The situation in Burma is dire.<\/strong><\/p>\n The responsibility of academics is often to discuss the historical, religious, political, and other aspects of world events as they play out in order to get to the exact nature of what is happening. In case you missed it, my friends Danny Fisher and Paul Fuller have had some interesting discussion around the topic of recent violence on the part of Buddhists in Burma.<\/p>\n For a while \u00a0now, scholars have been debating and discussing how we should understand the recent violence on the part of Buddhists in these two countries. Avid readers of this blog will have some sense of my stance on categories<\/a>. Basically we use what is useful. As we go, we seek greater degrees of precision while simultaneously drawing in alternative points of view. I don\u2019t see anyone arriving at any final \u2018right\u2019 answer, nor will there ever be just one perspective, but there is value in continuing the conversation.<\/strong> In my own writing I have used phrases such as \u201cFundamentalism<\/a>\u201d as a problem in Buddhism and other religions, \u00a0a (good) Fundamentalism or Protestant ideal<\/a>, globalized \u201cBuddhist anti-Muslim Hate<\/a>\u201d and perhaps most (in)famously, \u201cAmerican Buddhist Terrorist?<\/a>\u201c.<\/p>\n Here Paul has coined a new term, \u201cEthnocentric Buddhism\u201d which he states, \u201cpoints to the notion that Buddhist identity is intrinsically linked to national identity. It also denotes the idea that other factors will be apparent in creating Buddhist and national identity in different Buddhist cultures\u2026\u00a0the defence of one\u2019s religion is linked to these other themes of national identity \u2014 to defend one is to defend the other.\u201d<\/p>\n Danny responded that, \u201cI confess, though, I was left wondering what exactly would be wrong with using terms like \u201cBuddhist terror\u201d or \u201cBuddhist extremism\u201d to describe some of the situations that precipitated Fuller\u2019s article.\u201d He continues, after discussing recent events in Burma, \u201cIs \u201cethnocentric Buddhism,\u201d then, really helping us understand the full extent of these particular phenomena? Or does it fail in these cases to capture some of the horrible realities here?\u201d<\/p>\n Certainly any acute acts of terrorism, and those who support those acts in their words are well defined with \u201cBuddhist terror.\u201d \u201cBuddhist extremism\u201d is likewise useful for those groups and individuals who\u00a0clearly<\/em> stand out from the mainstream in a society, but this too can be a difficult label<\/a>.<\/p>\n I would add though to Danny\u2019s excellent questions that what Paul is describing might also be \u201cBuddhist nationalism\u201d \u00a0or, if you prefer, \u201cnationalistic Buddhism,\u201d akin perhaps to how many people (mostly Evangelical Christians) discuss American Exceptionalism, or Zionism amongst certain Orthodox Jews. Here we have a clear religion-state connection.<\/p>\n The label \u201cethnocentric Buddhism\u201d might be helpful in covering something much broader existing in these two countries, something we too often overlook. That is the broader ethnic chauvinism displayed by dominant ethnic groups, Sinhala and Bamar respectively, toward other ethnic groups in the country<\/strong>. You can read this article on Sinhala chauvinism<\/a> to catch up on this angle on events in Sri Lanka. In Burma we must remember that it is not simply Buddhists vs Muslims, but rather a central government dominated by the Bamar ethnic group who are at war with numerous groups around the country: the Kachin in the north, the Shan in the east, and the Karen in the south. The ethnocentrism of the Rakhine Buddhists may not necessarily be nationalistic in nature \u2013 though it is certainly supported by the Bamar central government.<\/p>\n A general mood of distrust and even antagonism toward an ethnic or religious minority in a country might not be extreme<\/em> (as it is pervasive) and it might not manifest in particular acts of terror<\/em>, thus necessitating a new label such as \u201cethnocentric\u201d or \u201cnationalistic\u201d Buddhism<\/strong>. Such a category could be used to designate attitudes and actions of religious leaders long before any overt extremism or acts of terror occur. Indeed, Paul alludes to this in his article when he writes:<\/p>\n There are a number of possible factors and ideas that could shape the formation of an ethnocentric type of Buddhism in a given country. Not all of these ideas are available in each cultural context. Some are available across Buddhist Asia, some confined to a particular area, or would have been used during different historical periods. There is the idea of the \u201ctrue dharma\u201d existing in one particular place and of that location preserving this true version of the Buddha\u2019s teachings. For example, in Sri Lanka after the transmission of Buddhism, some aspects of the Pali Canon would be considered to preserve the essential word of the Buddha. Later, national identity could be built around this idea together with other texts being used and composed together with\u00a0Buddhist symbols, the tooth relic for example, creating the notion of a direct lineage to the Buddha.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n With a category such as \u201cethnocentric Buddhism\u201d we could examine instances and perhaps frequency of claims to having \u201ctrue dharma\u201d and specific objects (relics, holy places, etc) that might need to be \u201cdefended\u201d from outsiders.<\/p>\n So far we are only in the beginning stages of understanding this phenomenon, so I am glad to see Paul\u2019s article and Danny\u2019s response. I\u2019m happy also to see that a conference<\/a> will convene in London in just over a week to discuss the situation in Burma.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/83\/2014\/04\/rohingya-at-white-house.jpg\" "\\"rohingya")
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\nRegardless of what exactly we call it, it is necessary for people around the world, and particularly in Sri Lanka and Burma, to speak out against these acts of violence. In that vein, I offer this video:<\/p>\n