Buddhism and the Political Process

Abstract

In its interpretation of Buddhism both as a cultural heritage and social ideology, this edited volume seeks to understand how Buddhist values and world views have impacted on the political process of many countries in Asia. In their respective work in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Japan and Tibet, the contributors engage with an interactive typology originally proposed by the late Ian Harris, to whom the book is dedicated. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, they explore the interaction between Buddhism and politics, religious authority and political power, considering issues that concern the politicization of monks, proliferation of violence, leadership, citizenship, democracy and communalism in order to further understand the interface between Buddhism and politics in modern and contemporary times. Cover; Half-Title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Notes on Contributors; List of Abbreviations; 1 Introduction to Buddhism and the Political Process: Patterns of Interaction; 2 On Being a Monk and a Citizen in Thailand and China; 3 U Nu's Liberal Democracy and Buddhist Communalism in Modern Burma; 4 Buddhist Monks and Democratic Politics in Contemporary Myanmar; 5 Buddha or the Ballot: The Buddhist Exception to Universal Suffrage in Contemporary Asia; 6 Particularist Goals through Universalist Means: The Political Paradoxes of Buddhist Revivalism in Sri Lanka 7 The 'Army of Buddhist Power' in Sri Lankan Politics8 The Buddhist State of Exception; 9 Tibetan Buddhist Leadership: Recent Developments in Historical Context; 10 Feeding a Scapegoat? The Political Function of Amoghavajra's Ritual Services in Protecting the Country; 11 Opium Eaters: Buddhism as Revolutionary Politics; Glossary; Bibliography; Index