Dalit Buddhist movement

Neo-Buddhism is a modern Buddhist revivalist movement in India. As a popular movement, Neo-Buddhism began on October 14, 1956 when B. R. Ambedkar, the 20th century's most prominent Untouchable converted to Buddhism along with nearly 400,000 of his followers.

Origins

At the beginning of the 20th century, Buddhism was all but dead in India, the land of its origin. Certain tribal groups in Bengal continued to follow Buddhism, as did peoples in Ladakh and Sikkim where Tibetan culture was influential, but these groups were on the margins of Indian society. Historical research and increased contact with the rest of the Buddhist world, however, led to renewed interest in Buddhism. Thinkers such as Iyothee Thass, Brahmananda Reddy, and Dharmananda Kosambi began to discuss it in very favorable terms.

In the 1930's, Ambedkar, who had declared in 1935 his intention to leave Hinduism because he believed it perpetuated caste injustices, became interested in Buddhism as an alternative. After publishing a series of books and articles arguing that Buddhism was the only way for the Untouchables to gain equality, Ambedkar publically converted on October 14, 1956 in Nagpur. He took the three refuges and five precepts from a Buddhist monk in the traditional manner and then in his turn administered them to the 380,000 of his followers that were present. Ambedkar would die less than two months later, just after finishing his definitive work on Buddhism, The Buddha and his Dhamma.

Distinctive interpretation

Ambedkarite Buddhists espouse an eclectic version of Buddhism, primarily based on Theravada but with additional influences from Mahayana and Vajrayana. On many subjects, they give Buddhism a distinctive interpretation. Of particular note is their emphasis on Shakyamuni Buddha as a political and social reformer, rather than merely as a spiritual leader. They point out that the Buddha required his monastic followers to ignore caste distinctions. Ambedkar's followers do not believe that a person's unfortunate conditions at birth are the result of previous karma, an idea which is accepted by almost all other Buddhist groups. See rebirth (Buddhist).

Ambedkarite Buddhism since Ambedkar

The Neo-Buddhist movement was somewhat hindered by Ambedkar's death so shortly after his conversion. It did not receive the immediate mass support from the Untouchable population that Ambedkar had hoped for. Division and lack of direction among the leaders of the Ambedkarite movement have been an additional impediment. The Buddhist revival remains concentrated in two provinces: Ambedkar's native Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. According to the 1991 census, there are currently 6.4 million Buddhists in India, at least 5 million of whom are Neo-Buddhists in Maharashtra. This makes Buddhism the fifth-largest religion in India and 5% of the population of Maharashtra, but less than 1% of the overall population of India. Neo-Buddhist leaders, however, claim that these numbers are inaccurate because of irregularities in the census and because many private Buddhists refrain from publically converted for fear of sanctions. These leaders argue that the actual numbers are considerably higher.

One of the more prominent Neo-Buddhist leaders in recent years has been Udit Raj (formerly Ram Raj), who is frequently at odds with the older Ambedkarite establishment. Raj, also a political activist, organized a large mass conversion on November 4, 2001, but the event met with active opposition from the government.

S. N. Goenka

S. N. Goenka, a Indian meditation teacher trained in Burma, also has an active following in modern India.

Recent developments

In 2002 Kanshi Ram, a popular low-caste political leader, announced his intention to convert to Buddhism on October 14, 2006, the fiftieth anniversary of Ambedkar's conversion. He intends for 20,000,000 of his supporters to convert at the same time. Part of the significance of this plan is that Ram's followers include not only Untouchables, but persons from a variety of oppressed castes, who could significantly broaden Neo-Buddhism's support. However, it remains to be seen whether this move will be able to successfully reinvigorate the Neo-Buddhist movement.

See also

• Sangharakshita
• Christian Dalit theology