The Venerable Ambalangoda Sumedhananda Thero, the abbot, appeared unfazed by the explosion as he brushed aside 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 rapacious, and accusing them of attempting to take over Buddhist lands. He cited examples such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, and Indonesia as places that had been destroyed by Islam. Shortly after, a monastic assistant informed him that a Molotov cocktail had been thrown at a mosque nearby. The abbot waved his hand dismissively and indicated that his primary focus was on the Buddhist population in Sri Lanka, not the minority Muslim community. A protest in Yangon, Myanmar on October 14, 2017, organized by a Buddhist monk in support of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's response to the Rohingya crisis, highlighted the growing trend of militant tribalism among Buddhists who see themselves as spiritual defenders against external threats. Motivated by influential charismatic monks like Sumedhananda Thero, Buddhists have transitioned into a period of militant tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual fighters obligated to protect their religion from external threats. Despite being the dominant majority in countries like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, where a strong religious-nationalist movement is prevalent, some Buddhists, particularly those following the Theravada tradition, believe they are facing an existential danger, particularly from extremist factions within Islam. As Buddhism and Islam intersect, some Buddhists are straying from the peaceful principles of their faith. In recent years, there have been instances of Buddhist groups launching violent assaults on minority Muslim communities. Nationalist Buddhist leaders are leveraging the influence of radical monks to gain backing. Mohammed Naseer, the imam of the Hillur Mosque in Gintota, Sri Lanka, which was targeted by Buddhist mobs in 2017, noted, "Buddhists used to not harbor such animosity towards us. Now, their monks are preaching a message that we are unwelcome in this nation and should depart." "But where can we possibly go? This is our 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 implied that Muslim politicians were involved in the Easter Sunday attacks by Islamic State-affiliated militants on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, resulting in over 250 casualties. Monks are seen praying in the Bengala monastery in Yangon, Myanmar, on October 4, 2017. Inspired by a politically influential group of charismatic monks, Buddhists have transitioned into a period of militant tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual fighters who must safeguard their religion against an external threat. In Myanmar, a majority of the population's Muslims have been forced to leave due to ethnic cleansing, yet Buddhist monks continue to warn of an Islamic threat, despite Muslims making up less than 5% of the country's population. During Ramadan in May, Buddhist mobs attacked Islamic prayer halls, causing worshippers to flee. Inspired by influential monks, Buddhists are now embracing a militant tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual warriors defending their faith. Buddhism is typically seen as peaceful, but this recent aggression challenges that perception. However, no religion can claim to be the sole source of peace. Even Buddhists have been known to engage in warfare. According to anthropologist Mikael Gravers of Aarhus University in Denmark, Buddhist monks may denounce violence but also believe in defending Buddhism or Buddhist nations by any means necessary. In Myanmar, for example, thousands of people gathered in Yangon in May to hear Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist monk known for his hate speech and praise for the nation's military. This has led to the mass exodus of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh since August 2017. The army and its allies conducted a campaign of ethnic cleansing, with Buddhist mobs and security forces targeting Rohingya Muslims with violence including slaughter, rape, and the destruction of many villages. Ashin Wirathu, who has rejected the nonviolent teachings of Buddhism, praised military-linked lawmakers and claimed that only the military can protect the country and religion. He also criticized the International Criminal Court for pursuing a case against Myanmar's military for their treatment of the Rohingya. In another incident, a Sri Lankan Buddhist showed respect to Sitagu Sayadaw, a revered Buddhist leader in Myanmar. Motivated by influential monks, Buddhists have transitioned into a period of militant tribalism, viewing themselves as spiritual soldiers tasked with protecting their religion from external threats. The monk Ashin Wirathu even declared that he would take up arms if the ICC were to intervene. Monks such as Ashin Wirathu are on the extreme end of Buddhist nationalism, but there are also respected clerics involved. At 82 years old, the highly influential monk Ashin Nyanissara, also known as Sitagu Sayadaw, made controversial statements about Muslims in front of army officers. He believes the army and monkhood are closely connected and has shown support for the military, even being pictured with soldiers on a Facebook page. Sitagu Sayadaw has dedicated his followers to the national cause as a form of sacrifice. 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. Sitagu Sayadaw, a highly respected figure, has a significant influence on people, and his comments can fuel hatred. Following the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, Buddhist nationalists felt their warnings about the threat of Muslim extremists had been validated. Dilanthe Withanage, a senior administrator for Bodu Bala Sena, expressed concerns about national security due to these extremists. Withanage accused the government of bearing responsibility for disregarding the rise of radical Islam. Following a period of moderate coalition rule, Sri Lanka is experiencing a resurgence of a combination of religious belief and tribalism. The main advocate of this movement is Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defense chief and the frontrunner for the upcoming presidential elections. Rajapaksa has promised to safeguard the country's Buddhist heritage and is focused on rebuilding Sri Lanka's security apparatus that was 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 strong nationalist beliefs. He defended the violent end to the civil war by positioning himself as a spiritual savior for the nation. Temples displayed images of the Rajapaksa brothers, and money was funneled to extremist Buddhist groups that supported sectarian violence resulting in the deaths of Muslims. One of the founders of Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist extremist group, received valuable land in Colombo for a Buddhist cultural center. The national telecom service even 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 changing political circumstances. On Sunday, he led a meeting of numerous monks who aimed to have an impact on the upcoming elections. Prior to his imprisonment, Gnanasara Thero emphasized the historical significance of their campaign, stating, "We have been the protectors of Buddhism for 2,500 years." "It is now our responsibility, like the monks in Myanmar, to defend our tranquil island from Islam." ©2019 New York Times News Service.