Ambedkar, dalits and buddhism

Ambedkar combined fearless and trenchant criticism of religion with a deep sympathy and understanding of it. When he diagnosed Hinduism as a religion of inequality because it sanctified caste or when he converted to Buddhism with his followers, Ambedkar was saying that religion can be and must be criticized. The Dalit Buddhist movement is a socio-political movement by Dalits in India started by B. R. Ambedkar. It radically re-interpreted Buddhism and created a new school of Buddhism called Navayana. The movement has sought to be a socially and politically engaged form of Buddhism. Ambedkar felt that Hinduism had failed to secure basic human rights for his people, perpetuating caste injustices instead. It would, however, take more than 20 years before the leader finally adopted Buddhism, taking his time to pour over teachings of different religions. Ambedkar also attended various meetings with people of different faiths and denomination analysing the pros and cons of conversion and its implications for the country’s Dalit population. Dr. Ambedkar chose Buddhism for its strong emphasis on Self Help Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are the core ideals in Buddhism. A human being is seen as a human being. The three tenets of Buddha are Awareness, Kindness and Wisdom. The present book is an important resource guide for all those interested in dalit and ambedkar studies.