No. 8

The Institute of Oriental Philosophy

NEWSLETTER

Table of Contents
Introduction -------------------------------------------------------- 1
Congratulatory Messages for the 60th Anniversary since theFoundation of the IOP -------------------------------------------- 2-9
The 35th Annual Academic Conference -------------------- 10-11‘The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious
Coexistence’ Exhibition -------------------------------------- 12-13
Public Lecture Series ----------------------------------------- 14-15
NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------- 16
IOP Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series / Collection of Essays in
Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Toynbee-Ikeda
Dialogue / Totetsu Series ------------------------------------ 17-18
Publications --------------------------------------------------- 19-20

NEWSLETTER No. 8 covers the news of research projects which the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy carried out from April 2021 to March 2022. (Affiliation and title etc. at that time)Introduction
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
Founder: Daisaku Ikeda (President of Soka Gakkai International)
Director: Akira Kirigaya
History
On January 27, 1962, the Institute of Oriental Studies was founded in Shinjuku ward,
Tokyo, for the sake of clarifying the relevance of Buddhism and other world religions in
the modern world. The institute was recognized as a nonprofit foundation underJapanese law in December 1965, at which time the name was changed to the Institute ofOriental Philosophy (IOP). On November 18, 2010, the IOP was recognized as a Public
Interest Incorporated Foundation under Japanese law.
Objective
The IOP is dedicated to advancing scholarly inquiry into Buddhism and other world
religions to clarify their universal value, to integrate them into humanity's rich spiritual
heritage in the modern age and to solve myriad problems facing humanity today.
Contact Detail
Address: 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, 192-0003, JAPANTEL: +81-42-691-6591 / FAX: +81-42-691-6588
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 17:00 (Weekdays)

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The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) was founded on January 27, 1962 by President
Daisaku Ikeda, with the purpose of advancing the research of Eastern philosophy, notably
the outstanding thoughts and philosophy of Buddhism. Through promotinginterdisciplinary research across various academic fields, the institute aims to contribute in
the effort to overcome the myriad problems of humankind. The year 2022 marks the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the IOP. The following are congratulatory messages we
received from intellectuals around the world with whom the IOP has forged friendships.

Institute of Oriental Philosophy’s Great Contributions
to the Development of China-Japan Friendship andCultural Exchange

Zhao Shengliang（Secretary of the Party Committee, Former Chairman of the

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China
and Japan, we are pleased to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy. I hereby respectfully extend my warmest congratulations to your institute on behalfof the Dunhuang Academy. I would like to pay great tribute to the entire staff of the Institute ofOriental Philosophy.
At the inception of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy by Mr. Daisaku Ikeda, he advocated thecontribution to peace and happiness of mankind with the spirit of Buddhism. Since then, theInstitute of Oriental Philosophy has been committed to presenting goals and undertakings forsolving real-world problems facing human society, which have served as a good example,
through in-depth philosophical study on oriental thoughts, especially in Buddhism. The
achievements have attracted public attention. “The Journal of Oriental Studies” published fromyour institute has always been the basis of oriental thoughts, academic philosophy research, andexchange, in which the international community expresses interest. Your staff’s serious attitude
toward study and insatiable spirit of inquiry have deeply impressed me.
Your institute and our academy have maintained a good cooperative relationship for a long time.
In 1980, Dunhuang Academy’s first president, Chang Shuhong, and Mr. Daisaku Ikeda held aconversation, and had an extensive discussion about Silk Road and Dunhuang Art as well as
various issues about world peace. Since then, our academy and your institute have established a

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profound friendship and started
exchange and cooperation. In
1985, Mr. Duan Wenjie was ouracademy’s president. During thatyear, a special exhibition,“Tr e a su r e s fr om D u nh u a ng ,China,” was organized by the
Tokyo Fuji Art Museum where
extremely valuable historicalartifacts, such as handscrolls
discovered in Dunhuang, were
exhibited for all sectors of Japan.
Thereafter, international academic
symposiums were held many

’The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’
exhibition held in Singapore, was co-hosted (for the first time) with
the Dunhuang Research Academy (October 2017). Representativesof the Academy who attended also gave a lecture.

times, all of which were strongly supported by Mr. Daisaku Ikeda and your institute. In 2012,
during the period when our academy’s president Fan Jinshi, participated in the “Dunhuang/Silk
Road International Academic Symposium,” she visited the Institute of Oriental Philosophy andyour institute donated valuable books and materials related to the Lotus Sutra to our academy. In
October 2017, at the “The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” heldin Singapore by your institute, our academy sent experts to deliver related lectures. In September
2018, the Dunhuang Academy and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy jointly held the “Dunhuang
and the Lotus Sutra Academic Symposium,” which was very productive. After the meeting, bothparties signed a memorandum of cooperation and exchange.
Looking back, Mr. Daisaku Ikeda and Soka Gakkai as well as the Institute of Oriental Philosophy
have provided great attention and support for the Dunhuang Academy’s grotto conservation
and research work in which they have made enormous contribution to the development ofChina-Japan friendship and cultural exchange. I firmly believe that in the new era, our exchange
and cooperation will continue as ever. Our academy hopes to continuously deepen cooperationand go hand-in-hand with your institute. We sincerely wish that your institute will achieve further
progress and brilliant results in each of your undertakings. We also wish that each activity for the60th anniversary of the establishment of your institute will be a complete success.

