The Venerable Ambalangoda Sumedhananda Thero, the abbot, appeared unfazed by the explosion as he dismissed the mosquitoes surrounding him in the night air of Gintota, a town in southern Sri Lanka. He continued to express his beliefs that Muslims were violent and rapacious, asserting that their goal was to acquire all of the land and valuables that they covet. He mentioned examples of what he believed were Buddhist lands that had been destroyed by Islam, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, and Indonesia. Shortly after, a member of the monastic staff entered the room and confirmed that a Molotov cocktail had been thrown at a mosque nearby. The abbot waved his fingers and shrugged, focusing on his duty to the Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka rather than the minority Muslim population. A demonstration in support of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's actions in Myanmar was organized by a Buddhist monk on October 14, 2017. Influenced by influential monks, Buddhists have become more militant, seeing themselves as spiritual warriors defending their faith against external threats. Inspired by influential and charismatic monks like Sumedhananda Thero, Buddhists have embraced a militant tribalism, positioning themselves as spiritual defenders who must protect their faith from external threats. This sentiment has been evident in demonstrations, such as one in support of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's handling of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar in 2017. Despite being the majority in countries like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, some Buddhists, particularly followers of the Theravada tradition, feel a sense of grievance and believe they are facing an existential threat, particularly from certain violent factions within Islam. As Buddhism and Islam come into conflict, some Buddhists are straying from the peaceful principles of their religion. In recent years, there have been violent attacks by Buddhist mobs against minority Muslim communities. Nationalist Buddhist leaders are using extremist monks to gain support. The imam of the Hillur Mosque in Gintota, Sri Lanka, which was targeted by Buddhist mobs in 2017, noted that there has been a shift in attitude towards Muslims among some Buddhists, with monks spreading messages of exclusion and hostility. "But where can we possibly go? This is our place of residence." In Sri Lanka last month, a prominent Buddhist monk went on a hunger strike, leading to the resignation of all nine Muslim ministers in the Cabinet. The monk had insinuated that Muslim politicians played a role 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 at the Bengala monastery in Yangon, Myanmar, on October 4, 2017. Encouraged by a politically influential group of charismatic monks, Buddhists have embraced a militant tribalism mindset, positioning themselves as spiritual soldiers tasked with safeguarding their faith against external threats. In Myanmar, a significant number of Muslims have been forced to leave the country due to ethnic cleansing. Despite Muslims making up less than 5% of the population, Buddhist monks continue to warn of an Islamic threat. Buddhist mobs attacked Islamic prayer halls during Ramadan celebrations, causing worshippers to flee. Charismatic monks have incited Buddhists to adopt a militant tribalism mindset, portraying themselves as spiritual warriors defending their faith. Despite Buddhism's peaceful reputation, it is now associated with sectarian aggression in Myanmar. No single religion can claim to be the sole source of peace, as even Buddhists have engaged in warfare. According to anthropologist Mikael Gravers, Buddhist monks may denounce violence yet still believe in defending Buddhism or Buddhist nations through any necessary means. In Myanmar, thousands rallied in support of Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist monk known for his extremist views, as he praised the country's military. The Rohingya crisis has resulted in over 700,000 refugees fleeing Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 2017. The army and its allies conducted a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims, involving slaughter, rape, and the destruction of their villages. Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist monk, has rejected the peaceful teachings of Buddhism and praised military-linked lawmakers as protectors of 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 Sri Lanka, a Buddhist bows before Sitagu Sayadaw, a respected Buddhist leader from Myanmar. Motivated by influential monks, Buddhists have transitioned into a period of aggressive tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual soldiers tasked with protecting their religion from external threats. During an interview with The New York Times, Ashin Wirathu declared his readiness to take up arms if the ICC were to intervene. In Sri Lanka, a Buddhist pays homage to Sitagu Sayadaw, a highly esteemed Buddhist leader from Myanmar, illustrating the influence of charismatic monks in inciting this militant mindset among followers. Monks like Ashin Wirathu are on the extreme side of Buddhist nationalism, but more respected clerics, including 82-year-old Venerable Ashin Nyanissara, are also involved. Known as Sitagu Sayadaw, he is Myanmar's most influential monk. In front of army officers, he stated that "Muslims have almost bought the United Nations" and that the army and monkhood are inseparable. Sitagu Sayadaw was seen on a Facebook page linked to the Myanmar military in May, smiling among soldiers, showing his support for the national cause by offering an army of spiritual soldiers. "He informed the commander of Myanmar’s armed forces that there are more than 400,000 monks in Myanmar and if needed, he could instruct them to take action. This influential figure's remarks, even if critical of a particular group, carry weight and can incite hatred, according to Khin Mar Mar Kyi, a social anthropologist at the University of Oxford who is originally from Myanmar. Following the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka by suicide bombers affiliated with the Islamic State, Buddhist nationalists felt validated in their warnings about the threat posed by Muslim extremists to national security, as stated by Dilanthe Withanage, a senior official with Bodu Bala Sena, the largest Buddhist nationalist organization in Sri Lanka." Withanage accused the government of having blood on its hands for disregarding the radicalization of Islam. Following a period of moderate coalition governance, there is now a resurgence of a blend of faith and tribalism in Sri Lanka. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defense chief and the top contender for the upcoming presidential elections, is leading this movement. He has promised to safeguard the country's religion with the oldest continuous Buddhist heritage and is committed to reviving Sri Lanka's security apparatus, established during the lengthy civil war with the ethnic Tamil minority. From 2005 to 2015, Sri Lanka was under the leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the brother of Rajapaksa, who was known for his strong nationalist views and justification of the brutal end to the civil war by positioning himself as the country's spiritual savior. During this time, temples displayed images of the Rajapaksa brothers and money was allocated to radical Buddhist groups that incited sectarian violence resulting in the deaths of Muslims. One of the leaders of Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist extremist group, was granted valuable land in Colombo to build a Buddhist cultural center. The national telecom service even included Bodu Bala Sena's theme song in their collection of ringtones. Last year, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the leader of Bodu Bala Sena, was sentenced to six years in prison. However, he was granted a presidential pardon in late May due to changing political circumstances. Recently, he led a meeting of numerous monks who aim to have a strong political impact in the upcoming elections. Before being imprisoned, Gnanasara Thero emphasized the historical role of Buddhists in protecting Buddhism for 2,500 years. "It is now our responsibility, like the monks in Myanmar, to defend our peaceful island against Islam." (©2019 New York Times News Service)