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

When the robe becomes a weapon, who can stop the violence?

We think of Buddhism as a faith of peace—rooted in compassion, patience, and nonviolence. But across South and Southeast Asia today, the robe is being turned into a weapon as radical monks and nationalist movements unleash hatred and war.

In The Robe and the Sword, acclaimed journalist Sonia Faleiro travels from Sri Lanka’s riot—scarred towns to the homes of refugees along the Myanmar border to Thailand’s fortified temples, uncove...