Navayana
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Navayana (Devanagari: नवयान, IAST: Navayāna) means "new vehicle" and refers to the re-interpretation of Buddhism by Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar; it is also called Neo-Buddhism,[1][2] Ambedkarite Buddhism, and Bhimayāna (after Ambedkar's first name, Bhimrao).[3]
Ambedkar was born in a Dalit (untouchable) family during the colonial era of India. He studied abroad, became a Mahar Dalit leader, and announced in 1935 his intent to convert from Hinduism to Buddhism.[4] Ambedkar studied texts of Buddhism, found several of its core beliefs and doctrines such as Four Noble Truths and "non-self" as flawed and pessimistic, then re-interpreted these into what he called "new vehicle" Buddhism, or Navayana.[3]
Further reading:
Notes
- ↑ Tartakov, Gary (2003). Robinson, Rowena, ed. Religious Conversion in India: Modes, motivations, and meanings. Oxford University Press. pp. 192–213. ISBN 978-0-19-566329-7.
- ↑ Queen, Christopher (2015). Emmanuel, Steven M., ed. A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 524–525. ISBN 978-1-119-14466-3.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Zelliot, Eleanor (2015). Jacobsen, Knut A., ed. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary India. Taylor & Francis. pp. 13, 361–370. ISBN 978-1-317-40357-9.
- ↑ Dirks, Nicholas B. (2011). Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the making of modern India. Princeton University Press. pp. 267–274. ISBN 978-1-4008-4094-6.
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