Navayan and Buddhism of Ambedkar
BR Ambedkar announced to accept Buddhism on 14th October, 1956 in a press conference.
He formed a new sect Navayan inspite of following pre existing sects such as Mahayana, Vajrayan and Heenayan.
Along with him about 4 lakhs people accepted his sect. His book "Buddha and his dhamma" is the basis of his sect.
BR believed that Buddhist sects were distorted with time and gradually were filled with seemingly stupid beliefs.
He rejected most of the Buddhist philosophies.
He declared that 4 ultimate truth mentioned in Buddhist texts is not the original Buddhist teaching.
The story of Buddha getting inspired by old person, ill person, corpse and an ascetic was rejected by BR Ambedkar.
He believed that Buddha and his knowledge came from watching the struggle in society, and political anarchy.
Ambedkar rejected Buddhist philosophies of Karma, rebirth and anachronism as superstition.
He criticized the tradition to become an ascetic after renouncing the family
He interpreted the Nirvana theory after eliminating the metaphysical aspect of it. He reduced nirvana to a social status.
He believed that Buddha originally didn't propagated these philosophies, but they were later added by some stupid, cunning and superstitious people.