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— CH. 1 · THE TWENTY-ONE YEAR SEARCH —

Navayana

~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections

  • Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar announced his intent to leave Hinduism in 1935. This declaration marked the start of a long journey through world religions. He studied Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, and Islam for nearly twenty-one years. The colonial era Indian lawyer sought a path that would end human suffering for his community. His family belonged to an impoverished Scheduled caste group known as untouchables during that time. Ambedkar was the fourteenth child born into this marginalized background. He returned to India from abroad studies in the 1920s to join political movements. Social and political rights for the Depressed class became his primary focus. He concluded that leaving Hinduism was necessary to free his people from religious prejudice. This decision led him to create what followers now call Neo-Buddhism.

  • Three hundred eighty thousand oppressed community members converted on October 14 and 15, 1956. Bhimrao R. Ambedkar established Navayana Buddhism at a conference held in Nagpur. The event took place about six weeks before his death. October 14 is celebrated annually as Dhammachakra Pravartan Day at Dikshabhoomi. A photograph shows Ambedkar delivering a speech during these mass conversions. Hundreds of thousands of Dalits officially adopted Buddhism in Maharashtra state. The Buddhist flag of Navayana Buddhists flies above many viharas today. Almost ninety percent of all Navayana Buddhists live within Maharashtra boundaries. The 2011 Census recorded eight point four million Buddhists across India. Seven point three million of those belong to the Navayana tradition.

  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma over two decades. Followers consider this book their bible and primary source of knowledge. Keown and Prebish noted that it constitutes their only source of information on the subject. The writings were published posthumously after Ambedkar's death. This text serves as the culmination of important teachings into one volume. It states that morality does not situate itself in a transcendental religious domain. Dhamma acts as the guiding principle for social conscience instead. Anne Blackburn observed that Ambedkar re-interprets core concepts through class conflict terms. Nibbāna becomes a precursor for moral action rather than an end goal. The text explicitly associates enlightenment with a non-monastic lifestyle. Followers bow before images of both Gautama Buddha and Ambedkar at shrines.

  • Ambedkar viewed Buddhism as a social reform movement rather than spiritual doctrine. He rejected ideas relating to individual merit found in Theravada and Mahayana traditions. Martin Fuchs described his effort as seeking a post-religious religion driven by reasonable principles. Nibbāna means enough control over passion to enable walking on the path of righteousness. Moral action will rectify material suffering caused by inequality according to this view. Traditional scholars like Gombrich argue there is no evidence the historical Buddha pursued social reforms. His aim was salvation for those joining his monastic order. Modernist interpreters keep picking up mistakes from western authors during the colonial era. Yet Ambedkar's idea of a casteless society finds support in late dating of Buddhist sutras about caste. Ashokan era government edicts heavily precede establishment of caste-class ideas in later societies.

  • The Scheduled Castes Order Amendment Act passed in 1990 granted reservation to Dalit Buddhists. This legislation recognized their Scheduled Caste status under Indian law. Eighty-one point two nine percent of Buddhists have achieved literacy rates higher than national averages. The 2017 IndiaSpend report compared these figures against Maharashtra state statistics. Their literacy rate reaches eighty-three point one seven percent within that region. Jean Darian noted conversion growth stems partly from political and economic needs. Administrative structures expanded across India creating new opportunities for community leaders. A map shows major Buddhist divisions with Navayana highlighted in pink color. Census data indicates nearly ninety percent live in Maharashtra state. These demographic patterns reflect concentrated populations seeking legal recognition and social welfare benefits.

  • External groups suggest Navayana may more properly be called Ambedkarism due to radical reinterpretations. Some scholars argue his depictions of the Buddha as a social reformer are inaccurate. Janet Contursi stated he speaks through Gautama while theologizing his own political views. Skaria considers Ambedkar attempting a synthesis of Karl Marx ideas into ancient Buddha structure. He worked on essays regarding both systems during final years of life. Traditional Buddhism views his approach as ahistorical though it served important mobilization purposes. Anne Blackburn places Navayana theories outside historical accuracy boundaries. Yet relative late dating of sutras about caste supports his vision of equality. No mention of khattiyas, vessas, or sudras appears in Ashokan era documents. These records heavily precede establishment of caste-class ideas in Sinhalese and Indian societies later.

Common questions

When did Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar announce his intent to leave Hinduism?

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar announced his intent to leave Hinduism in 1935. This declaration marked the start of a long journey through world religions that lasted nearly twenty-one years.

Where and when was Navayana Buddhism established by Bhimrao R. Ambedkar?

Bhimrao R. Ambedkar established Navayana Buddhism at a conference held in Nagpur on October 14 and 15, 1956. The event took place about six weeks before his death and involved three hundred eighty thousand oppressed community members converting.

