IOP
NEWSLETTER
No. 3

The Institute ofOriental Philosophy

Table of Contents

31st Annual Conference ------------------------------------ 2-3
Exhibitions / Symposiums -------------------------------- 4-10
Public Lecture Series ------------------------------------ 11-12
Other Lectures ----------------------------------------------- 13
Publications ---------------------------------------------- 14-16

IOP Newsletter No. 3 covers the news of three main projects (research, academic
exchange and publication) carried out between March and December 2016.
(Affiliation and title etc. at that time)31st Annual ConferenceProf. Fathali M. Moghaddam, delivering lecture on ’Omniculturalism’

In his lecture, Prof. Moghaddam mentioned,“Globalization is driven by unpredictable
technological and economic forces. Nobody
can predict how technology will develop
and how it will change us. These changes are
driven not by governments but byunpredictable small groups.”

On March 19 and 20, the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy (IOP) held its 31st annual
conference at Soka University and the IOP
respectively.
Since its inauguration, IOP annual
conferences have been held by domestic
and foreign researchers, aiming at study of
the Lotus Sutra, interreligious andintercivilizational dialogue, solution ofhumankind issues related to peace, humanrights and the environment, and creation ofa global civilization etc.

He also said, “What is new about intergroupcontact is the speed at which millions ofpeople now move across continents. As we
can see fro77m the refugees coming from
the Middle East, the speed of movement isvery rapid. People in Southern Europe inparticular are finding that millions ofoutsiders are arriving within very shortperiods of time. Similarly from SouthAmerica to North America, tens of millions
of people are moving very rapidly.”

IOP invited Professor Fathali M. Moghaddam
as a distinguished guest to the symposium,“Creation of a Global Civilization—
Transcending Multiculturalism” held on
March 19. Prof. Moghaddam is a professorof psychology and director of the Conflict
Resolution
Programat
Georgetown
University’s Department of Government.

Prof. Moghaddam then touched upon the
problemofterrorism
causedbyglobalization, representing a new security
problem. “Faced with these movements andterrorism, democratic governments are
introducing new laws that restrict freedom.

Prof. Moghaddam delivered his lecture
entitled, “Omniculturalism and Our HumanPath”.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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Annual Conference

In this sense, as globalization forces haveincreased contact, both democracies anddictatorships feel threatened,” he said.
He emphasized the need to rethink politics
in order to manage differences at thenational and international levels, because
traditional policies have been based on
assimilation
and,
more
recently,
multiculturalism which lead many groups tofeel threatened.
“At the international level as well, I believe
multiculturalism is highlighting differences
too much, and creating problems. That is
why I’ve suggested an alternative, that is,omniculturalism. ‘Omni’ means ‘all,’ andomniculturalism
highlights
human
universals. In order to achieve a world where
we focus on human commonalities, we haveto change,” he said.
Lastly, Prof. Moghaddam mentioned thatthe abilities to be self-critical, and accept
and learn from others, are all valuable
qualities of global citizenship. He
emphasized the importance of looking forthat which we have in common rather
than focusing on the things that separateus.
At the symposium, Dr. Yutaka Ishigami,
Senior Research Fellow, and Ms. Fumiko
Tsutaki, Commissioned Research Fellow of
IOP, delivered their speeches, entitled,“Culture and Idea―The Dignity of life as a
postulate” and “Issue of Immigration andRefugees and Multiculturalism in Europe.”

Dr. Ishigami on ‘Culture and Idea’

In conjunction with the symposium, IOP held
research meetings on March 19 and 20.
March 19
“Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Naturalistic Theory
of Value in his Later Writings on Religion” by
Dr. Ryo Chonabayashi(Research Fellow, IOP)“The Origin of Evil in Christian Theology” by Dr.
Tatsuya Yamazaki (Research Fellow, IOP)“For the Coexistence of Civilizations: War andPeace in Islam” by Dr. Hideki Iwaki(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)“How Education can Build a New Global
Humanism:
Does
theMediterranean
civilization have the seeds to transcend
multiculturalism?” by Prof. Francesca Maria
Corrao (Overseas Research Fellow, IOP)
March 20
“A. J. Toynbee and R. G. Collingwood: A
Comparison” by Dr. Junichi Kasuga(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)
“Beiping City Social Affairs Department andCharitable Works ― A Study of Xiangshan
Orphanage and Longquan Temple Orphanage―” by Ms. Heiwa Oe(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)“On Kyogen Illustrations of the Early Edo
Period” by Ms. Michiko Fujioka(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)

