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Navayāna (Devanagari: नवयान, IAST: Navayāna, meaning " New Vehicle"), otherwise known as Navayāna Buddhism, refers to the Engaged Buddhism Buddhist schools founded and developed by the Indian jurist, social reformer, and scholar B. R. Ambedkar; it is otherwise called Neo-Buddhism and Ambedkarite Buddhism. Rather than a new sect, it is the application of Buddhist principles for the welfare of many.
Ambedkar was an Indian lawyer, politician, and Buddhist studies, and the Drafting Chairman of the Constitution of India. He was born in an untouchable family during the British Raj, studied abroad, became a Dalit leader, and announced in 1935 his intent to convert from Hinduism to a different religion, an endeavor which took him to study all the major religions of the world in depth, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, and Islam, for nearly 21 years. The school was otherwise named Ambedkarite Buddhism after him by people after his death. Ambedkar held a conference on 13 October 1956, announcing his rejection of Hinduism. Thereafter, he left Hinduism and adopted Buddhism as his religious faith, about six weeks before his death. Its adherents see Navayāna Buddhism not as a sect with radically different ideas, but rather as a new social movement founded on the Buddhist ethics.
In the Buddhist faith, Navayāna is not considered as an independent new branch of Buddhism native to India, distinct from the traditionally recognized branches of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana—considered to be foundational in the Buddhist tradition. It radically re-interprets what Buddhism is; Ambedkar regarded Buddhism to be a better alternative than Marxism or Communism, taking into account modern problems within Indian society.
While the term Navayāna is most commonly used in reference to the movement that Ambedkar founded in India, it is also (more rarely) used in a different sense, to refer to Westernized forms of Buddhism. Ambedkar didn't call his version of Buddhism Navayāna or "Neo-Buddhism". His book, The Buddha and His Dhamma, is considered Bible of Buddhism and seems to be an attempt to unite all Buddhist schools. The followers of Navayāna Buddhism are generally called "Buddhists" ( Bauddha) as well as Ambedkarite Buddhists, and rarely Navayāna Buddhists. Almost 90% of Navayāna Buddhists live in Maharashtra.
Navayana Buddhism began in 1956, when Bhimrao R. Ambedkar adopted it, and 380,000 oppressed community members converted to Buddhism from Hinduism on 14 and 15 October 1956. After that on every year 14 October is celebrated as Dhammachakra Pravartan Day at Dikshabhoomi, Nagpur:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is regarded as a bodhisattva, the Maitreya, among the Indian Buddhists. In practice, the Navayana followers revere Ambedkar, states Deitrick (2013), as virtually on-par with the Buddha. He is considered as the one prophesied to appear and teach the dhamma after it was forgotten; his iconography is a part of Indian Buddhist shrines and he is shown with a halo. Though Ambedkar states ''He is an ordinary man still Indian Buddhist shrines features images of the Ambedkar along with Buddha, and the followers bow and offer prayers before them in practice. According to Junghare (1988), for the followers of Navayana, Ambedkar has become a deity and is devotionally worshipped.
Nibbana (Skt. nirvana) the state or process which describes enlightenment, is considered by a precursor for moral action in the world and explicitly associated with a non-monastic lifestyle. Nibbana "means enough control over passion so as to enable one to walk on the path of righteousness". Ambedkar's understanding of dukkha and nirvana implies that moral action, for which nibbana is preparation, will rectify sufferings of Mankind.
Ambedkar considered all ideas in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism that relate to an individual's merit and spiritual development as insertions into Buddhism, and something that "cannot be accepted to be the word of the Buddha". Buddhism, to Ambedkar, must have been a social reform movement. Martin Fuchs states that Ambedkar's effort is to be admired as an attempt to seek a "post-religious religion" which transcends distinctions and as being driven by the "reasonable principle of sociality", not in the sense of spiritual doctrines, philosophical speculations and existentialist questions.
According to Blackburn, "neither view of traditional Buddhism — as a social reform movement or as some other stable entity interpreted (or misinterpreted) from a social reform perspective — is historically accurate", thereby placing Navayana theories to be ahistorical, though it served as an important means for Dalit political mobilization and social movement.
