The first two months of Donald Trump’s second term as United States president have been a whirlwind of firings, shutdowns, and battles with federal court justices. Enlisting the multi-billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, to cut perceived inefficiency in US government bureaucracy, Trump has garnered near-daily headlines for making more and more Americans unemployed. Meanwhile, because the US is still largely governed by rules, many of Trump’s and Musk’s actions have been swiftly blocked and reversed by court orders.

Recently, Trump’s administration seems to have disobeyed a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants, and the judge is now seeking “to determine if the government deliberately flouted its orders issued on 15 March 2025, and, if so, what the consequences should be.” (Reuters) The growing concern is that Trump may ignore this and future judicial rulings, violating the US Constitution’s institution of checks and measures against abuses of power by any one of the three co-equal branches of the government.

Simultaneously, Trump has threatened—and then at times retreated, paused, or actually implemented—an array of tariffs targeting longtime allies of the United States. He has proposed a new travel ban listing some 43 countries, and has shocked the Western world by casting doubt on US support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. He has also issued threats of a US takeover of the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada. All of this—and so much more—has left commentators using words such as authoritarianism, dictatorship, coup d’état, and tyranny.

While we have no crystal ball to tell us exactly what the US or the rest of the world will look like in the months and years ahead, we do have access to centuries of Buddhist wisdom borne of turbulent social and political upheaval. Buddhist traditions have long grappled with the ethical implications of oppressive governance. From ancient scriptures to contemporary engaged Buddhist activism, Buddhists have historically recognized tyranny as an existential challenge—not only politically but spiritually. While tyranny manifests outwardly in oppression, violence, and injustice, Buddhism views it as ultimately rooted in the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion. By understanding these causes, Buddhists have historically sought responses rooted in compassion, non-violence, and moral clarity.

In the modern era, as authoritarian regimes rose throughout Asia, Buddhists were compelled to respond. During the mid-20th century, Buddhists in various nations confronted brutal dictatorships, colonial oppression, and totalitarianism, often with remarkable courage and spiritual clarity. These challenges forced Buddhist practitioners to grapple with difficult questions: should Buddhism remain purely spiritual and apolitical? Or does compassion demand action against tyranny?

A powerful response emerged in Vietnam, during the brutal American War (known as the Vietnam War outside of Vietnam). Vietnamese Buddhist monks, including Thich Quang Duc (1897–1963), dramatically confronted oppressive rule through peaceful yet powerful acts of protest. In 1963, Thich Quang Duc self-immolated on the streets of Saigon to draw global attention to the tyranny and religious oppression of the regime of Ngo Dinh Diem. His act, deeply shocking yet profoundly compassionate in intent, highlighted Buddhism’s capacity for moral protest, framing tyranny not simply as a political injustice but as an ethical tragedy calling Buddhists to urgent action.

Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) developed the influential movement known today as engaged Buddhism, explicitly addressing Buddhism’s role amid injustice. Thich Nhat Hanh insisted that mindfulness and compassion are incomplete if not expressed concretely in society. His teachings emphasized non-violent resistance to injustice, compassion toward both oppressors and victims, and active engagement in social transformation. In Thich Nhat Hanh’s view, tyranny is fundamentally spiritual suffering manifesting socially and politically—hence the solution must also encompass spiritual and social transformation.

Another potent example is found in Myanmar, where the military has repeatedly imposed authoritarian rule. In response, many Buddhist monks have played prominent roles in non-violent protests demanding democracy and justice. The Saffron Revolution of 2007 famously witnessed tens of thousands of monks peacefully marching through Yangon, chanting the Metta Sutta (Discourse on Loving-kindness) even as the military cracked down violently. These monks symbolically presented tyranny as antithetical to Buddhist teachings, insisting that ethical governance rooted in compassion was essential to alleviating the suffering of Myanmar’s people.

However, Buddhist responses to tyranny are not universally consistent. In certain contexts, some Buddhist authorities have tacitly supported authoritarian governments, especially when such governments claim to uphold Buddhist identity or tradition. The Sri Lankan civil war (1983–2009) is one stark example in which Buddhist monks became deeply divided. While many monks courageously spoke out against state violence, others actively endorsed nationalist and authoritarian policies. Here, the complexities of Buddhist politics become evident: Buddhism itself does not prescribe a singular political stance, but provides ethical principles open to diverse interpretations. This division illustrates the risks inherent in politically aligning Buddhism, highlighting the need for constant ethical vigilance among Buddhists.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, perhaps Buddhism’s most recognizable contemporary voice of peace and compassion, has consistently affirmed the necessity of non-violent resistance and moral clarity in confronting oppression. Forced into exile by the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama has tirelessly advocated for Tibetan freedom through compassionate dialogue and peaceful activism. He insists tyranny must be met with clear moral opposition but also compassion toward oppressors, seeing them as trapped by ignorance and fear and ultimately part of our one human family. As he said at a 2020 Mind and Life conference:

Thinking “my group,” “their group” on the basis of religion, on the basis of color, on the basis of social status—all this is old thinking. We have to think [in terms] of one humanity. . . . That’s my number one commitment: to promote a sense of oneness of seven billion human beings. (Mind and Life Institute)

In recent years, Buddhists have increasingly spoken against authoritarianism in varied contexts. In Thailand, for example, prominent Buddhist intellectuals and monks have cautiously joined democratic movements calling for greater accountability and ethical governance, emphasizing the Buddha’s teachings on righteous rule and social justice. Meanwhile, in Cambodia, Buddhist figures have quietly supported activists struggling against increasing authoritarianism and the suppression of democratic freedoms under former prime minister Hun Sen.

Yet, debates persist. Some Buddhists caution against overt political involvement, advocating spiritual practice and personal transformation as sufficient. From this perspective, social tyranny mirrors internal tyranny—the tyranny of attachment, craving, and ignorance. Thus, they argue, transforming individual minds will inevitably lead to societal transformation. However, critics counter that this emphasis on personal liberation neglects the urgency of political and structural injustices demanding active compassion. It also feeds a potentially selfish urge to live in peace with one’s practice while others suffer deeply and unnecessarily around us.

In the 21st century, with rising authoritarianism and democratic challenges worldwide, Buddhist responses to tyranny remain urgently relevant. Buddhism’s ethical teachings—centered on compassion, wisdom, and interdependence—continue to provide valuable frameworks for confronting oppressive governance. Contemporary Buddhist practitioners are increasingly aware of Buddhism’s social responsibilities, actively questioning what compassionate resistance might practically entail.

Ultimately, Buddhism’s rich tradition provides compelling perspectives on tyranny. Contemporary voices such as Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama offer poignant examples of Buddhist activism confronting oppressive governance. Yet we also remain open-ended in how practitioners interpret and apply teachings to political realities, understanding that all of us exist in deeply complex nets of interconnectedness. This tension highlights Buddhism’s enduring strength: its profound ethical insights remain deeply relevant while its application remains flexible, adapted by each generation seeking justice, compassion, and wisdom in troubled times.

See more

Judge warns of consequences if Trump administration violated deportation order (Reuters)
Message from the Dalai Lama in a Time of Crisis: “We Have to Think of One Humanity” (Mind and Life Institute)

Related features from BDG

Buddhistdoor View: Syria After Assad and the Uncertainty of New Beginnings
Buddhistdoor View: The 2024 US Election – Politics, Power, and Compassion
Buddhistdoor View: Political Violence through a Buddhist Lens
Buddhistdoor View: Fostering Friendship to Overcome Global Challenges
Our Own Source of Power
Now or Never