Ms. Tsutaki on ‘Issue of Immigration andRefugees and Multiculturalism’“The Image of Kushan Royalty: On the knots inwoolen embroidery from burial sites in
Mongolia” by Dr. Kenzo Kawasaki(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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“Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage―Manuscripts and Iconography of the Lotus Sutra”

On April 2, 2016, “Buddhist Sutras: A
Universal Spiritual Heritage ―Manuscripts and iconography of
the Lotus
exhibition was launched
theSutra”
Lotus Sutra”exhibition
wasalong with the commemorative symposium
at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The
exhibition was organized by the Soka
Cultural Association in France, andsupported by the Institute of Oriental
Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences(IOM RAS), The International Academy ofIndian Culture, and Dunhuang Academy
China. The exhibition was supervised andcreated by the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy and supported by the Institute of
Buddhist Studies in France.
The exhibition had broader scope based on
items of “The Lotus Sutra—A Message of
Peace and Harmonious Coexistence”
exhibition which the IOP has been holding allover the world. Through the panels andwritten materials, the exhibition introduced
the history of the dissemination of Buddhist
teachings and the footsteps of predecessors
who dedicated their lives to spreading themessage of Buddhism.
It also featured 26 original manuscripts fromIOM RAS, including the Gandhari manuscriptof the Dhamapada from the 1st and 2nd
centuries, and the Sogdian manuscript of theSuka-sutra from the 7th and 8th centuries.

Dunhuang Magao Caves on display

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

Grand opening with recognized guests

The Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript fromIOM RAS, which is also known as the
Petrovsky manuscript, recognized as one ofthe ‘diamonds’ of the world’s largest andmost valuable Russian collections, was also
on display. It first appeared at the exhibition“Lotus Sutra and Its World: Buddhist
Manuscripts of the Great Silk Road” held by
the IOP in 1998. The manuscript is assumed
to have been written in 8th century.
Dr. I. F. Popova, director of IOM RAS,
remarked that the original manuscripts, avaluable heritage of humanity, should beshared widely; not only among intellectuals
and experts, but also among the generalpublic.
At the opening ceremony after thecommemorative symposium, distinguishedguests, including Dr. Lokesh Chandra,
director of the International Academy ofIndian Culture, Dr. I. F. Popova, Mr.
Dominique Trotignon, director of theInstitute of Buddhist Studies, Mr. JeanClaude Gaubert, president of the Soka
Cultural Association in France, and Dr. Yoichi
Kawada, director of the IOP, participated in
the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Exhibition in France

Till the end on April 10, the exhibition
attracted some 7,300 visitors, including
Minister Smriti Irani, Minister of Human
Resource Development in the Governmentof India, and UNESCO officials from several
countries.
The following are the comments shared bysome guests:
Keen visitors on details

Mr. Edmond Lisle (President, Fraternitéd'Abraham)

Mr. Dominique Trotignon (Director, Instituteof Buddhist Studies)

Both our thought and Buddhist teachingemphasize the spirit of peacebuilding basedon faith and call for the same points such as
respect for others and protection of humaninherent dignity. I believe the people ofEuropean world can not only get acquainted
with Buddhism but also understand its
profound humanism through this exhibition.
It is significant for them to learn about theorigin and the development of Buddhism, as
it bases inner value which was lost in
European world. Today, we witness terrorist
attacks in the name of ‘religion’. When thesociety faces with such a critical moment,
Buddhism will surely play a key role inpromoting mutual respect and overcoming
fundamental hatred.

Although the study on Buddhism is quite
active in France, we hardly have opportunity
to see the actual manuscripts and evenknowledge of their history. I express mygratitude to the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy which made the exhibition
possible to show extremely precious andbeautiful items for the first time in France. I
realized that Paris and the Lotus Sutra
indeed have a profound relationship. For,
Eugène Burnouf started his translation of the
Lotus Sutra here, Paris. This exhibition gives
us an opportunity to re-realize the meaningof such relationship.

