The Venerable Ambalangoda Sumedhananda Thero, the abbot, showed little reaction to the explosion as he dismissed the mosquitoes in the night air of Gintota, a town in southern Sri Lanka. He continued to express his strong opinions, claiming that Muslims were violent and greedy, with the goal of taking control of all valuable land. He cited examples of Buddhist lands like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, and Indonesia that he believed had been ruined by Islam. Shortly after, a member of the monastery entered to report that a Molotov cocktail had been thrown at a mosque nearby. The abbot waved his hand and dismissed the idea of being concerned about the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka, as his main focus was on the Buddhist majority. A demonstration supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's actions in Myanmar was organized by a Buddhist monk, highlighting how Buddhists are now portraying themselves as spiritual warriors defending their faith against external threats. Motivated by influential charismatic monks like Sumedhananda Thero, Buddhists have embraced a militant tribalism, positioning themselves as spiritual defenders tasked with protecting their faith from external threats. In countries like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, where Buddhists make up the majority, some followers, particularly those adhering to the Theravada tradition, feel a growing sense of insecurity, fearing a perceived existential danger from radical elements within Islam. As Buddhism and Islam come into conflict, some Buddhists are straying from the peaceful principles of their faith. In recent years, there have been violent assaults by Buddhist groups on minority Muslim communities. Buddhist nationalist leaders are leveraging the influence of extremist monks to gain backing. According to Mohammed Naseer, the imam of the Hillur Mosque in Gintota, Sri Lanka, which was targeted by Buddhist mobs in 2017, there has been a noticeable increase in animosity towards Muslims within the Buddhist community. "But where can we possibly go? This is our place of residence." Recently in Sri Lanka, a prominent Buddhist monk staged a hunger strike that led to the resignation of all nine Muslim ministers in the government. The monk insinuated that Muslim politicians were involved in the Easter Sunday attacks carried out by Islamic State-affiliated militants on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, resulting in the deaths of over 250 individuals. Monks are seen praying in the Bengala monastery in Yangon, Myanmar, on October 4, 2017. Encouraged by a politically influential group of persuasive monks, Buddhists have embraced a more aggressive tribalism, positioning themselves as spiritual defenders who must protect their faith from external threats. In Myanmar, a majority Muslim population has been forced to flee due to ethnic cleansing, yet Buddhist monks continue to warn of an Islamic invasion, despite Muslims making up less than 5% of the population. During Ramadan celebrations in May, Buddhist mobs attacked Islamic prayer halls, causing Muslim worshippers to flee. Influenced by a powerful network of charismatic monks, Buddhists have adopted a militant tribalism mentality, seeing themselves as spiritual warriors defending their faith. Despite Buddhism's peaceful image, the religion is now associated with sectarian aggression in Myanmar. However, no single religion can claim to have a monopoly on promoting peace. Even Buddhists have been known to engage in acts of violence. According to anthropologist Mikael Gravers from Aarhus University in Denmark, while Buddhist monks may denounce violence, they also believe in defending Buddhism and Buddhist states by any means necessary. This was evident in Myanmar when thousands gathered in Yangon to hear Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist monk known for hate speech, praise the nation's army. This event took place amidst a crisis where over 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 2017. The army and its allies carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing, with Buddhist mobs and security forces committing atrocities against Rohingya Muslims, including slaughter, rape, and the destruction of their villages. Ashin Wirathu has rejected the peaceful teachings of his religion and praised military-linked lawmakers, stating that only the military can protect the country and religion. He criticized the International Criminal Court for pursuing a case against Myanmar's military for their persecution of the Rohingya. In a photo from November 18, 2017, a Sri Lankan Buddhist is seen bowing in front of Sitagu Sayadaw, a highly respected Buddhist leader in Myanmar. Encouraged by a politically influential group of charismatic monks, Buddhists have transitioned into a time of aggressive tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual soldiers tasked with protecting their religion from external threats. In an interview with The New York Times, Ashin Wirathu made a shocking declaration, stating that he would take up arms if the ICC were to intervene. In a photo from November 18, 2017, a Sri Lankan Buddhist shows reverence to Sitagu Sayadaw, a highly respected Buddhist leader from Myanmar, in Delgoda, Sri Lanka. Monks like Ashin Wirathu are part of the extremist edge of Buddhist nationalism, but there are also more respected clerics involved. The 82-year-old Venerable Ashin Nyanissara, also known as Sitagu Sayadaw, is Myanmar's most influential monk. Despite hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing their burning homes, Sitagu Sayadaw stated in front of army officers that "Muslims have almost bought the United Nations," emphasizing the close connection between the army and the monkhood. He was recently pictured with soldiers on a Facebook page linked to the Myanmar military, showing his support for the national cause by providing spiritual soldiers. He informed Myanmar's armed forces commander that there are more than 400,000 monks in Myanmar, and if needed, he could instruct them to take action. Khin Mar Mar Kyi, a social anthropologist from Myanmar at the University of Oxford, mentioned that when Sitagu Sayadaw speaks, people pay attention, even if his words are divisive. His statements can incite hatred. Following the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka by Islamic State-linked suicide bombers, Buddhist nationalists in Sri Lanka felt validated, believing their warnings about the threat of Muslim extremists had been proven true. Dilanthe Withanage, a senior official for Bodu Bala Sena, Sri Lanka's largest Buddhist nationalist organization, stated that they had been cautioning about this danger for years. Withanage accused the government of having blood on their hands due to their neglect of the radicalization of Islam. Following a period of moderate coalition rule, a resurgence of faith and tribalism is emerging in Sri Lanka. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defense chief and top presidential candidate in the upcoming elections, is leading this movement. Rajapaksa has promised to safeguard the country's Buddhist heritage and is focused on rebuilding Sri Lanka's security apparatus established during the lengthy civil war with the Tamil minority. From 2005 to 2015, Sri Lanka was under the leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the brother of Rajapaksa, who was known for his nationalist views and justification of the brutal end to the civil war by presenting himself as the country's spiritual savior. During this time, temples displayed images of the Rajapaksa brothers, money was directed towards extremist Buddhist groups that incited violence against Muslims, and prime land in Colombo was given to one of the founders of Bodu Bala Sena for a Buddhist cultural center. Additionally, the national telecom service included Bodu Bala Sena's theme song in its collection of ringtones. Last year, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the leader of Bodu Bala Sena, was sentenced to six years in prison. However, in late May, he was granted a presidential pardon due to a shifting political landscape. Over the weekend, he led a gathering of numerous monks who are determined to have an impact in the upcoming elections. Prior to his incarceration last year, Gnanasara Thero framed his campaign within a historical perspective, stating, "We have been the protectors of Buddhism for 2,500 years." "It is now our responsibility, as well as the responsibility of monks in Myanmar, to defend our tranquil island from Islam." (©2019 New York Times News Service)