Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism is a political ideology which combines a focus upon Sinhalese culture and ethnicity with an emphasis upon Theravada Buddhism, which is the majority belief system of most Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka. It mostly originated in reaction to the colonization of Sri Lanka by the British Empire, and became increasingly assertive in the years following the independence of the country. Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has also been a driving force of interest in the Sri Lankan Civil War against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has a fractious relationship with other religious communities like Christians, with protests often being organized by Buddhist nationalist organizations against the perceived interference of Christians in the country[2]. Relations between Buddhist nationalists and Hindus are more nuanced, with numerous Hindu figures, including Kandiah Neelakandan and T. Maheswaran working with Buddhist groups on the anti-Conversion bill[3]. Also, D. B. S. Jeyaraj noted that both Sri Lankan Hindu nationalism and Buddhist nationalism rose as reactions to Christianity.[4]. Hindu-Buddhist collaboration is growing more prevalent in Sri Lanka, with the rise of groups such as the Hindu-Buddhist Friendship Society[5].