Myanmar is at a crucial moment in its history, but entrenching a sustainable
and just peace will require that the country strengthen religious
pluralism, develop a national identity that is inclusive, and
advance social and legal norms discouraging hate speech. This will
require efforts from multiple sectors, including media, policymakers,
and legal activists. But the religious sector will be crucial to developing
social norms that support religious pluralism, and key to this will
be the Buddhist monastic community, arguably the most influential
social sector in Myanmar. How might one advance support for religious
pluralism within a Theravada Buddhist frame that will not only
resonate with Myanmar’s Buddhist community, but also acknowledge
the complex challenges delineated above? This section will suggest
elements of such an argument, building on some of the arguments
already being advanced by Buddhist monastics working for interfaith
coexistence.