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Expectations for Continued Research andDevelopment of the Lotus Sutra, the King of All
SutrasJia Huixuan（Professor and Founding Director of A Society for the
Research of Daisaku Ikeda in Beijing University ）First of all, I would like to express my sincere congratulations to everyone on the 60th anniversaryof the Institute of Oriental Philosophy.
Looking back, I felt a deep connection with the institute. I remember the warm welcome I
received from the institute every time I visited Soka University. I have been blessed with theopportunity to hear your research outcomes at the institute, and I was particularly impressed byyour research and collections of Lotus Sutra manuscripts, the king of all sutras. I would like toalso express my heartfelt gratitude for giving me a tour of the institute.
My most vivid memory of the exchanges with the institute was in October 2004. During a
picturesque autumn with clear skies and beautiful weather, the institute and A Society for the
Research of Daisaku Ikeda in Beijing University in China jointly held the international forum“Prospects of Eastern Ideas in the 21st Century” in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Dr.
Ikeda’s first visit to China. Attendees from China as well as myself were able to acquire newknowledge through the theme and deepen our understanding. I would like to take thisopportunity to again express my gratitude and thank you for your donation of the institute’s
journal “The Journal of Oriental Studies.”
In one of the ancient Chinese ways of counting years, 60 years is referred to as one cycle, after
which the cycle starts again (it is called 周而複始 in Chinese). In other words, it also means thatdevelopment continues without stopping. Thus, it is a very good sign that your institute hasreached the end of its first cycle. I extend my heartfelt congratulations.
Let’s take a further step forward towards the highest level! I wish for the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy to further prosper and evolve in the future.

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From Asia to the World—Contributions to Religious
and Cultural Understanding Through Lotus Sutra
Research

Gopa Sabharwal（Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Nalanda,
Associate Professor of the University of Delhi）
In January 1961, Soka Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda took his first step towards fulfilling his
mentor’s determination to realize kosen-rufu in Asia, based on the westward transmission of
Buddhism as prophesied by Nichiren Daishonin.
The hallmark of this first journey into Asia was a grand vision, determination and conviction thatwas not hampered by realism but was backed by earnest action to achieve the Daishonin’s
prophecy. The highpoint of that trip was the visit to Bodhgaya and the interning of thecommemorative items in the grounds of the Mahabodhi temple, the site of Buddha’s
enlightenment - the first step towards realizing kosen-rufu in Asia. Walking the land that the
Buddha had traversed was a deep and overwhelming experience. Having made the vow for
kosen-rufu in Asia and the world, the responsibility for charting the way ahead lay entirely on
Ikeda’s young shoulders.
Having experienced first hand the varied living cultures in all of the destinations of this trip, Ikeda
understood the need for Asian cultures to understand each other and the varied religious
philosophies that prevailed in different countries. He realized that such understanding wasabsent in Japan. Even before he returned to Japan, Ikeda articulated to his group his idea of
forming an Institute which could be devoted to the study of the Lotus Sutra and its
dissemination. On his return to Japan what we now know as the Institute of Oriental Philosophy
came into being.
In the past 60 years the Institute has expanded its academic footprint to include not just researchon the Lotus Sutra but also to forge academic linkages, host symposia and public lectures andmaintain a robust publishing programme. It has become a leading institute of philosophy andresearch and also developed an enviable library collection. By continually expanding its activities
and outreach, and through its journal, the Institute is contributing to cultural awareness andunderstanding.
I wish the Institute of Oriental Philosophy and those connected with it all the very best for the
future and hope to see the Institute become a leading global centre of research.
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Dialogue and Research Based on the Spirit ofTolerance that Brings Peace

Felix Unger（ Honorary President of the European Academy of
Sciences and Arts）
It gives us a great pleasure congratulating the Institute of Oriental Philosophy to its 60th
anniversary. This is indeed a long period in our lives. The institute is serving Soka Gakkai
International and in sense of complementing the ideas of Soka Gakkai. This Institute has beenfounded by president Ikeda and he has to be congratulated that this anniversary is reflecting his
constant endeavours giving Soka Gakkai also a philosophic back-up.
Whats the specific on this institute:
This institute is focusing and propelling interreligious dialogues as well as the forming out of his
tolerance which is indeed very difficult and necessary in our times. The European Academy of
Sciences and Arts had the pleasure of having contact during the last 30 years, and both
institutions agreed that it is very important to propel tolerance.
During the last 30 years we had many dialogues and discussions, especially a recall of all theinterreligious dialogues performed in Tokyo and in Salzburg. Those discussions have always beenborn out of a great mutual understanding forming a spirit, which is based on the endeavours ofpresident Ikeda. Tolerance gives an enourmous important ingredient in our society and isnurtured in the understanding of the religions among, where the interreligious dialogues gives
an instrument having a proper understanding. In reality there is not too much difference
between the religions.
Together we had many meetings there was one outstanding in Milan, the proceedings have been
entitled in the booklet “siamo umani“/“we are human“ and this is a basic formulation of what weboth think about tolerance.
The term “siamo umani“/“we are human“ is such as important because this is a key notemessage, what president Ikeda and I formulated. Alone the title expresses a basic philosophy ofour both institutions, which reflects and formulates our endeavours and I am convinced that the6

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

institute of philosophy is giving
constantly a great impact offurther developement. I hopethat this fruitful discussions willcontinue, so that a new book in
the direction of “we are humans“
can be edited.
This book is also very importantunderstanding religions, especially,
when we consider, that religions
are a form of behaviour andthisis an endeavour of our both
institutions.

