Buddhism; Neo-Buddhism; Indian Buddhism; B.R.Ambedkar
摘要
Beginning in the 1920's, B.R. Ambedkar, a leader of the Dalits (Untouchables) in India, began a search for a religion that would free his people from the bonds of Hindu subjugation. Over the years, Ambedkar considered other faiths, including Islam,Christianity, Jainism and Sikhism, but he eventually decided toward the end of his life in the 1950's to lead a mass conversion to Buddhism, which he saw as egalitarian.Ambedkar believed that the only way for Dalits to overthrow the caste system was through conversion to Buddhism. So far, Dalit Buddhism has been largely limited to Ambekdar's own caste of Dalits in India's Maharahastra state.
