Violence in Buddhism
Buddhism is almost always thought of as an incredibly non-violent religion. Although Buddhism teaches non-violence, we have seen occasional historical examples of Buddhist violence. One of the most well known acts of “violence” committed within Buddhism was the self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese Monk who burned himself to death in a Saigon intersection as a way of protesting Buddhist persecution by the Vietnamese government. This example of self-violence wouldn’t be considered a violent act by some, but this suicide is considered a violent act in the Buddhist community and is even frowned upon by Dalai Lama. It turns out that there is a history of Buddhist suicide and participation in conflicts and wars. Despite being known as an incredibly peaceful religion, Buddhist doctrine does contain some justifications for committing violent acts. These justifications and examples of Buddhist violence are explored by Michael Jerryson in his essay Buddhist Traditions and Violence. These exceptions to the general rule of nonviolence (it is one of the Five Precepts) generally depend on the intention of the person committing the violence, the nature of the victim of the violence, and the status of the person committing violence. Depending on the particular Buddhist school, the extent of these exceptions may vary, but in some schools, simply the lack of any ill intent can pardon an act of violence, particularly if the one committing the violence is an enlightened bodhisattva. It is exceptions like these that can justify acts like the self-immolation of bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc.
There are more historical examples of Buddhist violence, such as monk-led political revolts and insurrections, monks as soldiers in wars, and warrior monks (including the Shaolin Monks and Renzai Samurai). One specific example of Buddhist violence was the prominent role of Buddhists in the modern political violence in Sri Lanka. This is another example of Buddhist violence with political motivations instead of religious ones. This particular example of Buddhist violence is explored in great detail in the book Buddhism Betrayed? Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka by Stanley Tambiah.
Although this history of some Buddhist violence does exist, Buddhism is by no means a violent religion. Unlike other religions, war is not waged for the purposes of creating a Buddhist Holy Land. This is because while some exceptions to small scale and very individual violent acts can be found in Buddhist doctrine, there is a distinct lack of justification for large scale violence. Most examples of Buddhist violence are committed by individual Buddhists or small groups, are politically instead of religiously motivated, and just happen to regard socio-political issues that impact large numbers of Buddhists.
Information From:
Jerryson, Michael. "Buddhist Traditions and Violence." Oxford Handbooks Online (2013)
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