President Unger gave a lecture titled ‘ Ethics in Medicine —Perspectives of a Cardiac Surgeon ’, at the symposium ‘Medicine
and Religion’ co-organized by the Institute of Oriental Philosophy
and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (June 2012 ,Shinjuku, Tokyo).

What is the key- issue? It is a question of listening to the other and to understand my opposite.
I am pretty sure, that it is not so difficult to find positions where religions agree and show us inwhich direction we have to walk. President Ikeda and I developed wonderful discussions on this
topic and I recall our last meeting in Tokyo bases of the booklet “we are human“. Finally there aresuch interreligious dialogues and with the help of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy there is abetter reach out for better understanding and to reach out for peace.
Tolerance is a basic ingredient for peace keeping and to develop peace in our daily lives. How
important it is we see when we are reading the newspapers. There are many conflicts matured by
misunderstanding tolerance. And therefore such endeavours are so important in developing
roots leading to permanent peace. The daily live makes it so difficult thinking in terms of peace.
It means to reach this goal, finally we have to distress our agressions to our neighbours and tobring all the neighbours to fruitful discussions.
Therefore this institute is such as important because here we find elements which we could findfor developing peace on our whole world. We need the imput of this insitute very much and wehope in future more discussions developing tolerance as a basis for our peace. We wish theinstitute for the next 60 years all the best and we hope, that with our imput we can insist thisinstitute reaching its final goal.

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A Congratulatory Remark on the 60th Anniversary
for the Institute of Oriental Philosophy

Chae Young Kim（Professor of Sogang University, Former President of the
Korean Association for Religious Studies）
To Director Akira Kirigaya and those affiliated with the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), I would
like to extend my sincerest sentiments of congratulations for the 60th anniversary of IOP foundation.
To my understanding, IOP is a product of the founder Daisaku Ikeda’s vision. Through his excursions
to India to promote world peace, he studied oriental philosophy, cultures, and peoples. From thesestudies, he felt that spreading the wisdom of the Lotus Sutra to the world was of the utmost
importance, and on this basis, he founded IOP. I think this reflects the founder’s intent to transcend
the diverse religions, peoples, and cultures, and construct a peaceful global society. I am also
convinced that in the midst of the undying effort of the founder’s plan of the creation of IOP, that it

has been successful in yielding tremendous academic results.
My first encounter with the Institute of Oriental Philosophy was during my tenure as the president of
Korean Association of Religious Studies in 2016. At that time, IOP hosted an event regarding the Lotus
Sutra, to which I received an invitation. During my talks with officials from IOP, not only did I discover
their humanistic value and tradition, but forged a treasured friendship. Furthermore, in 2018, I had thehonor of giving a humble lecture regarding the founder’s life and works within the framework ofreligious psychology. Through these experiences, I began to naturally take an interest in the founder,
and this interest grew into more in depth research regarding him. During my lectures, I stated that thefounder possessed an optimistic conviction in regards to humanity being unable to overcome
difficulty.
Furthermore, through visiting IOP and meeting with the people, I felt very strongly that not only has
this institute continued the tradition of the founder’s ideals, but that this preservation of tradition has
become the driving force of the institute. In addition, I felt that this basis has become something that
can transcend the differences between religion and culture whilst expand the notion of coexistence asworld citizens. I am certain that this aspect will be the key to resolving problems that humanity isfacing today; problems such as climate change, the proliferation of contagious diseases, and apolarized economy. On the event of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy, I sincerely wish for IOP to embody the continued preservation of the founder’s ideals, aswell as the goal for the development regarding world peace and the creation of a new world culture.

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The Ceaseless Contributions to Quenching Humanity’s
Thirst for Knowledge

Noranit Setabutr（Chairman of the Thammasat University Council）
It is a great pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Institute of Oriental Philosophy(IOP) on its 60 years of continued success in integrating universal religious values into humanity’s richspiritual heritage to address many of the world’s important challenges. Since its inauguration by Soka
Gakkai International President Daisaku Ikeda, IOP has been exemplary in demonstrating how
interreligious dialogues foster trust and, ultimately, cross-cultural peace.
In the VUCA+ world, where humanity inevitably encounters major global challenges which aretransnational in nature, the diverse platform aspired by President Ikeda endows leaders withtrans-institutional solutions. Clearly, collaboration among key leaders, cultural figures and scholars
from virtually all regions of the world along with their shared vision of “dignity of life” have paved
avenues for countless peace proposals.
In addition, IOP’s scholarly research and global exhibitions on the Lotus Sutra have bolstered its
mission of being the “rich reservoir for wisdom” through its devout dedication to quenching
humanity’s thirst for knowledge. Notably, international support for “The Lotus Sutra – A Message of
Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition not only magnificently disseminates the teachings but
also clearly displays its universal significance. Furthermore, online public lectures and internationalseminars on online platforms organized by the IOP are highly commended among global audiences.
For the past decades, impactful research and worldwide collaboration initiated by IOP under President
Ikeda’s guiding principles have crucially served global citizens in the pursuit of perpetual peace. I
earnestly look forward to IOP’s future achievements.

