Introduction

Buddhism is rather well known for its explicit and uncompromising pacifist foundations with regard to warfare. Nevertheless throughout history, Buddhist societies and their governments, whether willingly or by necessity of circumstance, have been directly or indirectly involved in a variety of local, national, and international wars. When Buddhist communities have been drawn or forced into warfare, their engagement in the battlefield has drawn the attention of scholars concerned with the pacifist foundations of Buddhist doctrines and its celebration of the ideals of nonviolence. For instance, several decades of ethnic conflict, religious disharmony, and a climate of war in Sri Lanka have raised concerns and serious doubts about whether Buddhists have compromised the Buddha’s teachings by failing to create a peaceful environment conducive to the healthy growth of religious communities on the island. One of the most controversial issues in recent years has been the affiliation of some Buddhist groups with organizations that have actively advocated for the use of force against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Moral support has thereby been given to the Sri Lankan government’s military initiatives against the LTTE, from 2007 to 2009.