Revival of Buddhism in India

Presentation by Mangesh Dahiwale

Jambudvipa Trust, India

Buddhism in India

Buddhism reached all over

Buddhist sites in India outnumber sites of any religion

The caste system: the practice of untouchability

The population of the Dalits

They make up upwards of 25% of India’s population, over 250 million people

Every 18 minutes:• A crime is committed against a Dalit Every day:• 3 Dalit women are raped • 2 Dalits are murdered & 2 Dalits Houses are burnt in

India • 11 Dalits are beaten Every week:• 13 Dalits are murdered • 5 Dalits home or possessions are burnt • 6 Dalits are kidnapped or abducted

Caste based Atrocities: Visible Manifestations at its worst

Crimes against SCs/STs according to Government of India: The Holocaste

26,127 crimes were committed against Dalits (SC/ST) including 1172 rape against Dalit women and 669 cases of murder reported (India's National Crime Records Bureau, 2005)

Forced apart

Dalits are forced to live separately from caste Hindus. In cities like Kanpur (left), the Dalits are made to live in crowded slums on the fringes of the city. Caste Hindus refuse to enter these slums and the majority of Dalit living areas do not come under the jurisdiction of city police.

Living outcastes

Legal/political Social and Economic Ideological/philosophical

Mechanisms to fight caste: Dr. Ambedkar’s method

Legal/Political

Constitutional Rights (Chief architect of Indian constitution in India is Dr. Ambedkar)

The Hindu Code Bill Prevention of Atrocities Act Reducing “Democracy Deficit” by promoting social and

economic democracy

Social and Economic

Affirmative ActionReservation in EducationPolitical reservationReservation in Services(However, most of the seats reserved for SCs/STs are not

filled) Special safeguards Freedom to discard religionHowever, some state government are trying to take

away this freedom

Ideological/philosophical

Fighting wrong notions which are supported by religion– New ideas, such as social democracy, have not yet been

thoroughly disseminated, absorbed and utilized Challenging authority of scriptures and culture that

supports and sustains caste ideas Promoting secularisation and democratisation of

society as mandated in the constitution Buddhism as a method to transform self and world

Peaceful social revolution“Positively, my social philosophy may be said to be enshrined in three words: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Let no one, however, say that I have borrowed my philosophy from the French Revolution. I have not. My philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teachings of my master, the Buddha.”

(October 3,1954, Dr. Ambedkar)

Liberation from the hell of caste in October 1956

In 1956

Celebrating 50 years of Buddhism in 2006

Resurgence of Buddhism is taking place all over India and many followers of Dr. Ambedkar are becoming Buddhists

Significance of conversion to Buddhism

• Untouchables• Indians• Buddhism itself• World

Strategies

Training Teachers of Dhamma1)Indians2)Experienced Teachers from all over the world

The revival of Buddhism in India is the key to the revival of Buddhism worldwide

What we have been doing so far..

1) Training people in Buddhist practices of Sila, Samadhi and Prajna

2)Build Sangha/communities of people taking interest in the Dhamma

3)Preach and propagate the Dhamma through classes and meditation retreats

4)Help those who are suffering, in normal times and exigencies

Training people from all over India

Nagarjuna Training Institute is dedicated to this work, and we are planning to form a bigger centre for training which can train 500 people every year

So far more than 350 students are trained

Creating awareness about the situation

Through conferences and SeminarsVisiting brothers and sisters in other countries to

get support for Buddhist movement in India

INEB 2005

International conference on Ambedkar and Buddhism in 2006

Thank You