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The IOP’s 35th
Annual Academic Conference
Symposium Theme:

Faith and Reason in the 21st Century — Perspectives on the IOP
Founder’s Lecture ‘Scholastic Philosophy and Modern Civilization’

From the upper left are, Dr. Naoshi Yamawaki, Prof. Emeritus at Tokyo University and Seisa University President; Mr.
Masaru Sato, writer and Visiting Prof. at Doshisha University; Dr. Tatsuya Yamazaki, IOP research fellow. From the bottom
left are, Mr. Akira Kirigaya, IOP Director; and Mr. Eiichi Tsutaki, IOP commissioned research fellow and conference MC.

The 35th annual academic conference of
the Institute of Oriental Philosophy washeld online on May 29th and 30th, 2021.
The conference provides the opportunity
for IOP domestic and overseas research
fellows to share their research on the Lotus
Sutra
and
other
fields,includinginter-religiousandinter-civilizational
dialogue, peace and human rights, andaddressing issues on the environment andso on. All presentations were conducted onthemes based on each speaker’s respective
specialization and research area.
On the first day, May 29th, a symposium
was conducted on the theme “Faith andReason in the 21st century — Perspectives
on the IOP Founder’s Lecture ‘Scholastic
Philosophy and Modern Civilization’”. In
light of the pressing tasks facing humanity,
as we try to respond to the challenges of
the COVID-19 pandemic, the following
passage from the founder’s lecture wastaken as the point of departure of this
symposium: “Perhaps no other age inhistory has lost the religious spirit to theextent that ours has; and no other age inhistory has been in greater need ofsalvation.... We must be aware that ourmost pressing tasks today are to establish aphilosophy that can cope with and take the10

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

lead in the current situation and to found a
new religion as the basis of thatphilosophy.” IOP Director Mr. Kirigaya gavesome opening remarks, followed by thepresentations. Below are excerpts from eachspeaker’s presentation:●‘Immanence and Transcendence in Faith— From Medieval Scholastic Theology to
the Lotus Sutra Thought’ (Tatsuya Yamazaki,
Research Fellow at the IOP)

In his lecture ‘Scholastic Philosophy andModern Civilization’, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
states that the motive of Scholasticism wasto demonstrate the consistency between
religion and philosophy, and between faithand reason. Moreover, he also describes
how a subtle swing occurred in this motive
when Thomas Aquinas emphasized thesuperiority of faith over reason by declaring
the primary truth of God to exist beyond
the reach of reason. In The Record of theOrally Transmitted Teachings (Ongikuden),
Nichiren Daishonin states, “This one word
‘believe’ in the phrase ‘able to believe andunderstand it even for a moment’ is thecause and the seed that make possible theacquisition of all types of wisdom.”
According to the Buddha’s wisdom,
darkness and enlightenment are one. If this
wisdom is referred to as faith, this (passage)

may point to the indivisibility of faith andintellect. Nevertheless, for us human beings
who live in this world framed by the concept oftime, faith is nothing but a ceaseless struggle
with our own internal darkness.
● ‘Josef Lukl Hromádka’s Understanding on

Human Being’ (Masaru Sato, writer and Visiting
Professor at Doshisha University)

This presentation examines the salient featuresof Czech Protestant theologian Josef Lukl
Hromádka’s perspectives on human beings, andthereby provides a basis for dialogue in thetheological context between Christians andthose of different faiths, including atheists(those who reject religion altogether).
Hromádka asserts that sincere actions anddialogue based on love for our neighbor createsan opportunity for repentance. A commonality
is found between this point and the idea sharedwithin the Soka Gakkai that faith manifests inaction. Hromádka also states that the forces ofevil grow when human beings abuse others inorder to fulfill self-serving needs; whenconfronted by this evil, Christians have a duty tofight against it. Perhaps these statements of
Hromádka serve to shake open inflexible minds
in order to make dialogue possible. Thisapproach is similar to the Soka Gakkai’s act of
Shakubuku, which involves widely sharing theteachings of Buddhism. This symposium showsthat we are starting to live in a time where
academic approaches are adopted tounderstand the philosophy of the IOP’s founderDr. Ikeda.

the desired state of faith compatible with reason
and is appropriate in modern times. The positive
religious legacies of human history should not
be underestimated. It is safe to say that religion
has a positive legacy that should be carried oneven today in that it has given hope and thecourage to live to those in despair. In our
excessively
secularized
modernsociety,inter-religious dialogue is as important as everto free people from the superficial reality andencourage each individual to contemplate themeaning of their mortal existence. However,while promoting inter-religious dialogue today
in the 21st century, it is likewise necessary, that
religions remember and reflect on their past
negative heritage (such as witch hunting or theInquisition in Catholicism) and make sure neverto repeat them. How to envision and establish
the kind of academic system that is rooted inreligion is a major challenge for many scholars
who, regardless of their religion or sect,
sympathize with IOP founder Dr. Ikeda’s
thoughts.
A panel discussion followed the presentations;
all participants joined in a lively exchange ofquestions and answers.

