Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

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Caodemarte
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Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Caodemarte »

I noticed that the application forms for retreats in Myanmar Buddhist centers ask that you declare if you are Muslim or not. The implication seems to be that if you are, they don't want you. I am aware of the tensions in the area, but does anybody know the specific justification or reasoning behind this? Is it true anywhere else in the rest of SE Asia?
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Kusala
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Kusala »

Caodemarte wrote:I noticed that the application forms for retreats in Myanmar Buddhist centers ask that you declare if you are Muslim or not. The implication seems to be that if you are, they don't want you. I am aware of the tensions in the area, but does anybody know the specific justification or reasoning behind this? Is it true anywhere else in the rest of SE Asia?
For security purposes, perhaps...the Mahabodhi temple in India was bombed a while back, so it's only natural for Buddhists to be extra cautious.
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Ben
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Ben »

Perhaps you should direct the question to the meditation centre.
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soapy3
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by soapy3 »

If I was Muslim in Burma trying infiltrate a meditation retreat to do terrorism, I would be pretty stupid not to lie about it on the application form.
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pilgrim
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by pilgrim »

If they do not allow Muslims in the retreat, they would have said up front, not asked about it in the application form. My guess is that if there are Muslims in the retreat, the center needs to cater to their food requirements or perhaps be a little more vigilant regarding security.

In my country, we do not allow Muslims at retreats or even to attend Dhamma talks as that would contravene the law. Even the local Goenka centre does not admit Muslims, quite likely the only Goenka centre in the world with such a policy. It's not that they would not welcome Muslim participants, but it is quite likely they would face angry protestors or shut down if they do so.
Last edited by pilgrim on Mon May 04, 2015 2:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Kamran
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Kamran »

yes, probably to provide halal food.

Btw, there is Goenka vipassana retreat center in Tehran, iran which is attended by 100% muslims and tolerated by the islamic clerics that rule iran because bUddhism does not try to convert people
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Bakmoon »

pilgrim wrote:In my country, we do not allow Muslims at retreats or even to attend Dhamma talks as that would contravene the law. Even the local Goenka centre does not admit Muslims, quite likely the only Goenka centre in the world with such a policy. It's not that they would not welcome Muslim participants, but it is quite likely they would face angry protestors or shut down if they do so.
Just out of curiosity, which country is this at? I'd hazard a guess at Malaysia.
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Caodemarte
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Caodemarte »

I was asked by fellow retrant in the U.S. about going on retreat in SE Asia and have often wondered about going myself. That is why I looked into centers there and was surprised by the questions (btw, I am not Muslim).

Communication with Burmese centers has been difficult, so it is hard to ask directly why this question exists at some places. If only one religion is asked about or every applicant has to declare that she/he does not belong to one specific religion it is usually a matter of concern, at least to the applicant. Put in the non-Buddhist religion of your choice and see how It feels. The idea that you are being signaled out for for special watching, as suggested, due to your religion is also disturbing. There are no questions about requests for special food, halal, kosher (which Is pretty much the same) or other.

That said, I understand the centers asking if they are required to do so. It would just be less off-putting if that was explained on the form.

BTW, there are Buddhist meditation groups in several Middle East countries other than Iran. They carefully explain that they are not out to convert anyone from any religion or to any belief in a different God.
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Buddhist meditation centres are usually not for profit organisations.
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Dhammanando »

Caodemarte wrote:Is it true anywhere else in the rest of SE Asia?
Yes, in the southern Thai provinces of Yala, Pattani and Nakhorn Sri Thammarat — strongholds of both militant Islamic and political separatist movements. As Pilgrim suggested, it's a security issue. The meditation centre staff need to be forewarned and ready to phone the police in the event of any suspicious-looking people coming to enquire after the meditator, lest they turn out to be militant Muslims intent on either snuffing their apostate brother or bombing the centre for facilitating his apostasy.
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Caodemarte
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Caodemarte »

Thank you. It makes more sense if there is a fear of attacks on the person accused of being an "apostate" or on the center, rather than the fear some terrorist would inexplicably infiltrate the center and not bother to lie on the form. It is a sad, sad business.
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by peterve »

There is quite a turbulence between Buddhist and muslims in the past few years.
I think that's the reason for such question.
Buddhist must be cautious since they don't want the same event that happended in Bodh Gaya in India.
Even in Nepal, the police and army were quite strict after the bombing event took place in Bodh Gaya.
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Re: Muslims and Meditation Centers in Myanmar

Post by Kumara »

Caodemarte wrote:I noticed that the application forms for retreats in Myanmar Buddhist centers ask that you declare if you are Muslim or not. The implication seems to be that if you are, they don't want you. I am aware of the tensions in the area, but does anybody know the specific justification or reasoning behind this? Is it true anywhere else in the rest of SE Asia?
In Malaysia, we don't even need to ask. :-)

Anyway, why didn't you ask them? I wouldn't be surprised if it's a government requirement.
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