Sri Lanka: Buddhist monk self-immolated to protest the slaughter of cattle and the alleged conversion of Buddhists

I don’t know what to say.

Killing animals, and also the Muslim halal method of slaughtering animals, can be considered as wrong. It is also true that missionary tactics and the way how conversions in Buddhist countries are done by other faiths can be considered as wrong. However, to self-immolate to protest against this can be also considered as wrong. In the context of ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka (and Burma), and the hate speeches by some Buddhist monks, such an action quite likely only fuels the conflict. Therefore it is understandable that the government of Sri Lanka refuses a state funeral.

Make up your own mind:

• Sri Lanka Buddhist monk dies after self-immolation – BBC

See also

• Buddhicizing or Ethnicizing the State: Do the Sinhala Sangha Fear Muslims in Sri Lanka? – Suren Rāghavan
• Bodu Bala Sena supporters attack protesting monks

Violence by Buddhists against Muslims

• Why are Buddhist monks attacking Muslims? – Alan Strathern on BBC News 2013/05/02
• Buddhist Monks as Hate Preachers & Sexual Abuse 2013/04/18

Research

• Self-Immolation in Context, 1963-2012 by Prof. Michael Biggs