Research Presentations: 2nd Day (5/30)●●●●‘Faith and Reason in Inter-religious Dialogue

and Academic System’ (Naoshi Yamawaki, Professor
Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Seisa University
President)

Such attitudes and thoughts must be avoided,
observed to an extent in any religion, where
believers consider the fundamentals andscriptures of their religion to be absolute andbeyond historical boundaries, and reject otherreligions considering them as fallacy. Instead, if
a believer who commits to some religion is fully
conscious of the ‘historical regulations’ of theirreligion and scriptures, and explores not only
‘differences’ from other religions but also‘commonality’ through dialogue and othermeans, then such an attitude is probably

●
●

●
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The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) plans and puts together ‘The Lotus Sutra―A
Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ exhibition, which has been touring theworld since 2006. The exhibition displays IOP’s research on the Lotus Sutra, and introduces
its teachings and the history of its dissemination in simple, easily assimilable language. As
pillar of exhibition activities initiated by Soka Gakkai International President Ikeda, the IOP
has conducted ‘The Lotus Sutra and Its World: Buddhist Manuscripts of the Great Silk Road’(1998-2000), ‘The Lotus Sutra Manuscripts: The World’s Spiritual Heritage’ (2003-04), and‘The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ (2006-present). In
parallel, the ‘Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage―Manuscripts and Iconographyof the Lotus Sutra’ exhibition (2016-present) is also held for the public.
‘The Lotus Sutra and Its World: Buddhist Manuscripts of the Great Silk Road’, the very first
Lotus Sutra exhibition of the IOP, was launched in 1998 with 47 treasured items including
original Buddhist manuscripts and woodblock prints in 14 languages. Selected out of theapproximately 100,000 artefacts in the collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of
the Russian Academy of Sciences (IOM RAS), these items were displayed for the first time inJapan. The exhibition finally grew into the far larger and more comprehensive ‘The Lotus
Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ exhibition with many more
precious items on display.
Full support by the IOM RAS, the Dunhuang Academy China and the International Academyof Indian Culture has made it possible to display facsimiles and replicas of the Lotus Sutra
manuscripts and replicate the Dunhuang Mogao Caves along with other various Buddhist
items and materials. The exhibits include the Petrovsky Sanskrit manuscript of the Lotus
Sutra which seems to have been copied in the eighth century and the Gandhari replicatedmanuscript of Dharmapada which seems to have been copied from the first to second
centuries. Moreover, the exhibition shows imitative paintings of flying beings in Mogao
Caves, duplicated Dunhuang materials of the Lotus Sutra, replicas of iron pens and birch
bark used for copying and other objects. On display, are approximately 160 items. The IOP
also edited the guidebook to the exhibition that have been published in four languages:
Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese (simplified and traditional characters).
Based on the idea of “visualizing the Lotus Sutra”, the exhibition attracted 900,000 visitors in
17 countries and territories of the world as of 2019: Japan, India the land of Buddhism’s
birth, Nepal the birthplace of the Buddha, Thailand where Theravada Buddhism took root,
the Islamic cultural area of Malaysia, and others in Asia, Europe and Latin America (seetable). To date, Lee Soo-sung (former prime minister of South Korea), Vira Rojpojchanarat(Minister of Culture, Thailand), Jao Tsung-I (emeritus professor of the Chinese University ofHong Kong) and Burton Watson (English translator of the Lotus Sutra), many guests andrepresentatives from every section of society have visited to the exhibition.

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Held in 17 Countries and Territories of the World
Viewed by 900,000 Visitors

The following are comments shared by some of the guests:
I viewed a variety of Lotus Sutra manuscripts. These are thebest materials through which we can develop ourunderstanding of the spirit of Buddhism and spread themessage of the Lotus Sutra all over the world. (Carlos ManuelRúa, director of Escuela de Estudios Orientales, Universidad delSalvador, Argentina)

Madrid, Spain (2009)This is a historic exhibition that clearly shows the universal
nature of Buddhism and makes it a part of the spiritual
heritage of humanity. (Mushirul Hasan, director general of the
National Archives of India)
List of host countries and territories, and years of ‘The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ exhibition
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Hong Kong
Macau
India
Spain
Nepal
BrazilSri Lanka
United Kingdom
Japan
Taiwan
Malaysia
Argentina
South Korea
Peru
ThailandSingapore
Indonesia

Sao Paulo, Brazil (2011)2006-2007, 2015
2007
2007, 2008, 2009, 20102009, 20122010
2010, 20112011, 20132011
2012, 2013, 20142013, 2015
2014
2014
2016, 2018
2016
2017
2017
2019

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2014)

Singapore (2017)

Kobe, Japan (2012)

Nonthaburi, Thailand（2017）

Taoyuan, Taiwan (2015)

