Hearing and reading about the attacks on Muslins, by Buddhists, in Burma is rather troubling. As a practising Buddhist I keep getting asked why this is happening. ‘Buddhists are peaceful people aren’t they?’ is a common question, and I find myself having to try to defend the entire faith. There is a misconception that Buddhists exist is some kind of parallel universe, unaffected by the goings on in the real world … wrong.
Buddhists are just people, they believe in a doctrine, that like many other religions, preaches peace, tolerance and understanding, but not at any price, and they are capable of all the normal human reactions to their environment.
I was going to try to put together a piece explaining what has happened in Burma and Sri Lanka to cause these much publicised violent incidents, but then in the course of my research, I happened upon a brilliant article on the BBC website, and decided to link to that, rather than try to rewrite such an excellent piece.
Here it is …
Of all the moral precepts instilled in Buddhist monks the promise not to kill comes first, and the principle of non-violence is arguably more central to Buddhism than any other major religion. So why have monks been using hate speech against Muslims and joining mobs that have left dozens dead?
I apologise to those of you who think this is a cheat, but I couldn’t have written it better, or more objectively, myself.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
With more reports emanating from Myanmar, Burma, regarding the violence between Buddhist and Muslin groups, it is difficult to see how any good can come from actions fuelled by anger or hatred.
I was dismayed, earlier today, when I stumbled across the 
The Search For Enlightenment 
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