Contesting Buddhist Narratives xi and guide political decision-makers. Monastic political participation— while always a controversial and disputed topic in Myanmar—remains multifaceted and is oriented toward purposes that can unite estranged communities in the country, as well as further entrench long-standing divides. Within the vast Theravada Buddhist corpus and Myanmar Buddhists’ particular understandings of these teachings, there are numerous values and historical examples that can promote religious pluralism, discourage hate Appropriate Buddhist speech, and encourage a more critical approach to rumors and misinformation. Indeed, some counterarguments of these Buddhist counterarguments to nacould challenge current tionalist discourse are already being advanced on the ground in Myanmar. By framing them nationalist rhetoric in culturally and contextually relevant ways, these Buddhist counterarguments might best serve to challenge current Buddhist nationalist rhetoric, and to promote attitudes and practices that can prevent further communal violence and develop social norms and attitudes that foster coexistence and understanding between groups. However, the construction of a Buddhist counterargument that appeals to Buddhist ethics is unlikely to bring an end to communal violence by itself. In order to advance sustainable peace and coexistence in the country, these Myanmar Buddhist arguments for religious pluralism must be complemented by a series of political, economic, and legal reforms to address underlying insecurities and long-standing inequalities between communities. These structural and governance issues are some of the primary root drivers of conflicts, which are currently manifesting as communal violence. Among the most pressing needs are strategic reform and strengthening of the rule of law, including greater support for the police in their efforts to prevent and manage conflict through democratic means and in partnership with local communities, and the institutional capacity to investigate and hold accountable those involved in violent conflict. Consideration must also be given to processes increasing access to information, transparency in religious education, political decentralization, and oversight to ensure that new foreign investment and development projects bring equitable benefit to Myanmar’s communities.