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Online Public Lecture Series
The Lotus Sutra Exhibition and Its World―Philosophy and Transmission◆Lecturer: Yohei Furukawa (IOP Research Fellow)◆Date: November 20, 2021
◆Method: Limited YouTube Live Streaming◆Theme: From the Early Buddhist Texts to the Lotus Sutra:
The Path to the Universalization of Buddhism
Dr. Furukawa stated that while early Buddhist scriptures were transmitted within Indian traditional Buddhism(Early Sectarian Buddhism), the Lotus Sutra represents the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. He further
explains that a link is found between the two, given that the Lotus Sutra was developed and establishedthrough the process of reinterpreting the traces of Shakyamuni expounded in early Buddhist scriptures. In
addition, he stated that, “The message of the Lotus Sutra that ‘anyone can attain Buddhahood’ conveys that
we all possess an inviolable dignity. By interpreting this message as the dignity of life, the IOP has developed
movements such as the Lotus Sutra Exhibition, so that the universality of the Lotus Sutra’s teachings would
permeate widely throughout society. The founder of the IOP, President Daisaku Ikeda, has always stressed on
the relevance of the Lotus Sutra in modern times during his many dialogues with world intellectuals.”◆Lecturer: Fumihiko Sueki (Prof. Emeritus at the University of Tokyo)◆Date: November 27, 2021
◆Method: Limited YouTube Live Streaming◆Theme: The Lotus Sutra and Its Successors — From India to Japan

Dr. Sueki argued that the Lotus Sutra is a scripture that can be understood through the Bodhisattva’s way oflife, pointing out that Bodhisattvas are important in that they pursue the happiness of not only oneself but
also others. He explained that after the Buddha’s passing his disciples continued to seek the way by which
the Buddha became a savior and the outstanding traits he possessed, and it was through this process of
seeking and questioning that the Bodhisattva’s practice took shape. In addition, Dr. Sueki touched upon thepractice of almsgiving (Skt dāna) out of the six pāramitās, stressing further that while the other five practices
can be conducted on one’s own, almsgiving required the existence of others in its practice. He states that
although the purpose of a Bodhisattva’s practice is the attainment of Buddhahood, the heart to pursue thehappiness of both oneself and others and to focus on the act of practicing together with others is more
important. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra expounds that all living beings are Bodhisattvas, and it teaches that thepractice of the Bodhisattva’s way of life is carried out through the Buddha’s power.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

“The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition, planned and executedby the Institute of Oriental Philosophy, opened in 2006 (details of the exhibition are shared on pages 12–13). In 2021, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Lotus Sutra Exhibition, the IOP held an online
public lecture series reflecting on the exhibition’s academic significance and contents, and discussed thefactors behind the Lotus Sutra’s transmission in East Asia. Approximately 2,000 viewers joined from bothwithin and outside Japan.
◆Lecturer: Masahiro Shimoda (Professor at University of Tokyo, Graduate School)◆Date: December 4, 2021
◆Method: Limited YouTube Live Streaming◆Theme: Buddhism as Scripture— To the Lotus Sutra, and from the Lotus Sutra
In his lecture, Dr. Shimoda stated, “Although scriptures are physical objects, they can also be viewed as things thatinspire dynamic growth in oneself. As Buddhism acknowledges both the power and limitations of words, aback-and-forth exchange between wisdom and practice is essential.” He further remarked that the IOP’s Lotus
Sutra Exhibition provides a space to explore the scripture. Attendees can then transmit the lessons they learned totheir respective communities, like ‘centripetal’ and ‘centrifugal’ forces. Touching on the historical backgrounddepicted in Buddhist scriptures, Dr. Shimoda explained that we come in contact with the Lotus Sutra throughothers, thus the transmission by people is indispensable in encountering the Buddha. He added, “In this regard,
and to my understanding, all are equally treasures. Regardless if it is in China, Japan, or Tibet, a devotion to thethree treasures is a general principle, and according to the Buddhist view, what we encounter is not separate fromthe Buddha.”◆Lecturer: Shobha Rani Dash (Professor at Otani University)◆Date: December 18, 2021
◆Method: Limited YouTube Streaming◆Theme: Scripture Worship as Seen Through Manuscript Studies

Dr. Dash described the various types of manuscripts (paper, birch bark, palm leaf, etc.) and their methods ofproduction. Her lecture mainly covered topics such as ‘palm leaf manuscripts and people’s faith observed throughfield work conducted in India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka’, ‘the Lotus Sutra and scripture worship’, and ‘the ways ofofferings described in the Lotus Sutra and the benefits that can be obtained’. Dr. Dash explains that the reason
why many manuscripts are still preserved to this day is because the practices of scripture offerings bore religious
significance and the sutras were transmitted accurately across time. She added, “We are able to see themanuscripts of the Lotus Sutra today because of someone’s dedicated care and their wish for the next generation
to treasure these manuscripts in the same way. We must accept them with gratitude, and not take for granted. To
not view them simply as inheritance; but understanding their underlying significance we bear the significant
responsibility to pass on their message to future generations.”

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

15

‘The Arts of the Lotus Sutra’ exhibition opened at the
National Palace Museum in Taiwan on January 29, 2022 (seeimage, exhibition running until July 17, 2022). A total of 19
items donated to the museum of the ‘Lotus Sutra
Manuscript Series’ were displayed (see image below).
The exhibition reflects on the Lotus Sutra that was inscribedbased on Shakyamuni’s philosophy of universal enlightenment, and the vast influence it had on the art andculture of East Asia. The exhibition is divided into three sections of ‘Preface’ (introduction to the Lotus Sutra),‘Revelation’ (theme of the Lotus Sutra and its art), and ‘Transmission’ (dissemination and propagation of the
Lotus Sutra), with each section exhibiting relevant cultural objects and materials.
Regarding the exhibit of the manuscript series, Wu Mi-cha, Director of the National Palace Museum states, “Itis an honor that we are able to add such valuable items in the National Palace Museum collection. I would
like to pay tribute to the outstanding foundational work that was undertaken with such broad vision under
the leadership of Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, founder of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy.”With the cooperation of institutes and researchers
around the world that possess collections of the
Lotus Sutra manuscripts, the ‘Lotus Sutra Manuscript
Series’ was published in order to contribute to theresearch

of

early

Mahayana

Buddhism,

withemphasis on the Lotus Sutra (details of the IOP‘Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series’ are shared on page17).
To date, the IOP has published a total of 19 items, including the Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Fragments from the

