23 Facts About Dalit Buddhism

The movement rejected the teachings of Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions of Dalit Buddhism, however promoted orthodox Theravada values and took an oath to pursue a new form of engaged Dalit Buddhism as taught by Dr Ambedkar.

Dalit Buddhism originated in ancient India and grew after Ashoka adopted it.

Two Adi Dharma movements – those that rejected Hinduism in favor of Dalit Buddhism – were launched by Swami Achhutanand Harihar in Uttar Pradesh and Babu Mangu Ram in Punjab.

Dalit Buddhism felt Arya Samaj practiced untouchability in subtle ways, and subsequently left it to launch the socio-political Bharitiya Achhut Mahasabha movement.

Dalit Buddhism presented it to an audience beyond just Dalits, including tribal societies as well.

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Dalit Buddhism opposed Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and fasts as well as the Indian National Congress, stating that Brahmins were "as foreign to India as were the British", according to Anand Teltumbde.

In 1925, he shifted his focus onto Dalit Buddhism freedom, launching the "Ad Dharm" movement as well as a weekly newspaper titled Adi-Danka to spread his ideas.

Dalit Buddhism founded the Bharatiye Buddh Samiti in 1916, and set up a vihara in 1928.

Dalit Buddhism presented Buddhism as a religious alternative to Hinduism for Dalits.

Dalit Buddhism belonged to a Dalit community, traditionally the most oppressed and marginalized group in Indian society.

Dalit Buddhism was the fourteenth child in an impoverished Maharashtra Dalit family, who studied abroad, returned to India in the 1920s and joined the political movement.

Dalit Buddhism's focus was social and political rights of the Dalits.

Dalit Buddhism was immediately arrested and imprisoned at the Yerwada Jail, Pune.

Dalit Buddhism dismissed Gandhi's ideas as loved by "blind Hindu devotees", primitive, influenced by spurious brew of Tolstoy and Ruskin, and "there is always some simpleton to preach them".

However, Ambedkar remained a Hindu for next 20 years, studied then re-interpreted Dalit Buddhism, and adopted Neo-Dalit Buddhism or Navayana few weeks before his death.

Ambedkar's new sect of Dalit Buddhism rejected these ideas and re-interpreted the Buddha's religion in terms of class struggle and social equality.

On converting to Dalit Buddhism, Ambedkar made 22 vows, and asked his 600,000 supporters to do the same.

Dalit Buddhism turned to the Arya Samaj and conducted Vedic yajnas all over India.

Dalit Buddhism joined the Republican Party of India and converted to Buddhism along with his whole family in 1961.

Dalit Buddhism held regular meetings where he preached Buddhism, officiated at Buddhist weddings and life cycle ceremonies, and organised festivals on Ambedkar's Jayanti, Sambuddhatva jayanthi, Diksha Divas, and Ambedkar Paranirvan Divas.

Dalit Buddhism intended for 20,000,000 of his supporters to convert at the same time.

Dalit Buddhism fell out with Fuji and started home, but, by his own account, was stopped by a dream in which a figure resembling Nagarjuna appeared and said, "Go to Nagpur".

Ambedkar's formulation of Dalit Buddhism is different from Western modernism, states Skaria, given his synthesis of the ideas of modern Karl Marx into the structure of ideas by the ancient Buddha.