ABSTRACT Radicalised Buddhist movements in Sri Lanka and Myanmar have been prominent as drivers of mistrust, tensions and violence directed against Muslim minorities, particularly since the mid-2010s. This article seeks to understand why ordinary monks, who exert tremendous influence in these societies, have developed anti-Muslim sentiments and even endorse radical movements. To do so I analyse the discursive construction of Buddhists as a historically victimised community and of Muslims as the most potent existential threat to that community. The study uses an “empathetic” vantage point to analyse the perceptions of Buddhist monks and laity, because resolving their mistrust of Muslims requires a deeper understanding of their fears and grievances. It delineates a narrative in which other religious communities, historically, have encroached on the Buddhist sphere by imposing limits on its rituals and conversion of Buddhists to other faiths, and through the destruction of Buddhist heritage sites. Monks and laity maintain discourses of fear, stemming from a substantive basis of history in which the pre-colonial and colonial experiences, neglect of local economies, invasions, and incursions into the Buddhist community left a collective memory of injury and external persecution. This narrative critically informs the feelings and behaviour of Buddhist monks vis-à-vis Muslims.

中文翻译：

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斯里兰卡和缅甸的佛教徒建设：对历史上受害社区的想象

摘要斯里兰卡和缅甸的激进佛教运动一直是针对穆斯林少数民族的不信任、紧张局势和暴力的主要驱动因素，特别是自 2010 年代中期以来。本文试图了解为什么在这些社会中发挥巨大影响的普通僧侣会产生反穆斯林情绪，甚至支持激进运动。为此，我分析了将佛教徒视为历史上受害社区和将穆斯林视为对该社区最有效的生存威胁的话语建构。该研究使用“同理心”的观点来分析佛教僧侣和俗人的看法，因为要解决他们对穆斯林的不信任，需要更深入地了解他们的恐惧和不满。它描绘了一个叙事，其中其他宗教团体在历史上，通过限制佛教的仪式和佛教徒皈依其他信仰，以及破坏佛教遗址，侵犯了佛教领域。僧侣和俗人保持恐惧的话语，源于历史的实质性基础，其中前殖民和殖民的经历、对当地经济的忽视、入侵和对佛教社区的入侵留下了伤害和外部迫害的集体记忆。这种叙述批判性地反映了佛教僧侣对穆斯林的感受和行为。对当地经济的忽视、入侵和对佛教社区的入侵留下了伤害和外部迫害的集体记忆。这种叙述批判性地反映了佛教僧侣对穆斯林的感受和行为。对当地经济的忽视、入侵和对佛教社区的入侵留下了伤害和外部迫害的集体记忆。这种叙述批判性地反映了佛教僧侣对穆斯林的感受和行为。