Lüshun Museum Collection, Facsimile Edition and Romanized Text (1997) to A Critical Edition of the Sanskrit
Lotus Sutra Based on Gilgit-Nepalese Manuscripts (C3 Collated Text) (2019), and provided them toresearchers across the world.
These efforts materialized as ‘The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’
exhibition, planned and executed by the IOP. Adopting the concept of an exhibition where visitors can “seethe Lotus Sutra with their own eyes”, exhibitions in Taiwan were held in a total of four cities; in Taipei in 2013,
and in Kaohsiung, Changhua, and Taoyuan in 2015. About 120,000 visitors viewed the exhibition.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

IOP
Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series

A Critical Edition of the Sanskrit Lotus
Sutra Based on Gilgit-Nepalese
Manuscripts (C3 Collated Text)

Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series

In cooperation with various institutes from around theworld that preserve precious Lotus Sutra manuscripts
as well as prominent experts and scholars, the Instituteof Oriental Philosophy (IOP) and the Soka Gakkai havebeen

involvedinpublishingthe‘Lotus

Sutra

Manuscript Series’, including facsimile editions andRomanized texts, which help promote Buddhist studies,in particular further studies of early Mahayana
Buddhism centering on the Lotus Sutra.
The project was launched in 1994 and 19 items havebeen published as the manuscript series from 1997 to2019 (not for sale). Part of the background leading up
to this series was the fact that the Soka Gakkai
International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda, founder of
the IOP, was presented with several precious
reproductions and microfilms of Lotus Sutra
manuscripts by various institutes and individuals.

Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts fromthe Institute of Oriental Manuscriptsof the Russian Academy of Sciences,Facsimile Edition (2013)(SI P/5 is also known as the Petrovsky
Manuscript.)

Regarding the critical editions of the Sanskrit Lotus
Sutra, among the pioneering works that have been
published to date are the Kern-Nanjo edition (1908-1912), the Wogihara-Tsuchida edition(1934-1935), and the Dutt edition (1953). From the contemporary standard of the discipline,
critical editions that are more precise and reliable are required to enable future research
efforts. One of the purposes of the series publications is to provide basic data for editing suchnew critical editions.

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17

Civilization, History, and Religion
Collection of Essays in Commemoration of the 50th
Anniversary of Toynbee-Ikeda Dialogue
1,980 yen
In May, 1972, on the outskirts of London, a dialogue was conducted between
IOP founder, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda and historian Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee.
Their dialogue lasted for 40 hours over a span of 10 days, including theirexchange the following year. Their discussion touched upon the common
problems mankind faces in ‘personal and social life’, ‘political andinternational life’ and ‘philosophical and religious life’, viewed from thestandpoint of the basic human being, nature, environment, education, health,welfare, universe, war, life and more. These discussions were later compiled
into a book and published with the title Choose Life.
Now, after half a century since the dialogue was conducted, the Institute ofOriental Philosophy created its fifth study project on ‘Civilization Studies’ andhas been holding study groups. On this significant occasion of the 50th
anniversary of the dialogue, the IOP published a collection of academic papers
that summarizes this research.

Totetsu Modern Translation SeriesWith regards to the genealogy of the Lotus Sutra’s transmission, thecommentaries and teachings of Zhiyi and Zhanran of China, and Saicho ofJapan had an immense influence on future generations. These teachings
continue to be important Buddhist literature that support the fundamental
theories and concepts of the teachings of Nichiren who carried on the work oftransmitting the Lotus Sutra.
These works originally written in classical Chinese are recorded in thecomplete Buddhist canons such as the Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo (Taisho
Revised Tripitaka). Translations of these original texts into modern Japanese
language was carried out by the IOP who have compiled the translations into
the work known as the ‘Totetsu Modern Translation Series’ (Totetsu is theJapanese abbreviation for the Institute of Oriental Philosophy). To date,translations of The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (1)(2), Annotations of

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (1) and A Clarification of thePrecepts have been released. The fifth book of the series, Annotations of The
Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (2) (translated and annotated by Dr.
Hiroshi Kanno and Dr. Hideyuki Matsumori) was newly published in November
2021.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

出版物
Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu (Journal of Oriental Studies) Vol.60 No.1
Main Articles

