In Part 2, we will explore the Navayāna (New Vehicle).

Navayāna Buddhism refers to the modern re-interpretation of Buddhism founded and developed by the Indian jurist, social reformer, and scholar B. R. Ambedkar (1891-1956); it is otherwise called Neo-Buddhism and Ambedkarite Buddhism. According to Wikipedia, B. R. Ambedkar was an Indian polymath, politician, and scholar of Buddhism, and Member of the Constituent Assembly of India. He was born in a Dalit (untouchable) family during the colonial era of India, studied abroad, became a Dali 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. Ambedkar studied the sacred texts of Buddhism and found several of its core beliefs and doctrines, such as Four Noble Truth and non-self (anātman), as flawed and pessimistic, then re-interpreted these teachings into what he called "New Vehicle" Buddhism, or Navayāna. Ambedkar held a press conference on October,13, 1956, announcing his rejection of Theravada and Mahayana branches of Buddhism, as well as of Hinduism altogether. He left Hinduism and adopted Navayāna Buddhism 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 principles of Buddhism.

In the Dalit Buddhist Movement, Navayāna is considered an independent new branch of Buddhism native to India, distinct from the traditionally recognized branches of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayāna, considered to be foundational in the Buddhist tradition. It radically re-interprets what Buddhism is, revising parts of the original teachings of the Buddha to be more concerned with class struggle, social equality, and right to education, taking into account modern problems.

Japan-born Indian Buddhist Monk Shūrei Sasai

Shūrei Sasai came to India in 1966, and became in Indian Buddhist monk. He met Wamanrao Godbole, who had organized the conversion ceremony of B. R. Ambedkar in 1956. Sasai is one of the main leaders of the campaign to free the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhi Gaya from Hindu control. Sasai represented the Buddhists as a member of the National Commission for Minorities from 2002-2006, and he is currently the president of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial committee Deekshabhoomi.

 Sasai has hundreds of thousands of lay followers and hundreds of ordained monk and novice disciples. His most active disciples are Bhante Bodhi Dhamma (Dhammaji), Prajnasheela Bhikkhu, Ken Bodhi, and Bhikkhu Abhaya Putra. The first and last were trained as Theravada monk and the others as Mahayana monks.

Ryūkō’s Reason of Renunciation

Yūshi Ono suddenly resigned the CEO position and received the ordination by Shūrei Sasai in India, and became the monk Ryūkō. He says, “I was tired of constantly chasing revenue and profit in business by convincing customers. Money is just a number, but has the dangerous magical power to drive people greedy and crazy. I started thinking to see if my profession was helping other people, ultimately toward providing solutions to emancipate sufferings. After I abandoned everything that I had, I feel truly free and grateful to what I have. I realized that I should be satisfied with what I have, instead of craving for what I wish to have because we all were born as naked, and die as well.”  

The stories of Siddhartha and Ryūkō’s sound quite similar, even though the times are different. My research on the Neo-Buddhist Navayāna (New Vehicle) Movement and the monk Ryūkō will continue.

Namo Amida Butsu