MAHĀPIṬAKANewsletter New Series No. 20

January 1, 2015

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE ofthe ENGLISH TRANSLATION	 of the CHINESE TRIPIṬAKABukkyō Dendō Kyōkai	 (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism)

Editor: MAYEDA Sengaku

Table of Contents
Publishing Schedule	 
Forthcoming titles ............................................................................................ 1

Translator’s Comment:
A Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings
ICHISHIMA Masao ............................................................................................ 2

Report:
BDK Presentation
at the 17th Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies
ŌGI Naoyuki ................................................................................................. 3-5

Announcement:
PDF files of BDK English TripiṭakaYONEZAWA Yoshiyasu .................................................................................... 6

Committee Members ................................................................................................. 7	 

Publishing Schedule	 
Forthcoming titles:

1. THE COLLECTION FOR THE PROPAGATION AND CLARIFICATION OF
BUDDHISM
Volumes I and II(弘明集 Gumyōshū, Taishō 2102)
Translated by Harumi Hirano Ziegler

2. THREE ESOTERIC TEXTSSUTRA OF THE VOW OF FULFILLING THE GREAT PERPETUAL ENJOYMENTAND BENEFITING ALL SENTIENT BEINGS WITHOUT EXCEPTION(大楽金剛不空眞實三麼耶經 Dairakukongōfukūshinjitsusanmayakyō, Taishō 243)
Translated by MIYATA TaisenMĀTAṄGA SUTRA(摩登伽經 Matōgakyō, Taishō 1300)
Translated by Rolf W. Giebel
THE BODHICITTA-ŚĀSTRA
(金剛頂瑜伽中発阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心論
Kongōchōyugachūhotsuanokutarasanmyakusanbodaishinron, Taishō 1665)
Translated by KIYOTA Minoru

3. MAITREYA AND MAÑJUŚRĪ
THE SUTRA ON THE DESCENT OF MAITREYA BUDDHA AND HISENLIGHTENMENT(彌勒下生成佛經 Mirokugeshōjōbutsukyō, Taishō 454)
Translated by IIDA Shōtaro and Jane Goldstone
Introduction by SADAKATA Akira
THE SUTRA OF MAÑJUŚRĪ’S QUESTIONS(文殊師利問經 Monjushirimongyō, Taishō 468)
Translated by John R. McRae

4. THE CANONICAL BOOK OF THE BUDDHA’S LENGTHY DISCOURSES
Volume I(長阿含經 Jō-agongyō, Taishō 1)
Translated by Shohei Ichimura

5. DISCOURSE TO PRINCE CANDRAPRABHA(月燈三昧經 Gattōzanmaikyō, Taishō 639)
Translated by MURAKAMI Shinkan

6. THE ALL PLEASING: A COMMENTARY ON THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE
Volume I(善見律毘婆沙 Zenkenritsubibasha, Taishō 1462)
Translated by MORI Sodō and ENDŌ Toshiichi1Translator’s Comment:
A Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings (Taishō Volume 46, Number 1931)
Translated by Masao Ichishima and David W. Chappell
Included inTENDAI LOTUS TEXTS(BDK English Tripiṭaka Series, published in 2013)
ICHISHIMA Masao
Professor Emeritus, Taisho University
The Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings is said to be a guidebook for the classifications of theBuddhist scriptures. The scriptures are arranged in a specific order to classify the time and method ofthe Teachings of Conversion by Śākyamuni Buddha. The author was a Korean Buddhist monk
Chegwan who was invited to China in the late tenth century to restore Traditional Tiantai Teachings,
which had been lost due to the persecutions of Buddhism during eighth and ninth centuries in China.
According to the author, the teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha can be arranged into five periods; theHua-yan Sutra, Four Āgamas, Expanded, Wisdom, and Lotus and Nirvana Sutras. The Fourfold
Teachings of Conversion are classified as the Sudden, Gradual, Secret, Variable, and the Fourfold
Doctrinal Conversions such as Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinctive, and Complete. Thus author Chegwan
contributed to restoring the Tiantai Doctrine in China from Korea.
When I was in Honolulu, Hawaii as a Buddhist priest I met my colleagues, professors
David W. Chappell and Robert F. Olson, at the University of Hawaii. We offered a Buddhist EnglishTranslation Seminar of Hawaii in collaboration with the Tendai Mission and University of Hawaii.
As a result, we translated two texts, namely the Third Part of the Process of Meditative Actualization(Bhāvanākrama III) by Kamalaśīla and the Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings. Both of thesewere published in Japan after I returned to my home country, Japan. The former was published in theAnnual of the Institute for Comprehensive Studies of Buddhism, Taisho University, No.1, in 1979 andthe latter by Daiichishobo in 1983.
Unfortunately my dear friends, Robert F. Olson and David W. Chappell, professors at theUniversity of Hawaii, died after the translations were completed. I hope they are at rest in the Pure
Land.
Tendai Buddhism in Japan emphasizes both teaching and meditation. I thought that bothtexts, as pioneering translations, were the most appropriate works to translate into English, because
both of the texts, the Bhāvanākrama III and the Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings, had not yet
been translated into English at that time.
Language is a wonderful instrument for cross-cultural studies. I do appreciate the support of
all the members of the Buddhist Translation Seminar of Hawaii in the persons of Bishop Ryokan Ara,
Graduate Assistant Shim Jae-ryong, Raymond T. Funamoto, Rev. Lew Cho-yin, Rev. Richard
Matsumoto, and Christopher Morris, et.al.
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Report:

BDK Presentation at
The 17th Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS)*
ŌGI Naoyuki
Purpose and Project
Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai, the Society for the Promotion of Buddhism or better known as BDK wasincorporated as a non-profit foundation in December, 1965 by the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata(1897-1994), the founder of Mitutoyo Corporation, and his Dharma friends. The Japanese government
reorganized the legal classifications for non-profit corporations in 2008, and BDK was reclassified asa Public Interest Foundation as of April 1, 2013.
BDK’s mission is to contribute toward the advancement and improvement of human wellbeing and world peace by promoting the Buddhist essences of compassion, interconnectedness, culture
and research that form the foundation of Japanese culture. BDK desires to provide a modern
interpretation of the Buddha’s teaching and to create a more compassionate humanity through its
global educational programs, and working towards contributing to the advancement of modern society.
BDK Worldwide Network
With the primary goal of promoting the teachings and wisdom of the Buddha, Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai
and our affiliated BDK organizations throughout the world are involved in a variety of activities andprograms.
We sponsor and participate in many international Buddhist programs, projects and activities.
One of our major projects is the translation and publication of the Taishō Tripiṭaka Buddhist Canon
into English. We have distributed over eight million copies of “The Teaching of Buddha” book topublic, educational and lodging facilities throughout the world.

And as you well know, BDK

established the Numata Program in Buddhist Studies at 15 major universities throughout the world.
We also sponsor and support international academic conferences and several academic fellowship
programs to enhance advanced research and study in Buddhist Studies.
The Teaching of Buddha“The Teaching of Buddha,” better known as the “Orange book” is a condensed, collection of some of
the Shakyamuni Buddha’s main teachings. Today, this book is one of the most widely distributed andread Buddhist books in the history of mankind and it is available in 46 different languages of theworld.
For nearly 50 years, it has been our sincere wish to make this easy to understand bookavailable to everyone throughout the world. To date, we have distributed over 8 million copies of thebook to over 12,000 major hotels in more than 60 countries, as well as to schools, prisons, hospitals*From the 18th to 23rd of August 2014, the 17th Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS) was
held at the University of Vienna, Austria. As a congress partner, BDK organized a presentation on Wednesday, 20thAugust, 16:00-16:30. Thanks to Mr. Ōgi who made the presentation, the manuscript about the activities of BDK, except
for the English Tripiṭaka Project, is extracted below. (Y.Y.)

