The 22 Vows: Dr. Ambedkar’s Compass to the New Vehicle

One of the defining characteristics of Navayana Buddhism is its departure from traditional Buddhist doctrines, as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar sought to address the contemporary challenges faced by Dalits and communities marginalised by caste. Through the revival of Buddha’s teachings, his radical turn from both religion and politics as traditionally understood aimed to destroy the very systems of oppression and the culture of master and slaves morality which defined the foundation of Brahminical Indian society.

Ambedkar’s vision was clear: religion must not perpetuate inequality or exclusion—it must obliterate it. By embracing Buddhism, Ambedkar sought to create a new socio-culture-religious order that rejected Hinduism’s dehumanizing rituals, myths, visuals, symbols and instead empowered the oppressed to rise and to roar. It was not just a Durkheimean religious path to social integration but a Gramscian weapon and shield for cultural revolution.

In a historic move, Ambedkar renounced Hinduism and adopted Buddhism on October 14, 1956, in a public conversion ceremony in Nagpur, attended by hundreds of thousands of Dalits. This moment marked the birth of Navayana or New Vehicle, a new version of Buddhism that rejected traditional doctrines in favour of a humanist approach focused on social justice, equality, liberty, fraternity and rationality. Navayana Buddhism offered a distinct philosophical and cultural framework that emphasized modern and universal values of liberty, equality, fraternity and rationality—not from the French Revolution but from Ambedkar’s supreme master Buddha’s philosophy.

One of the most significant aspects of this framework was its pillars in the form of 22 vows administered by Ambedkar to his followers during the ceremony. According to Dr. Santosh Raut, “Navayana has a unique feature in the way Ambedkar tries to bring out Buddha’s teaching to speak to the realities that persist in South Asia, and the administration of the 22 vows to his followers served as fundamental and guiding principles for his socio-cultural revolution, emphasizing the importance of human instincts and social conscience in the pursuit of justice and egalitarian society.” This article focuses on these 22 vows to examine closely Ambedkar’s idea behind writing these vows and their significance in upholding the philosophical and cultural framework of Navayana Buddhism.

A) Rejection of Oppressive Religious Deities, Symbols and Rituals

(1) I will not regard Brahma, Vishnu or Mahadev as gods and I will not worship them.
(2) I will not regard Ram or Krishna as gods and I will not worship.
(3) I will not honour Gauri, Ganpati or any god of Hinduism and I will not worship them.
(4) I do not believe that god has taken any avatar.
(5) I agree that the propaganda that the Buddha was the avatar of Vishnu is false and mischievous.
(6) I will not do the ceremony of shraddhapaksh (for the departed) or pindadan (gifts in honour of the deceased).
(7) I will have no rituals done by Brahmans.
(19) I renounce the Hindu religion which has obstructed the evolution of my former humanity and considered humans unequal and inferior.

These vows administered by Ambedkar begin with a decisive break from the religious framework and total rejection of Hinduism that has long justified inequalities and the Nietzschean notion of ‘Ubermensch’—not by worth but by birth. The deities and rituals associated with Hinduism are symbols of entrenched power structures of caste, gender and culture maintaining the hegemony of Savarna few over the other. By rejecting these deities, rituals like ‘Shraddha’ (ancestral rites) by Brahminical priesthood is an explicit disavowal of spiritual, devotional and generational subjugation and servitude. In the Hindu caste society, rituals are not merely acts of worship but strategic tools of control institutionalized to perpetuate the cultural and symbolic hegemony of the Brahmin class. By breaking away from these rituals, Ambedkar claimed his right to spiritual autonomy through Buddhist culture, similar to Mahatma Phule, who had refused to allow the dignity of his people, to be mediated by the Brahminical class. This can be seen as a call for all oppressed peoples, regardless of their cultural background, to renounce the Brahminical practices that keep them in chains and shackles. This is an action of spiritual rebellion, a refusal to let one’s humanity be defined or constrained by those in power. This act of rejection isn’t simply about leaving behind religion but a declaration of relief from a belief system that sanctifies socio-culturally graded inequalities. In a broader, universal sense, this rejection can be seen as a rebellion to accept any religious or ideological system that dehumanizes and perpetuates dehumanization. The act of renunciation is radical because it liberates individuals from doctrines that uphold social disassociation and create a false notion of imagination of divine destiny. In this perspective, humanity must move beyond systems that justify inequality—be it religious, economic, political, psychological or social.

