View source for Religion:Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar

{{Short description|Tenets of Navayana Buddhism}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}

[[File:Twenty-two vows of Buddhism by Dr. Ambedkar at Deekshabhoomi.jpg|thumb|Inscription of 22 vows at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur]]

The '''Twenty-two vows''' or '''twenty-two pledges''' are the 22 Buddhist vows administered by '''[[Biography:B. R. Ambedkar|B. R. Ambedkar]]''', the revivalist of Buddhism in India, to his followers. On converting to [[Religion:Buddhism|Buddhism]], Ambedkar made 22 vows, and asked his 400,000 supporters to do the same.{{sfn|Omvedt|2003|pp=261–262}} After receiving lay ordination, Ambedkar gave ''[[Philosophy:Dharma|dhamma]] diksha'' to his followers. This ceremony organised on 14 October 1956 in Nagpur included 22 vows administered to all new converts after Three Jewels and Five Precepts. On 16 October 1956, Ambedkar performed another mass religious conversion ceremony at Chandrapur.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Laura Dudley |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pOuRDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22The+Mass+Conversion+to+Buddhism%22&pg=PA66 |title=Religious Freedom and Mass Conversion in India |date=2019-04-11 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-9600-6 |pages=65–66 |language=en |chapter=Ambedkarite Buddhists: Religious and Political Mobility}}</ref>

It is believed by Ambedkarite Buddhists that these vows are the guidelines of the social revolution that motivates human instincts. These vows demonstrate both the [[Social:Social movement|social movement]] aspect of Navayana Buddhism, and demonstrate its core deviation from earlier sects of Buddhism. In India, these vows are taken as an oath by individuals or groups of people when they convert to Buddhism.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-16|title=236 dalits adopt Buddhism in protest against Hathras Case|url=https://mediaindia.eu/society/dalit-conversions-in-india/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=Media India Group|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Purandare|first=Vaibhav|title=How Babasaheb rejected and criticised the Vedas|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-babasaheb-rejected-and-criticised-the-vedas/articleshow/56750772.cms|access-date=2021-10-24}}</ref>

== {{Anchor|Contents}}Vows ==

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| image1            = Dr. B. R. Ambedkar giving 22 vows after renouncing Hinduism at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur.jpg
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| footer            = (left) On 14 October 1956, Ambedkar administering 22 vows after renouncing Hinduism at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur; (right) Deekshabhoomi monument, located in Nagpur, Maharashtra where [[Biography:B. R. Ambedkar|B. R. Ambedkar]] converted to Buddhism in 1956 is the largest hollow stupa in the world.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bhagwat|first=Ramu|title=Ambedkar memorial set up at Deekshabhoomi|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2001-12-19/mumbai/27228796_1_dr-ambedkar-narayanan-smarak-samiti|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016083900/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2001-12-19/mumbai/27228796_1_dr-ambedkar-narayanan-smarak-samiti|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 October 2013|access-date=1 July 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=19 December 2001}}</ref>
}}

The following are the 22 vows administered by Ambedkar to his followers:{{sfn|Omvedt|2003|pp=261–262}}
# I shall have no faith in [[Religion:Brahma|Brahma]], [[Religion:Vishnu|Vishnu]] and [[Religion:Shiva|Maheshwara]], nor shall I worship them.
# I shall have no faith in [[Biology:Rama|Rama]] and [[Religion:Krishna|Krishna]], who are believed to be [[Philosophy:Avatar|incarnation of God]], nor shall I worship them.
# I shall have no faith in [[Religion:Parvati|Gauri]], [[Biology:Ganesha|Ganapati]] and other gods and goddesses of Hindus, nor shall I worship them.
# I do not believe in the incarnation of God.
# I do not and shall not believe that Lord Buddha was the incarnation of Vishnu. I believe this to be sheer madness and false propaganda.
# I shall not perform ''Shraddha'' nor shall I give ''pind''.
# I shall not act in a manner violating the principles and teachings of the Buddha.
# I shall not allow any ceremonies to be performed by Brahmins.
# I shall believe in the equality of man.
# I shall endeavour to establish equality.
# I shall follow the [[Philosophy:Noble Eightfold Path|Noble Eightfold Path]] of the Buddha.
# I shall follow the ten ''[[Philosophy:Pāramitā|paramita]]s'' prescribed by the Buddha.
# I shall have [[Philosophy:Karuṇā|compassion]] and [[Philosophy:Mettā|loving-kindness]] for all living beings and protect them.
# I shall not steal.
# I shall not tell lies.
# I shall not commit carnal sins.
# I shall not take intoxicants like [[Chemistry:Alcohol (drug)|liquor]], drugs, etc.
#: <small>(The previous five proscriptive vows [#13–17] are from the Five Precepts.)</small>
# I shall endeavour to follow the [[Philosophy:Noble Eightfold Path|Noble Eightfold Path]] and practice [[Philosophy:Karuṇā|compassion]] and [[Philosophy:Mettā|loving-kindness]] in everyday life.
# I renounce [[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]], which disfavors humanity and impedes the advancement and development of humanity because it is based on inequality, and adopt Buddhism as my religion.
# I firmly believe the ''Dhamma'' of the Buddha is the only true religion.
# I consider that I have taken a new birth. (''Alternately'', "I believe that by adopting Buddhism I am having a re-birth."<ref name="jaibheem">{{cite web |url=http://www.jaibheem.com/22%20Vows.htm |title=22&nbsp;Vows |website=Jai Bheem (jaibheem.com) |place=India |access-date=7 June 2021 |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125015815/http://www.jaibheem.com/22%20Vows.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>)
# I solemnly declare and affirm that I shall hereafter lead my life according to the teachings of Buddha's Dhamma.

==The vows marble stone==
[[File:22 Vows (in Marathi) administered by Most Revered Bodhisattva Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the occasion of Buddhist Dhamma Deeksha on 14 October 1956 at Deeksha Bhoomi, Nagpur.jpg|thumb|right|The twenty-two vows marble stone at the Deekshabhoomi.]]

Considering the historical significance of these twenty-two vows, the then president of "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Deekshabhoomi Memorial Committee", and former Governor of Bihar and Kerala R. S. Gavai and Sadanand Fulzele, the secretary of the organization, have carved these 22 vows on a wide marble stone at the Deekshabhoomi ground and placed the pillar at the first sight of the stupa. At a [[Religion:Peace Pagoda#Wardha, India|Buddha Vihara at Wardha]], under M. L. Kasare's leadership, a similar grand pillar has been erected.<ref>{{Cite web|title='बावीस प्रतिज्ञा म्हणजे सत्यदर्शन'|url=https://maharashtratimes.com/maharashtra/aurangabad/articleshow/51675017.cms|access-date=2021-10-25|website=Maharashtra Times|language=mr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=क्या भाजपा ने आंबेडकर की 22 प्रतिज्ञाएं पढ़ी हैं?|language=hi|work=BBC News हिंदी|url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-43604208|access-date=2021-10-25}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Omvedt |first=Gail |year=2003 |title=Buddhism in India: Challenging Brahmanism and caste |publisher=Sage Publications |location=Thousand Oaks, CA |isbn=0761996648 |url=https://archive.org/details/buddhismindiacha00omve |url-access=limited |via=archive.org}}
* {{cite news |title=Ambedkar's 22 vows: Why Babasaheb made the pledge at the centre of BJP-AAP row |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/ambedkars-22-vows-why-centre-of-bjp-aap-row-8197971/ |access-date=9 October 2022 |work=The Indian Express |date=8 October 2022 |language=en}} 


[[Category:Buddhist belief and doctrine]]

{{Sourceattribution|Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar}}