Ms. Ruchira Kanboj (Representative of India to UNESCO)
There is a great significance in holding such wonderful symposium and exhibition at
UNESCO. I will introduce this exhibition and hope as many UNESCO ambassadors of eachnation as possible to visit.

Commissioner: The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
Organizer: The Soka Cultural Association in France
Supporter: Dunhuang Academy China, the International Academy of Indian Culture, and theInstitute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences
Collaborator: The Institute of Buddhist Studies
Venue: UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France
Date: April 2-10, 2016

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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“The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peaceand Harmonious Coexistence” Exhibition
SOUTH KOREA

Exhibition alive with visitors from around the worldO

detailsn September 21, 2016, “The Lotus
Sutra ― A Message of Peace andHarmonious Coexistence” exhibition
was launched
was in South Korea. Counting this,the exhibition had shown in 13 countries andterritories.
The exhibition was co-organized by theInstitute of Oriental Philosophy, Korea
JoongAng Daily, and Korea SGI andsupported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports
and Tourism, Seoul City, the International
Academy of Indian Culture, and theDunhuang Academy, the Institute ofPhilosophy of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (IOM RAS).
At the opening ceremony, Dr. Lokesh
Chandra, Director of International Academyof Indian Culture, Dr. Lee Hong-koo, former
Prime Minister of South Korea and Executive
Chairman of this exhibition, Dr. Park Jae-kyu,
the president of Kyungnam University in
Masan, participated in the ribbon-cutting,
togetherwithapproximately
2,500
attendees including Korean politicians,
business leaders, scholars and representative
members of Korea SGI. During theceremony, Mr. Lee Hong-koo gave awelcome address and Dr. Lokesh Chandradelivered a commemorative lecture.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

On display were some 200 items, the largest
number of exhibits ever gathered for a Lotus
Sutra exhibition, including duplicatedtranscriptions of The Lotus Sutra in Ink on
White Paper (national treasure) from the
Horim Museum, The Lotus Sutra in Silver on
Indigo Paper, and Volumes 5-7 of The Lotus
Sutra (both important properties) from the
National Museum of Korea.
Through the new panels and pictures of
UNESCO World Heritages, Bulguksa temple
and Haeinsa temple, the exhibition
introduced the history of the disseminationof Buddhist teachings on the Korean
Peninsula. Bulguksa is said to encompass
seven national treasures, including the
Seokgatap (Sakyamuni Pagoda), theDabotap (Many Treasure Pagoda) and theHaeinsa, most notable as the home of the
Tripitaka Koreana, the whole of the Buddhist
Scriptures carved into over 80,000 wooden
printing blocks.
The exhibition also featured duplicates of
the Lotus Sutra manuscripts from IOM RAS,
including the Sanskrit Lotus Sutra
Manuscript, known as the Petrovsky
manuscript, Gilgit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts
from the National Archives of India and theGandhari manuscript of the Dhamapada
from the 1st and 2nd centuries. On display inthe section of the Dunhuang Magao Caves,
were the replicated murals of Lotus Sutra
inside the Cave 85.
The opening ceremony was consecutively
reported by Korean Broadcasting System(KBS) and other major Korean media,
including Korea JoongAng Daily, Maeil
Business Newspaper and Cheonji Ilbo. In the
exhibition held till December 21, visitors
counted more than 136,000.

Lotus Sutra Exhibition in South Korea

The following are the comments shared bysome guests:

Dr. Lokesh Chandra (Director, International
Academy of Indian Culture)
Korea found its sense of being and eternity
sixteen hundred years ago when Buddhism
gave her a new meaning. Buddhism laid thebasis of Korean civilization. The humane
system of morals and aspirations to nobility
formed a vivid and tangible order of thesociety and culture. The high-water mark of
Korean civilization was reached under
Buddhism.

