Sri Lanka offers one of the most complex examples of how Buddhist ethics, which centrally uphold non-violence, have at times been invoked to justify — or resist — violent action. The tension between religious ideals and political realities has marked both ancient chronicles and modern civil conflict on the island.
The Theravāda Buddhist tradition, dominant in Sri Lanka, contains no canonical justification for violence. However, later texts such as the Mahāvaṃsa — a 5th-century CE chronicle written by the monk Mahānāma — present narratives that have been used to support Sinhalese-Buddhist nationalism. The Mahāvaṃsa glorifies King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī’s military campaign against Elāra, a Tamil ruler, portraying it as a heroic act in defense of Buddhism. The chronicle claims that arahants reassured the king that killing non-Buddhist invaders was not sinful because the slain were not truly human — a view directly contradicting core Buddhist ethics .
In the 20th century, this theme was revived by influential figures such as Walpola Rāhula, whose book Bhikṣuvage Urumaya spoke of “religio-patriotism” and framed historical battles as righteous efforts to protect both the nation and the religion. This rhetoric contributed to a fusion of ethnic and religious identity, encouraging a Sinhalese-Buddhist view of national unity that often excluded Tamil minorities .
The political landscape reinforced this division. After independence in 1948, attempts to strengthen Sinhalese-Buddhist culture unintentionally alienated Tamils, who were seen by some as a privileged colonial minority. As politics became communalized, religion was often used to legitimize state policies or resist reforms aimed at addressing Tamil grievances .
However, there are also strong Buddhist voices for peace. The Sarvodaya Shramadāna movement, led by A. T. Ariyaratne, has long championed reconciliation. Rooted in both Buddhist and Gandhian values, Sarvodaya promotes non-violence, inter-ethnic dialogue, and community uplift. During the 1983 riots, the movement unilaterally established refugee camps and later organized peace marches and workshops on conflict resolution. It remains a vital counterforce to sectarianism, emphasizing unity through shared humanity and moral transformation .
Thus, while Buddhism in Sri Lanka has been entangled with political violence and nationalism, it has also offered tools for healing. The challenge remains: whether the Dhamma is used to divide or to unite, to justify force or to transcend it. As the Dhammapada reminds us: “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased.”