Scholars broadly accept that the depictions of the Buddha as a social reformer are inaccurate. Richard Gombrich (2012) states that there is no evidence that the Buddha began or pursued social reforms; rather his aim was the salvation of those who joined his monastic order. Modernist interpreters of Buddhism, states Gombrich, keep picking up this "mistake from western authors", a view that initially came into vogue during the colonial era.
Empirical evidence outside of India, such as in the Theravada Buddhist monasteries of the Sinhalese society, suggests that class ideas have been prevalent among the sangha monks, and between the Buddhist monks and the laity. In all canonical Buddhist texts, the khattiyas (warrior class) are always mentioned first and never other classes such as brahmans, vessas, suddas.
The novel interpretations and the dismissal of mainstream doctrines of Buddhism by Ambedkar as he formulated Navayana has led some to suggest that Navayana may more properly be called Ambedkarism. However, Ambedkar did not consider himself as the originator of a new Buddhism, but stated that he was merely reviving what was original Buddhism after centuries of "misguided interpretation" by wrong headed Buddhist monks. Others, states Skaria, consider Ambedkar attempting a synthesis of the ideas of modern Karl Marx into the structure of ideas by the ancient Buddha, as Ambedkar worked on essays on both in the final years of his life.
According to Janet Contursi, Ambedkar re-interprets Buddhist religion and with Navayana "speaks through Gautama and politicizes the Buddha philosophy as he theologizes his own political views".
According to the 2011 Census of India there are 8.4 million Buddhists in India. Navayana Buddhists comprise about 87% (7.3 million) of the Indian Buddhist community, with nearly 90% (6.5 million) of all Navayana Buddhists in India living in Maharashtra state. A 2017 IndiaSpend.com report on census data says "Buddhists have a literacy rate of 81.29%, higher than the national average of 72.98%", but it does not distinguish Navayana Buddhists from other Buddhists. When compared to overall literacy rate of Maharashtra state where 80% of Buddhists are found, their literacy rate is 83.17% or slightly higher than statewide average of 82.34%.
According to Jean Darian, the conversion to Buddhism and its growth in India has in part been because of nonreligious factors, in particular the political and economic needs of the community as well as the needs of the political leaders and the expanding administrative structure in India.
Origins
Ambedkar was an Indian leader influential during the colonial era and early post-independence period of India. He was the fourteenth child in an impoverished Maharashtra Schedule caste family, who studied abroad, returned to India in the 1920s and joined the political movement. His focus was social and political rights for the Depressed class community. To free his community from religious prejudice, he concluded that they must leave Hinduism and convert to a different religion. He chose Buddhism as the only way to end human suffering.
Doctrines and concepts
In 1935, following disagreements with Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar announced his intent to convert from Hinduism to Buddhism. Over the next two decades, Ambedkar studied Buddhist texts and wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma which is considered Bible of Buddhism.
Commencement
Ambedkar re-emphasized Buddhist principles to address modern issues. Navayana dhamma doctrine as propounded by Ambedkar, states Sumant (2004), "does not situate morality in a transcendental religious domain", nor in "a civil association, including the state". Dhamma is derived from and the guiding principle for social conscience.
Scripture and practice
The writings of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar were posthumously published as The Buddha and His Dhamma, and this is the scripture also known as Bible Buddhism bringing all important teaching of Buddha into one book. Among Navayana followers, state Keown & Prebish (2013), this is "often referred to as their 'bible' and its novel interpretation of the Buddhist path commonly constitutes their only source of knowledge on the subject".
Reception
Ambedkar's re-interpretation of Buddhism and his formulation of Navayana has attracted admirers and criticism. The Navayana theories restate the core doctrines of Buddhism, according to Zelliot & Macy (1980), wherein Ambedkar's "social emphasis excludes or distort some teaching, fundamental to traditional and canonical Buddhism". Anne Blackburn states that Ambedkar re‑interprets core concepts of Buddhism in class conflict terms, where nirvana is not the aim and end of spiritual pursuits, but a preparation for social action against inequality:
Status in India
The Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Act, 1990 granted reservation to Dalit Buddhists and recognized their Scheduled Caste status.
Festivals
Major festivals among Navayana Buddhists are:
See also
Footnotes
Further reading
(2025). 9780195665291, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195665291
External links
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