Cambodia in 2002.

    Buddhism stands as one of four main historical religions of theworld with over 360 million followers. Myanmar is a country with amajority of its population (about 80 percent) believing in Buddhism. It is estimated that there are more than 400,000 monks and nuns in Myanmar.

    For nearly 1,000 years, the country has kept Theravada (Little vehicle) Buddhism pure and intact. It established Buddhist scripture learning centers and other monastic education schools long ago.

    Aimed at promoting the genuine Theravada Buddhism throughout the world and the study and comprehension of the canonical texts of Buddhism, Myanmar opened an International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University in Yangon in December 1998, the country's first permanent center for higher learning of the Buddhism in various languages. Enditem