Dr. Lee Hong-koo (Former Prime Minister ofSouth Korea)
This exhibition is filled with a fragrantmessage of peace and harmonious
coexistence that the Lotus Sutra gives off. Dr.
Daisaku Ikeda, founder of the Institute ofOriental Philosophy and president of Soka
Gakkai International, is a rare leader with thepacifistic spirit. He shows deep affection forthe people of Korea, and above all, he has a
profound insight into our country. Taking
this exhibition as our turning point, we aredetermined to bring hope to every single
person and contribute to peace in unity.

Ribbon-cutting by Dr. Chandra, Dr. Lee, Mr. Song (Vice-president of Korea JoongAng Daily), and others

Organizers: The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), The JoongAng Ilbo Daily Newspaper ofSouth Korea, and South Korea’s Soka Gakkai International
Supporter: Seoul City, the International Academy of Indian Culture, The Dunhuang Academy,
The Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Culture,
Sports and Tourism
Venue: Ikeda Memorial Hall in Seoul
Date: September 21 – December 21, 2016

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“The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peaceand Harmonious Coexistence” Exhibition
PERU
At the grand opening ceremony, some 100
teachers and students attended together
with Dr. Jorge Quispe, Director of The
Academic-Professional
SchoolofPhilosophy, UNMSM. Dr. Carlos García, Deanof the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences
was also present.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony by heads of the UNMSMOn November 21, 2016, "The Lotus Sutra—
A Message of Peace and Harmonious
Coexistence" exhibition was launched at the
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos(UNMSM) in Lima. Peru became thefourteenth for the exhibition in countries andterritories of the world. UNMSM, establishedin 1551, is the oldest academic institution inSouth America. The exhibition was plannedand produced by the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy (IOP) and organized by Peru
Soka Gakkai International (SGI).
On display at the building for the Faculty of
Letters and Human Sciences were duplicatesof the Lotus Sutra manuscripts translated
into various languages, panels introducing
the history of the dissemination of Buddhist
teachings and the Lotus Sutra Manuscript
Series conducted by the IOP.

Attending from the same faculty were Mg.
Lilia Llanto, Vice Dean, and Dr. Miguel Polo,
Professor. During the ceremony, Prof. Miguel
Polo shared his view that Buddhism is one of
the most important philosophies of life andthat understanding Asian history leads to abetter appreciation of Buddhist history. He
added, “The exhibition delivers the messageof the Lotus Sutra, which enhances its literaryand spiritual value as well as its historicsignificance.”
Dr. Carlos García also mentioned, “I would
like to express my gratitude to everyone who
made the exhibition possible. A dialogue
with other civilizations is significant for acountry with history as rich as that of Peru.
There is no doubt that Buddhism has been amajor current in the world of religion as its
teachings provide an essential foundation
for human life.”
In the exhibition held till November 26,
visitors counted approximately 1,300.

Planner and Producer: The Institute ofOriental Philosophy (IOP)
Organizer: SGI-Peru
Sponsors: The Faculty of Letters andHuman Sciences of Universidad Nacional
Mayor de San Marcos, the Institute ofOriental Manuscripts of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, the Dunhuang
Academy and the International Academy ofIndian Culture
Venue: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San
Marcos, Lima
Date: November 21 - 26, 2016

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

Peru exhibition after Brazil and Argentina in Latin
America“Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage―Manuscripts and Iconography of the Lotus Sutra”

Symposium at UNESCO:

Dissemination and Reception ofMajor Teachings of the Buddhist Canon
Session 2: In India and Central Asia
“The Lotus Sutra and India” by Dr. Lokesh
Chandra (Director, International Academy ofIndian Culture)“Russian Explorations in Central Asia at theTurn of the 20th Century” by Dr. Irina Popova(Director, Institute of Oriental Manuscripts,
Russian Academy of Sciences)
Symposium in front of UNESCO emblem

On April 2, commemorating the “Buddhist
Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage―Manuscripts and Iconography of the Lotus
Sutra”
exhibition,
thesymposium“Dissemination and Reception of Major
Teachings of the Buddhist Canon” was held
at UNESCO Headquarters. The following are
the presenters and the titles of theirspeeches.
Session 1: To Middle East
“Perspectives on Parables of the Lotus andthe Gospel” by Dr. Dennis Gira (Honorary
Professor, Catholic Institute of Paris)