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and for personal reading and reference.
Numata Program in Buddhist Studies
Throughout history, Buddhism has spread and gained believers through cultural exchanges andinteraction. Assisting in Buddhism’s popularization and development since ancient times in Japan
were venerated institutions and centers of higher learning which are comparable to today’s universities,for example, Tendai Buddhism had Mt. Hiei and Shingon Buddhism had Mt. Koya.
In continuing with this historical process, BDK has established the Numata Program in
Buddhist Studies at leading universities in North America and Europe as one of its main projects topromote and introduce Buddhism to the world. The first “Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies” wasestablished at Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata’s own alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley inJanuary, 1984, and since that time, the program has grown to include 15 major universities in North
America and Europe.
More recently, BDK established the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University ofHamburg in October, 2013. We certainly hope this center will serve as a catalyst to promote thefurther development of Buddhist studies in the Europe.
BDK Fellowship
Another example of BDK support for academic studies is our Fellowship Program. BDK Japan has
established two fellowship programs—the BDK Fellowship for Japanese Scholars and the BDK
Fellowship for Foreign Scholars. These fellowships were established to promote international
cooperation and mutual understanding in Buddhist studies. Every year, the BDK Fellowshipcommittee selects two or three awardees from throughout the world.
The Fellowship for Japanese Scholars is intended to enable Japanese researchers to engage in
research on Buddhism while studying in foreign countries. The Fellowship for Foreign Scholars
enables foreign researchers to engage in advanced research in Buddhism for one year while based at aJapanese university or research center. I am sure many of your colleagues have participated andbenefited from this fellowship program. For more information about these BDK Japan fellowship
programs, please see the BDK Japan website. Additionally, for those of you who are Canadian orpursuing your research at a Canadian university, BDK Canada offers a fellowship of their own for
Canadian citizens or those foreign students studying at a Canadian institution. This fellowship also
provides for one year of research and studies at a Japanese university. For further information about
this BDK Canada fellowship program, please see the website for the Department of Religious Studies
at McMaster University.
Toshihide Numata Book Prize in Buddhism
In 2009, BDK America established the “Toshihide Numata Book Prize in Buddhism.” This prize
recognizes what is felt to be the best academic Buddhist title of the year. The prize contest iscoordinated by the Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and thewinning title is selected by an independent and anonymous committee of noted scholars. The “Toshi4Prize” consists of a $10,000 cash award, a public lecture by the winning author and a panel discussion
on the topic of the winning entry, held in Berkeley each year after the winning entry is announced.
Thus far, the three recipients of the Toshi Prize have been—Dr. James Robson from Harvard
won the first prize; Dr. Todd Lewis from the College of the Holy Cross and Subarna Man Tuladhar ofNepal won the second prize. No prize was awarded in 2012, and most recently Dan Arnold from theUniversity of Chicago Divinity School was awarded the 2013 Toshi Prize.
Conclusion
Since BDK embarked on its path to support the academic world of Buddhist Studies began in the1980’s, we have seen the development of a worldwide Numata program which continues to grow andmove into new realms with the addition of each new generation of scholars and an ever-changing tideof research and study interests.
We are now in our fourth decade of supporting such scholarly efforts, and I think we canjustifiably say that many of today’s centers of Buddhist learning as well as a majority of today’s
Buddhist scholars and students have benefited in some way or fashion from the vision and dream ofRev. Dr. Yehan Numata, a life-long patron of the Buddha-Dharma.
In an ever-changing world, beset by new challenges, conflicts, unrest and human limitations,Rev. Dr. Numata felt that Buddhism was one way to help bring about a peaceful society.

In youracademic pursuit and searching for understanding of the various facets of the teaching of Buddha, yourinterpretations and sharing of the Dharma can certainly contribute to the vision of Rev. Dr. YehanNumata.

And we are most grateful for this opportunity to share with each of you the challenge inworking toward achieving Yehan Numata’s lifelong dream of envisioning a peaceful world someday.

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Announcement:

PDF files of BDK English TripiṭakaYONEZAWA Yoshiyasu
Lecturer, Taisho University
In the last issue of the Mahāpiṭaka Newsletter, I introduced the BDK Daizokyo Database. In thefollowing, I would like to announce the PDF files are downloadable again from BDK Japan website.

http://www.bdk.or.jp/english/index.html

http://www.bdk.or.jp/bdk/digitaldl.html	  	  	  The file names are given following therules determined for those uploaded at thewebsite of BDK America.	  	  	  As the public copy license, we claim
Creative Commons Attribution Non- Commercial
No Derivatives license (CC BY-NC-ND).

It is to be noted that some of the newly uploaded PDF files are not created from the original
data but by means of scanning the printed editions. Accordingly the file sizes become bigger.
Moreover, the users are requested to be careful of the text embedded in them, for the recognition
accuracy in the OCR process is not always reliable. Another difference from the printed edition is thata list of BDK English Tripiṭaka (First Series) in the backmatter is omitted in the PDF files.
In this format, we have decided to upload the PDF files of our publications from the earlier
stage of our project.

6Committee Members
Editorial Committee, Tokyo:
MAYEDA Sengaku (Chairperson), Professor Emeritus, The University of TokyoICHISHIMA Shōshin, Professor Emeritus, Taisho University
ISHIGAMI Zennō, Shukutoku Junior College
KATSURA Shōryū, Ryukoku University
NAMAI Chishō, Koyasan University
NARA Yasuaki, Professor Emeritus, Komazawa UniversitySAITŌ Akira, The University of TokyoSHIMODA Masahiro, The University of Tokyo
Kenneth K. Tanaka, Musashino University
WATANABE Shōgo, Toyo University
YONEZAWA Yoshiyasu, Taisho University
Publication Committee, Berkeley:Charles Muller (Chairperson), The University of Tokyo
Carl W. Bielefeldt, Stanford University
Marianne Dresser, BDK America
Hudaya Kandahjaya, BDK America
Brian Kensho Nagata, BDK America (President)
Robert H. Sharf, University of California, BerkeleyMAHĀPIṬAKANewsletter New Series No.20
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE ofthe ENGLISH TRANSLATION of the CHINESE TRIPIṬAKA
c/o Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism)
4-3-14 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0014, JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3455-5851
Fax: +81-3-3798-2758
E-Mail:bdk@bdk-jp.org
URL: http://www.bdk-jp.org

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