What book serves as the primary source of knowledge for followers of Navayana Buddhism?

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma over two decades which followers consider their bible and primary source of knowledge. The writings were published posthumously after Ambedkar's death and constitute the only source of information on the subject according to Keown and Prebish.

How many Buddhists belong to the Navayana tradition according to the 2011 Census?

The 2011 Census recorded eight point four million Buddhists across India with seven point three million belonging to the Navayana tradition. Almost ninety percent of all Navayana Buddhists live within Maharashtra boundaries.

Why did Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar view Buddhism as a social reform movement rather than spiritual doctrine?

Ambedkar viewed Buddhism as a social reform movement because he sought to free his people from religious prejudice and end human suffering for his community. He rejected ideas relating to individual merit found in Theravada and Mahayana traditions while associating enlightenment with a non-monastic lifestyle.

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All sources

33 references cited across the entry

  1. 1bookReligious Conversion in India: Modes, Motivations, and MeaningsTartakov, Gary — Oxford University Press — 2003
  2. 2bookA Companion to Buddhist PhilosophyQueen, Christopher — John Wiley & Sons — 2015
  3. 3bookCastes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern IndiaDirks, Nicholas B. — Princeton University Press — 2011
  4. 4webWhy Ambedkar chose Buddhism over Hinduism, Islam, Christianity2019-05-20
  5. 5webThree reasons why Ambedkar embraced Buddhism2022-04-14
  6. 6bookRoutledge Handbook of Contemporary IndiaEleanor Zelliot — Taylor & Francis — 2015
  7. 7bookBuddhism in India: Challenging Brahmanism and CasteGail Omvedt — Sage — 2003
  8. 8bookEncyclopedia of BuddhismKeown, Damien et al. — Routledge — 2013
  9. 9bookTo Uphold the WorldRich, Bruce — Penguin Books — 2008
  10. 10journal"Others Think I am Airy-fairy": Practicing Navayana Buddhism in a Dutch Secular ClimateJelle Wiering — 2016-07-02
  11. 11bookEngaged Buddhism in the WestChristopher S. Queen — Wisdom Publications — 2000
  12. 12bookThe Princeton Dictionary of BuddhismBuswell, Robert E. Jr. et al. — Princeton University Press — 2013
  13. 13bookReconstructing the World: B.R. Ambedkar and Buddhism in IndiaSumant, Yashwant — Oxford University Press — 2004
  14. 14newsPress interview at Sham Hotel, Nagpur13 October 1956
  15. 15bookThe Ideology of Religious StudiesFitzgerald, Timothy — Oxford University Press — 2003
  16. 16bookUrban Utopias: Excess and Expulsion in Neoliberal South AsiaBose, M.B. — Springer — 2017
  17. 19journalDr. Ambedkar: The hero of the Mahars, ex-untouchables of IndiaI.Y. Junghare — 1988
  18. 20journalReligion, kinship and Buddhism: Ambedkar's vision of a moral communityAnne M. Blackburn — 1993
  19. 21bookStudies in the History of BuddhismEleanor Zelliot et al. — B.R. Publishing — 1980
  20. 22bookCharisma and Canon: Essays on the Religious History of the Indian SubcontinentMartin Fuchs — Oxford University Press — 2001
  21. 23journalBuddhism and the caste systemY. Krishan — 1986
  22. 24bookBuddhist Precept & PracticeRichard Gombrich — Routledge — 2012
  23. 25bookThe Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual ChangeRandall Collins — Harvard University Press — 2000
  24. 26bookEngaged Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in AsiaQueen, Christopher S. et al. — State University of New York Press — 1996
  25. 27bookIntegrative Religious Education in Europe: A Study-of-Religions ApproachWanda Alberts — Walter de Gruyter — 2007
  26. 28bookBuddhism and Science: A Guide for the PerplexedLopez, Donald S. Jr. — University of Chicago Press — 2009
  27. 31bookBuddhism in the Shadow of BrahmanismBronkhorst — Brill — 2011
  28. 32journalAmbedkar, Marx, and the Buddhist questionA. Skaria — Taylor & Francis — 201
  29. 33journalPolitical Theology: Text and Practice in a Dalit Panther CommunityJanet A. Contursi — Cambridge University Press — 1993
  30. 34bookCaste-based Discrimination in International Human Rights LawSurya Singh — Oxford University Press — 2016
  31. 35newsManu Moudgil, Dalits are still converting to Buddhism, but at a dwindling rate2017-06-17
  32. 36webConversion to Buddhism has brought literacy, gender equality and well-being to dalitsManu Moudgil
  33. 37journalSocial and Economic Factors in the Rise of BuddhismJean C. Darian — Oxford University Press — 1977