The Robe and the Sword: How Buddhist Extremism Is Shaping Modern Asia

By Sonia Faleiro

Claiming that Buddhism is under threat from Islam, radical monks like Ashin Wirathu, better known as the Buddhist Bin Laden, are fomenting hate and encouraging deadly attacks on Muslims in countries across the region. The Myanmar junta's calculated embrace of Wirathu is a reflection of the tectonic shift taking place among the followers of a religion famous for their embrace of non-violence, further emboldening Wirathu's hundreds of thousands of supporters. As a result, increasing conflict, extremism, and reprisals spread quickly throughout the region, forcing persecuted minorities to flee to neighboring countries to avoid persecution.

In The Robe and the Sword, journalist Sonia Faleiro investigates the rise and consequences of Buddhist extremism, focusing on the three countries where nationalist Buddhists are the most active, powerful, and violent--Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This is an urgent and comprehensive account of a rapidly growing extremist movement with hugely disruptive potential around the world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1967190003
• ISBN13: 9781967190003
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Columbia Global Reports