Commissioner: The Institute of Oriental
Philosophy
Organizer: The Soka Cultural Association in
FranceSupporter: Dunhuang Academy China, theInternational Academy of Indian Culture, andthe Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian
Academy of Sciences
Collaborator: The Institute of Buddhist
Studies
Venue: UNESCO Headquarters in Paris,
FranceDate: April 2, 2016

Session 3: In China“The publication and distribution context ofthe first Chinese translations of the Lotus
Sutra” by Dr. Sylvie Hureau (Lecturer, École
pratique des hautes Études)“The Reception of Lotus Sūtra Thought in
China” by Prof. Hiroshi Kanno (Research
Fellow, IOP)
Summary by Mr. Paul Magnin (Emeritus
Research Director, Centre National de laRecherche Scientifique)
Session 4: In Japan“Lotus and Pure Land“ by Dr. Jérôme Ducor(Lecturer, University of Lausanne)“Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture“ by Prof.
Jean-Noël Robert (Professor, Collège deFrance)Organizer: The Institute of Oriental
Symposium followed by discussion with
Philosophy,
CentreBuddhist
approx.Oxford
300 scholars
from forall overthe world
Studies
Venue: Wolfson College, University of
Oxford (UK)
Date: April 6 and 7, 2016

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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Symposium at University of Oxford:“The Possibility of Buddhism for
the Future of Humankind”
The following are the presenters and thetitles of their speeches:
Session 1“Voices of Freedom: Friendship, trust andliberation in the poems of the early Buddhistnuns” by Dr. Sarah Shaw (Research Fellow,
OCBS)
Prof. Gombrich (left) and Dr. Onishi at SymposiumT

he Oxford Centre for Buddhist
Studies (OCBS), a RecognizedIndependent
CentreoftheUniversity
Universityof Oxford that was founded in
2004, conducts a wide range of research
including studies of Early Buddhist
Manuscripts as well as Buddhist theories andpractices.

Session 2“Mindfulness Meditation and Social Change:from Therapy to Wisdom and Ethics” by Mr.
Mark Leonard (OCBS)

The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP)
and OCBS signed an academic exchange
agreement in 2012 and co-organized a
symposium entitled, “The Possibility of
Buddhism for the Future of Humankind” inMarch 2014 as part of the IOP’s annual
conference. At the symposium, Prof. F.
Gombrich, Founder-President of OCBS, and
Dr. Suren Rāghavan, Senior Fellow of OCBS,
delivered their speeches. Since then, IOP and
OCBS have been fostering their relationshipthrough the exchange of journals andresearch papers.

Session 3“A Reflection on the Practice of Compassion
in the Theravada Buddhist Meditation
Traditions”
by
Ven.
Dr.
Khammai
Dhammasami (Research Fellow, OCBS)On April 6 and 7, 2016, IOP and OCBS held
the second symposium and discussion on
the aforementioned theme. In his greetings,
Prof. Gombrich expressed his expectations
for the symposium to contribute to finding
solutions to some of the issues facing
humanity.

10“Women's Roles and a World Without
Nuclear Weapons” by Dr. Toshie Kurihara(Senior Research Fellow, IOP)IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

“NaturalDisasters
andBuddhist
Organizations' Activities” by Dr. Katsuaki
Onishi (Research Fellow, IOP)

“Medical Ethics and Buddhism―The issuesof death with dignity and the vegetative
state” by Dr. Yoichi Kawada (Director, IOP)

Organizers: The Institute of Oriental
Philosophy, Oxford Centre for Buddhist
Studies
Venue: Wolfson College, University of
Oxford (UK)
Date: April 6 and 7, 2016

Public Lecture Series“A Sustainable Future and Religion”
Lecturer: Prof. Hisanori Kato
(Professor, Chuo University)
Date: October 3, 2016
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: Multidimensional Understanding of Islam—the Dialogue with Muslims in Indonesia