B) Self-Discipline and Social Ethical Living

Ambedkar’s Navayana rejected Hinduism to build a new society grounded in ethical living and self-discipline. His ethical framework was not passive but affirmatively active which can be seen by the following vows.

(7) I will do no action that is inconsistent with the Dhamma of Buddhism.
(11) I will depend on the Eightfold Path declared by the Buddha.
(12) I will follow the 10 vows declared by the Buddha.
(13) I will have compassion for all creatures and will care for them.
(14) I will not steal.
(15) I will not lie.
(16) I will not follow any addiction.
(17) I will not drink alcohol.
(18) I will carry on my life based on the three principles in the Buddhist Dhamma of dhyana, shila and karuna.
(20) I have understood that this is the true Dhamma.
(21) I consider that I have taken a new birth.
(22) From this time forward I vow that I will behave according to the Buddha’s teachings.

These vows emphasize the importance of self-discipline and social-ethical living, drawn from the teachings of the Buddha. This is not just a moral or ethical framework but a progressive revolutionary approach. By committing to the Noble Eightfold Path and the Ten Paramitas (virtues/precepts), Ambedkar lays the groundwork for a society built on love, compassion, justice, and self-respect including abstaining from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication act as a social and individual map of the development of character and high form of morality. These ethical commitments are a radical form of resistance—because in a world where greed, hatred, violence and exploitation are normalized, choosing to live by principles of non-violence, honesty, and compassion is a revolutionary act. Ambedkar’s message here is clear: the road to liberation requires both a personal and collective journey to transformation. It’s not enough to dismantle oppressive systems but we must also build new ways of being that reflect our commitment to ethical values. Ethical living is not an individual pursuit but a collective imagination and struggle for a new kind of society—one where exploitation, greed, and violence have no place, and where the highest values are those of empathy, solidarity, and human dignity like earlier envisaged by Mahatma Phule’s ‘Truth Seeker society’, Saint Raidas’s ‘Begumpura’ and the Buddha’s Egalitarian humanist society. The 21st vow, “I consider that I have taken a new birth,” metaphorically captures the imagination of this renewed society free of the chains of caste.

C) Vision of Equality and Human Emancipation

Ambedkar’s demand for equality was deeply intertwined with his rejection of Hinduism. He believed that Hinduism’s caste system was incompatible with the universal principles of human equality and justice which can be seen in these vows:

(9) I regard all human beings as equal.
(10) I will strive for the establishment of equality.

The concept of liberty within Navayana encompasses not just personal freedom but also liberation from socio-economic oppression. Ambedkar’s vows, which include renouncing caste, rejecting superstitious beliefs, and embracing education and rational thinking, reflect a commitment to individual autonomy, agency and empowerment. In contrast, Hindu practices, as highlighted by Ambedkar’s critiques, perpetuate hierarchical social structures and limit individual freedom. For example, the practice of untouchability, patriarchy, widowhood, ostracism rooted in Hindu scripture, restricts the liberty of individual to participate fully in society, reinforcing caste-based discrimination and inequality. Fraternity, or brotherhood, is emphasized in Navayana, as a means of fostering social solidarity, social cohesion and mutual respect among all individuals, regardless of caste background. Ambedkar’s advocacy for social cohesion and unity, as demonstrated in his call for all humans to unite and support each other, reflects a commitment to belonging.

In conclusion, Navayana Buddhism is not just a reinterpretation of Buddhism but a revolutionary doctrine with the 22 vows standing as the pillars affirming the rejection of oppressive symbols, providing an ethical framework, and the vision of a Prabuddha Bharat – that is equal. In Prof. Alone’s words, I would say it is a direct cure from a disease of psychotic perversion of castes Hindus. It is a rejection of gods, rituals, and social structures that uphold castes and calls for the creation of a new world—one built on the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In short, Navayana is the Pedagogy of the oppressed, emancipatory philosophy and theology of liberation which seeks emancipation of all the sentient. The 22 vows represent a methodology to walk towards this emancipation.

The 22 Vows: Dr. Ambedkar’s Compass to the New Vehicle

A) Rejection of Oppressive Religious Deities, Symbols and Rituals

B) Self-Discipline and Social Ethical Living

C) Vision of Equality and Human Emancipation

Vaibhav Kharat

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