From Compassion to Conflict: Five Times Buddhism Was Used to Harm
Buddhism is often seen as a tradition of inner peace, compassion, and nonviolence (ahimsa). Its core teachings emphasize mindfulness, the cessation of suffering, and loving-kindness toward all beings. However, history shows that no ideology is immune from misuse. In certain times and places, Buddhism has been co-opted by political powers, shaped into nationalist ideology, and even used to justify persecution, war, and mass killings.
Below are five significant historical instances where violence was committed in the name of Buddhism—or where Buddhist institutions failed to resist or actively enabled brutality.
1. The Anuradhapura Massacre (Sri Lanka, 1985)
Estimated death toll: 146 civilians
Region: Sri Lanka
During the Sri Lankan Civil War, ethnic tensions flared between the majority Sinhalese Buddhists and the minority Tamil Hindus. While the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) were responsible for acts of terrorism, some Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists and clergy increasingly backed state violence against Tamils.
• In 1985, Buddhist monks and laypeople celebrated the military’s retaking of Anuradhapura, a sacred Buddhist city.
• In retaliation, LTTE rebels massacred 146 civilians, including pilgrims, in a Buddhist temple.
• Buddhist monks later supported or justified military crackdowns on Tamil civilians.
Religious element: While Buddhism does not sanction violence, the Buddhist identity of the state was used to exclude Tamils and justify repressive policies. Some monks spoke of protecting Buddhism as a sacred duty—even if it meant supporting war.
2. The Role of Buddhist Monks in the 969 Movement (Myanmar, 2012–present)
Estimated impact: Thousands displaced; hundreds killed
Region: Myanmar (Burma)
The 969 Movement, led by ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks like Ashin Wirathu, promotes anti-Muslim rhetoric in Myanmar. Framed as a defense of Buddhism against Islamic expansion, it has inspired violent riots, arson, and massacres.
• In 2012 and 2013, Buddhist mobs—sometimes accompanied by monks—burned homes and mosques in Rakhine State and central Myanmar.
• Dozens were killed, and over 140,000 Rohingya Muslims were displaced.
• Monks gave sermons justifying the violence as necessary to protect the Dhamma (Buddhist teachings).
Religious justification: The movement claims Muslims are a threat to Buddhist culture and national purity. This has led to a redefinition of Buddhism as an ethno-religious identity rather than a spiritual path.
3. The Rohingya Genocide (Myanmar, 2017–present)
Estimated death toll: Over 24,000 killed; 700,000+ displaced
Region: Rakhine State, Myanmar
One of the most severe ongoing humanitarian crises of the 21st century, the Rohingya genocide was carried out by Myanmar’s military (Tatmadaw) but supported—explicitly or tacitly—by segments of the Buddhist clergy.
• Villages were burned, women raped, and civilians massacred.
• Buddhist monks and leaders have either remained silent or defended the military, claiming the Rohingya are “illegal immigrants” threatening Buddhist culture.
• The Dalai Lama eventually condemned the violence, but many local monks remained complicit.
Religious justification: Although Buddhist scriptures forbid killing, nationalist monks reframed the crisis as a defense of the Buddhist nation from a perceived Islamic takeover.
4. The Zen Buddhist Support of Japanese Militarism (1930s–1945)
Estimated impact: Cultural support for Japanese imperial violence; millions killed in WWII
Region: Japan and East Asia
In pre-WWII Japan, Zen Buddhism was co-opted by the state to support imperial conquest and nationalism. Prominent Zen figures, like Kōdō Sawaki and Harada Daiun Sogaku, endorsed war as a means of spiritual purification.
• Zen monks served in the military and gave blessings to soldiers going into battle.
• War was portrayed as a duty in the service of the emperor, who was considered a living deity.
• Critics have documented how Zen rhetoric—emptiness, non-attachment, and duty—was twisted to justify killing.
Religious distortion: The language of discipline and non-self was manipulated to erase personal moral responsibility and elevate loyalty to the nation as a path to enlightenment.
5. The Anti-Tamil Pogroms and the Rise of Buddhist Nationalism (Sri Lanka, 1956–1983)
Estimated death toll: Hundreds to thousands
Region: Sri Lanka
Even before the full outbreak of the civil war, Buddhist nationalists played a key role in marginalizing Tamil minorities, often leading to riots and pogroms.
• Buddhist monks backed political parties that passed discriminatory laws against Tamil language and education.
• In 1983, state-backed mobs killed thousands of Tamils in what became known as “Black July.”
• Some monks preached that Sri Lanka was the sacred land of Buddhism, and that minorities were invaders.
Religious twist: Buddhism, originally universal in compassion, was turned into a vehicle for ethnic identity and cultural supremacy.
Conclusion: No Tradition Immune from Corruption
These events do not reflect the core teachings of Buddhism, which advocate compassion, non-violence, and mindfulness. But they do show that even the most peaceful religion can be twisted when merged with nationalism, tribalism, and fear.
In contrast to the vast institutional violence seen in Christianity’s long history, Buddhism’s involvement in violence is:
• Less frequent but still present.
• Often tied to ethnic identity rather than theological enforcement.
• Enabled by silence or distortion, rather than direct commandment.
The lesson is clear: no belief system is safe from human ego and political misuse. The challenge is not just what a religion teaches, but how it is interpreted, institutionalized, and wielded.
