Why do many Hindus from the lower caste convert to Buddhism?

Answer 1

very simple answer is that Hinduism was never a religion but a philosophy, a way of life and thus a Hindu can take up any religion of choice!!! Gautam Buddha, who was a Hindu by birth had preached on a more enforced form of Hinduism which was fasinating for hindus and thus the conversion in the old times, in the recent past, mass conversion was held for the so called lower caste hindus to escape from the Caste System.

Answer 2

Logically, lower castes were more likely to convert to Buddhism because the religion itself rejected the concept of castes. However, there is no evidence of what castes actually followed Buddhism.

Answer 3

Islam aims at human brotherhood. It teaches equality. The Caliph and the common man are equal in Islamic law. There is no caste system in Islam. All the Muslims are brothers irrespective of caste, creed, color or region. The teachings of Islam appeal to the lower castes and they become the respectable members of Islamic society as Hazrat Bilal (AS), and many other freed slaves are respected.

Answer 4

Because Buddhism doesn't have a caste system and the people from the higher class can marry the lower class and the vice versa. Also, they don't have to go pray at the Ganges River every week, instead they go to a temple as a buddhist and pray there whenever they want...

Answer 5

This happened because they saw that the practice of Sanatana Dharma had become corrupted; rituals and the use of statues for worship had become common some time before Buddhism came about.

Answer 6

Lower castes were more likely to convert to Buddhism because Buddhism rejected the caste system. If they followed Buddhism it meant that they would be able to become higher in society.

Answer 7

According to the Tipitika, people who converted (almost all of them in India) did so because they were impressed by the teachings of the Buddha.