BBS does not represent entire Sangha

The sentiments expressed by the Bodu Bala Sena monks do not represent the views of the entire Sangha community, Anunayake Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thero said yesterday.

“In any community, there are those who hold extremist views. But a majority of Sinhala Buddhists look at this issue in a far more balanced way,” the Thero told a news conference.



He said one of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism was religious tolerance. “The views of the Bodu Bala Sena are not the views of the entire Sangha community,” he said.

He said the Sangha did not seek to create conflict between communities. “We don’t use our fists to solve problems, we use our brains,” he said.