Prof. Kato specializes in anthropology of religion and society and comparative civilizations. In 2012,
he received the Toynbee-Talbutt Award from the International Society for the Comparative Study of
Civilizations. He is currently serving as vice president of the International Society for the Comparative
Study of Civilizations.
In his lecture, Prof. Kato touched upon the notions of “fact” and “truth,” and remarked that a
multidimensional understanding of Islam means to understand the hidden truth. With this attitude,
he says, we can realize a sustainable future that includes religions. He also described the original
meaning of the Five Pillars of Islam and The Six articles of Faith in Islam, and clarified the notion of
Jihad. He commented that the meaning of Jihad is often misunderstood and that there are two typesof Jihad. One is a lesser Jihad, which indicates physical conflict, and the other is a greater Jihad,
meaning the spiritual struggle of becoming a better Muslim. “People often have a stereotypical imageof Islam, but Muslims are taught to respect believers of other religions as well,” he said.

Lecturer: Dr. Keisuke Kawakubo(Honorary Professor, Reitaku University)
Date: October 25, 2016
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: Toynbee and Religion

Dr. Kawakubo’s fields of research are the comparative study of civilizations and American literature.
While lecturing at Reitaku University, Dr. Kawakubo visited the renowned historian, Arnold J.
Toynbee’s residence as an interpreter for Dr. Sentaro Hiroike, then president of Reitaku University.
Since that time, he has been conducting research on Toynbee’s book, A Study of History, andremains dedicated to promoting the comparative study of civilizations.
In his lecture, Dr. Kawakubo remarked that Toynbee did not have faith in an abstract existence of agod, but gradually came to believe in an ultimate spiritual reality. Although Toynbee was born intoa family that supported the Church of England, he studied various other religions including
Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Confucianism and Buddhism. He explored the essence ofreligion through the study of comparative civilizations. Dr. Kawakubo stressed that Toynbee believed“civilizations are born from religions” and that “the study of civilizations is equal to the study ofreligions.”

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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Public Lecture Series

８

Lecturer: Mr. Hisatake Kato
(Honorary Professor, Kyoto University)
Date: November 17, 2016
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: A Sustainable Future and Religion

Mr. Kato is a specialist in philosophy, bioethics and environmental ethics. In his lecture, he told theaudience, “Today, we consume a dreadfully large amount of natural resources in our daily lives. But
what will we do when the oil resources are depleted? What will we do when water is no longer
available? In addition to such serious issues, wildlife species are also in decline. Due to such threats,human beings will find it increasingly difficult to sustain life on Earth. If we are able to take care of
the resources available now and consume them wisely, we can become sustainable. However, theimportant thing is to realize this goal.”
Mr. Kato then said, “We human beings have natural needs. Money, however, has completely changed
the way we understand our needs. It has made us unnaturally greedy and made it very difficult for us
to shed our desires. I believe therefore that religion could play a significant role today in changing
this.” He concluded by commenting, “It is not until human beings take up a religion that they canrealize the connection between society and nature. We should search for a better way to live our lives
by acquiring accurate information. It is religion that tells us how attractive a simple and satisfying life
is. Without the spiritual strength to control our desires, there can be no sustainability. Nowadays, weare flooded with information, often more harmful misinformation than we might have been exposed
to in previous times. Under such circumstances, in order to acquire trustworthy information, we needto trust others and be trusted by them.”

Lecturer: Professor Masako Keta
(Professor, Kyoto University)
Date: November 30, 2016
Venue: Umeda Sky Building (Osaka-shi, Osaka)
Theme: Thoughts on Earth in the Cotemporary World

Prof. Keta serves as president of the Japanese Association for Religious Studies since 2014. She
currently specializes in religious philosophy and religious studies. In her lecture, Prof. Keta referredto ‘earth’ as a key concept in literature and religion. She explained, “The earth is the source of every
harvest. It is a religious object that finds expression in Greek and Japanese mythology. It is a wordthat means a specific locality with a boundless expanse.” She added that the earth is the ultimate
mother, giving birth to everything and serving as a place that brings together birth and death.
Regarding some of the global issues we face today, she stressed, “We have decided to inhabit the
Earth and treat the environment as our own property. In fact, we destroy the environment with ourown hands and consume all its resources. Considering these negative aspects, we have to takeresponsibility for living on Earth. Earth is the earth and vice-versa. It is neither an object to beresearched, nor a work of art to be viewed, nor is it a resource to be consumed. The important issue
is how we sustain life on Earth with its history of both glory and folly. Religion is indispensable in the
search for a way to address this issue differently than we have done so far.”