1,400 yen

■ Special Contributions to the 15th Anniversary of‘The Lotus Sutra — A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ Exhibition
The Role of the Lotus Sutra Exhibition in Inter-civilizational and Inter-religious Dialogue
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Eiichi Tsutaki
The Art of Dunhuang and the Lotus Sutra・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Zhao Shengliang
Joint Exhibition Activities of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy and the Institute of Oriental
Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Irina F. Popova
The Parable as a Vehicle to Elucidate the Lotus Sutra・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Faridah Noor Mohd Noor
The Lotus Sutra’s Presence in France and Europe・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Bertrand Rossignol■ Portraits of Value Philosophers in Modern Japan (1)Introduction ― The Reception of Neo-Kantian Philosophy of Value in Japan・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Takao Ito / Yuichi Kawaguchi
Nambara Shigeru on Parallelism of Values and Idealistic Socialism: From the Viewpoint of theHistory of Ideas in Modern Japan・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Yuichi Kawaguchi
Idealism in Eijiro Kawai and His Criticism of Fascism・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Shinichiro Matsui■ Faith and Reason in the Midst of Corona Pandemic
Thoughts of Indian Poet Rabindranath Tagore on Faith and Reason
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Keiji Takeuchi
Pure Land Where the Buddha Disappeared:
Change of the Relationship between the Living and the Dead・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Hiroo Sato
Faith and Reason in the 21st Century: Jews and Their Religious Mission・・・・・・Hiroshi Ichikawa
Postmodern and Religion — AI and Externalization of Decision Making・・・・・・・・Yushi Okajima

Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu (Journal of Oriental Studies) Vol.60 No.2
1,400 yen

Main Articles■ Special Dialogue

What Is Oriental Philosophy? ・・・・・・・・・・・・・Yoshimichi Saito / Reiji Ando / Tatsuya Yamazaki■ Portraits of Value Philosophers in Modern Japan (2)Introduction―The Reception of Neo-Kantian Philosophy of Value in Japan (2)・・・・・・・Takao Ito
Genyoku Kuwaki and His Philosophy in Berlin・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Yoichiro Ohashi
Nambara Shigeru on Parallelism of Values and Idealistic Socialism:
From the Viewpoint of the History of Ideas in Modern Japan (2)・・・・・・・・・・・・Yuichi Kawaguchi
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Philosophy of Value and Its Context: An Ideological Position of
Scientific Pedagogy as His Vision (1)・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Takao Ito■ Faith and Reason in the 21st Century on the Founder’s Speech ‘Scholastic Philosophy
and Modern Civilization’ (From the Symposium in Conjunction with the 35th Annual

Conference of the IOP)
Scholastic Philosophy and Modern Civilization・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Daisaku Ikeda
Immanence and Transcendence in Faith:
From Medieval Scholastic Theology to the Lotus Sutra Thought・・・・・・・・・・・・Tatsuya Yamazaki
Josef Lukl Hromádka’s Understanding on Human Being・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Masaru Sato
Faith and Reason in Religious-based Academic System and Inter-religious Dialogue:
From the Viewpoint of Schleiermacher・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Naoshi Yamawaki
Panel Discussion・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Tatsuya Yamazaki / Masaru Sato / Naoshi Yamawaki

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

19

The Journal of Oriental Studies vol. 31（English）
2,200 yen

Main Articles■Feature 1: Special Contributions to the 15th Anniversary of ‘The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence’ Exhibition
The Role of the Lotus Sutra Exhibition in Inter-civilizational andInter-religious Dialogue・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Eiichi Tsutaki
The Art of Dunhuang and the Lotus Sutra・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Zhao Shengliang
Joint Exhibition Activities of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy andthe Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences・・・・・・ Irina F. Popova
The Parable as a Vehicle to Elucidate the Lotus Sutra・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Faridah Noor Mohd Noor
The Lotus Sutra’s Presence in France and Europe・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Bertrand Rossignol■Feature 2: From Daisaku Ikeda’s Views―Faith and Reason, Global Citizenship, and Hope
Immanence and Transcendence in Faith: From Medieval Scholastic Theology
to the Lotus Sutra Thought・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Tatsuya Yamazaki
Josef Lukl Hromádka’s Understanding on Human Being・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Masaru Sato
Faith and Reason in Religious-based Academic System and Inter-religious
Dialogue: From the Viewpoint of Schleiermacher・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Naoshi Yamawaki
Educating Global Citizens in a Time of Crisis・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Christopher Chiong-Meng Boey
Shaping Things to Come: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on
How Imagined Futures Influence the Present・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Till Markus

Bulletin of The Institute of Oriental Philosophy No.37(Not for Sale)
ArticlesThe Significance of Soka Education for Sustainable Development・・・・・・・・・・・ Kentaro Shimada
Compassion and Solidarity to Promote the Integration of Immigrants. Islamic and Buddhist
Perspective・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Francesca Maria Corrao
Reconsiderations on the Golden Hoard from Dalverzin-tepa・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Kenzo Kawasaki
Research of Early Modern Temple Law Concerning Debt ―Toward a Systematic Research of
Temple Law― ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Nobuyasu Kojima
Noh/Kyogen Illustrations and Their Patron, Tokugawa Family・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Michiko Fujioka
Self-Realization: Motivation and Renunciation―Female Characters in O’Neill’s Plays―
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Kumi Ohno
Research Notes
A Study on Daisaku Ikeda's View of Islam・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Eiichi Tsutaki
Kheer and Gusto Ontology・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Nobuo Yamagishi
The Current State of the Occurrence of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Infection Measuresand Issues・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Bunsho Lee
IOP Research Works20

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.8

The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
Address: 1-236, Tangi-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo,
192-0003 Japan
Tel : +81-42-691-6591
Fax: +81-42-691-6588
E-mail us at: iop_info@iop.or.jp
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The Institute of Oriental Philosophy