Led By: Vimalasara, Maitriveer-Nagarjuna, and Upayadhi
Monday, May 26th to Sunday, June 1st, 2025
In Person at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
149 Lockwood Road, Barre, MA 01005
Event Description:
The greatest thing that the Buddha has done is to tell the world that the world cannot be reformed except by the reformation of the mind of humankind and of the mind of the world.
—Ambedkar (Kathmandu, 1956)
Maitriveer, Vimalasara, and Upayadhi invite you to a heartfelt and contemplative exploration of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s approach to Buddhism. What wisdom and compassion does Ambedkar offer for these times? How do we reconcile his claim that “caste is a notion of mind” with his vision that “the purpose of Dhamma is to reconstruct the world”? How can we put his ideas into practice?
We will engage Ambedkar through his writings, his sources of inspiration, and his use of Buddhist narrative. Particular attention will be given to his provocative challenge to the Four Noble Truths, his unconventional re-imagining of the Buddha’s going forth, and his vision for the future of sangha.
We will also learn about Ambedkarite Buddhism as a living tradition, the “Quiet Revolution” of the Indian Buddhist revival, and the long and complex history of the caste-race analogy. There will be a study component to the program that will be integrated into a more holistic approach: we will root ourselves in a range of practices, including meditation, and somatic and devotional practices. There will also be an opportunity to explore musical and artistic traditions inspired by Ambedkar, including the bahujan (“of the people,” namely in reference to oppressed communities in India) spirituals.
As a community, we will reflect on Ambedkar’s legacy and what we might integrate from his teachings and example for our times. To support deeper engagement, there is an intention to form affinity groups based on race/caste during the program.
Please note that half of the program spaces have been reserved for BLAIPOC (Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous & People of Color) attendees.
Program Format: The program will include meditation (guided and silent), ritual, dharma talks with Q&A, large group mindful conversation, small group check-ins, and opportunities to explore devotional practices. Particular attention will be given to the freedom songs associated with Ambedkar. There will also be some short readings of Ambedkar’s writings and speeches, including the puja he wrote.
Noble Silence: This program includes dedicated periods of both wise speech and noble silence. In addition to some contemplative exercises involving mindful speaking and listening, there will be periods when participants are able to speak freely.
Experience Level: Suitable for beginning and experienced practitioners.
Prerequisites: This meditation program involves several hours of meditation per day. Prior experience with meditation is advised, but people newer to meditation are also welcome.
About the Leaders:
Vimalasara (also known as Valerie Mason-John) has worked as an international correspondent covering Australian Aboriginal deaths in custody, interviewing Irish political prisoners and former rebels from the Sierra Leone war. Their early work in the field of conflict transitioned into working with gangs and incarcerated persons. They have authored numerous books, including Detox Your Heart – Meditations for Emotional Trauma (2005), Eight Step Recovery Using the Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction (2014), I am Still Your Negro, An Homage to James Baldwin (2020), and most recently First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors (2024). They also edited Afrikan Wisdom: New Voices Talk Black Liberation, Buddhism, and Beyond (2021). Vimalasara draws on many modalities: as a senior teacher in the Triratna Buddhist Community, a mindfulness trainer, a recovery advocate, a performance artist, and a founding facilitator of Dr. Gabor Maté’s Compassionate Inquiry. They have also trained in Internal Family Systems, Embodied Somatics, Breathworks, and Shamanism. Originally from the UK, Vimalasara now lives in Vancouver, where they are the Chair of Vancouver Buddhist Centre, and teaches internationally, including in India where they were ordained. Dr. Ambedkar has been a key inspiration to their Dharmalife.
Maitriveer-Nagarjuna (also known as Santosh Raut) hails from Maharashtra, the heartland of the Ambedkarite Buddhist movement. Both a Dhamma teacher and a scholar of Buddhist Aesthetics and Philosophy, he has long been a thought leader and organizer within broader Asian networks of Engaged Buddhism. Following his doctoral studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Maitriveer joined the EFL University in Hyderabad as an Assistant Professor. He combines this work with his role as the Deputy-Chairman of Nagarjuna Training Institute and the co-founder of The Babasaheb Ambedkar Philosophical Society at Nagaloka in Nagpur. Founded in 1994 near the site where Dr. Ambedkar formally converted to Buddhism in 1956 along with hundreds of thousands of followers, Nagaloka is a major Ambedkarite hub connected to the Triratna Bauddha Mahāsaṅgha (TBM). Maitriveer also co-founded the National Network of Buddhist Youth. For a number of years he has actively supported the Ambedkarite Buddhist movement in Hungary among the Roma, about which a documentary was made. More recently, he has been involved in the design of the Buddhavanam project in Nagarjunasagar, a very large Buddhist Heritage site park. Currently, Maitriveer is a Research Fellow at Harvard Divinity School. He was recently interviewed about Buddhism and Social Justice by the scholar Jon Keune at Michigan State University.
Upayadhi began her journey in the BuddhaDharma in 2004 at the London Buddhist Center in Bethnal Green. Over the years she has trained in a range of Buddhist contexts and traditions, but she remains rooted in the Triratna Buddhist Community, otherwise known as the Triratna Bauddha Mahāsaṅgha (TBM) in India. She is currently a doctoral student in Buddhist Studies at the University of Chicago, where she focuses on the Indian Buddhist Revival and the relationship between religious narrative and political imagination. Much of her research has focused on Dr. Ambedkar’s radical Buddhist imagination, which she places in conversation with Womanist and Black liberation theologians. Integrating her work as a scholar, interfaith chaplain and meditation instructor, she co-founded Awareness is Revolutionary in 2020, an international Buddhist collective committed to cultivating Beloved Community and accelerating racial literacy within a Dharmic framework. When the pandemic hit New York City, Upayadhi also co-founded Space2Meditate, a non-denominational mindfulness community offering online meditation seven days a week and still going strong. Born in Paris, Upayadhi moves between France, the US, the UK and increasingly India, in her efforts to learn Hindi.
Event Registration:
Complete the form below.
Cancellation Policy: We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies right away. If you cancel more than eight weeks before the program starts, you are eligible for a full refund minus a $50 administrative fee. If you cancel between three and eight weeks before the program starts, you are eligible for a 50% refund of the deposit. Registration fees are nonrefundable less than three weeks before the program starts.
Pricing Info:
Residential Prices
Benefactor: $1,734
Tier 1: $1,254
Tier 2: $1,014
Tier 3: $774
Commuter: $480
Extra Nights Fee: $80
BCBS keeps prices as affordable as possible and offers Tier Pricing and Financial Assistance options to keep programs accessible.
Tier Pricing: You may choose a tier and pay according to your means. Tier 1 covers the actual cost of the program. Tiers 2 and 3 are subsidized rates made possible through the generosity of donors. Some programs also have a Benefactor rate that enables you to offer additional, tax-deductible support to BCBS and fellow program participants. Please select the highest tier that fits your budget to help BCBS keep programs accessible.
Financial Assistance: If needed, you may request additional financial assistance on the registration page.
Program fees do not include payments to teachers. Please consider supporting the teachers with dāna (generosity).