Buddhism, Conflict and Violence in Modern Sri Lanka

The volume is structured as a collection of fifteen chapters. It opens with Mahinda Deegalle’s introduction on Buddhism, conflict, and violence, framing the ethical and political dilemmas faced by Theravāda Buddhism in relation to Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict. Richard Gombrich then asks whether the Sri Lankan war can be understood as Buddhist fundamentalism. John Clifford Holt examines Hindu influences on medieval Sri Lankan Buddhist culture, while Mahinda Palihawadana analyzes conflict from a Theravāda perspective. P. D. Premasiri addresses the question of “righteous war” in Buddhism, and Peter Schalk studies semantic transformations of the dhammadīpa concept. Later chapters examine Sinhala fears of Tamil demands, historiography in conflict and violence, Buddhism, ethnicity and identity, identity issues of Sinhalas and Tamils, roots of the conflict and the peace process, Buddhist monks and peace in Sri Lanka, the role of monks in resolving conflict, Sarvodaya’s pursuit of peace, and JHU politics for peace and a righteous state. Together, the chapters map the intersection of Buddhist ethics, national identity, violence, political mobilization, and peacebuilding in modern Sri Lanka.