Buddhist Monks; Buddhist Ethics; Buddhism; Military Government
摘要
In 2007, young Buddhist monks demonstrated against the military regime and its neglect of the economy and education, as well as against its repression. The monks applied Buddhism's ethical concepts as spiritual politics against the regime's increasing totalitarian tendencies. The article analyses and discusses how Buddhism and different notions of power characterize the struggle for democracy in Burma. The opposing sides, the young monks and the regime share a Buddhist cosmological imaginary. But they apply Buddhism differently in the struggle and have different perceptions of subjectivity. Following a brief outline of the military regime's rule, the article discusses power and Buddhism as interpreted by the opposition, the Generals and the young monks.
目次
Introduction 1 The question of power, the social order and the process of subjectification 3 Subjectification and the Buddhist notion of the enchanted subject 6 Aung San Suu Kyi: translating Buddhist concepts into democracy 9 The generals and their imaginary 11 The origin of the Saffron Revolution 2007: enchanted subjects confronting totalitarian rule 15 The will of the people and ‘study power’ 17 Buddhism as a political medium 22 Epilogue 25 Acknowledgements 26 Notes 26 References 29