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

Other Lectures
February 23
Prof. Yoshio Tsuruoka(Professor, the University of Tokyo)“Mysticism of John of the Cross:
A representative figure of Catholic Spirituality”

June 14
Dr. Keisuke Kawakubo(Honorary Professor, Reitaku University)“Toynbee as a Human”

July 12
Dr. Stefan Peter Grace(Part-time Lecturer, Taisho University)“Daisetsu Suzuki and His Thoughts”

July 26
Prof. Wen Xian Yuan
(Former Deputy Director,
GuangDong Academy of Social Sciences)“International Influence of Chinese Culture
and Its Direction”

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu Vol.55, No.1
[The Journal of Oriental Studies] (Japanese)

Main Contents■Feature 1: Creation of a Global Civilization－Transcending Multiculturalism
From the 31st Annual Conference of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy
Omniculturalism and Our Human Path……………… Fathali M. Moghaddam
Culture and Ideas―”The Dignity of Life” as a Postulate…… Yutaka Ishigami
Issue of Immigration and Refugees and Multiculturalism in Europe……………………………………………………………………………………………… Fumiko Tsutaki■Feature 2: The Path Toward a Global Civilization II:
From Public Lecture Series
Wisdom and Self―Toward A Buddhism-Christianity Dialogue………………………………………………………………………………………… Ryosuke Inagaki
The Role of Public Philosophy in Face of Global Crisis…… Naoshi Yamawaki
The Power to Build the 21st Century―Learning from the Wisdom of Socrates
and Kant……………………………………………………………………………… Yutaka Ishigami

Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu Vol.55, No.2
[The Journal of Oriental Studies] (Japanese)

Main Contents■Feature 1: Dialogue with Catholicism”credere” and “intelligere” in Augustine’s Thought…………………… Naoko Sato
Rationality of Faith: on Public Dimension of Catholicism Today…………………………………………………………………………………………… Junichi Iwamoto
Exodus from the Phenomenon of Radical Evil to the Horizon of Otherness…………………………………………………………………………………………… Hisao Miyamoto
Theology and Philosophy in Thomas Aquinas……………… Kohei Shibamoto
Mysticism of John of the Cross: a representative figure of Catholic Spirituality…………………………………………………………………………………………… Yoshio Tsuruoka■Feature 2: The Possibility of Buddhism for the Future of Humankind
From the Second Symposium with the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies■Lectures

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

The Journal of Oriental Studies Vol. 26 (English)
Main Articles
Feature: The Possibility of Buddhism for the Future of Humankind
From the Second Symposium with the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies■Opening Address………………………………………… Richard Gombrich■Voices of freedom: friendship, trust and liberation in the poems of early
Buddhist nuns………………………………………………………… Sarah Shaw
■Women’s Roles in a World Without Nuclear Weapons…… Toshie Kurihara■Mindfulness Meditation and Social Change: from Therapy to Wisdom andEthics……………………………………………………………… Mark Leonard■Buddhist Organizations and Their Response to Natural Disasters………………………………………………………………… Katsuaki Onishi■The Practice of Compassion: A Brief Reflection on Some Theravada Buddhist
Meditation Traditions…………………………………… Khammai Dhammasami■Medical Ethics and Buddhism―A Focus on Euthanasia and Death with Dignity……………………………………………………………………… Yoichi Kawada
Feature 2: Creation of a Global Civilization－Transcending Multiculturalism
From the Symposium in conjunction with the 31 st Annual Conference of the IOP■Omniculturalism and Our Human Path…………… Fathali M. Moghaddam■Culture and Ideal―The Dignity of Life as a Postulate…… Yutaka Ishigami■Issue of Immigration and Refugees and Multiculturalism in Europe………………………………………………………………… Fumiko Tsutaki

The Korean Language edition of Guidebook: "The Lotus Sutra― A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence" Exhibition
The Korean edition of Guidebook: Gaideu Bug Beobhwagyeong Jeon ―Pyeonghwawa Gongsaeng-ui Mesiji ― was translated, edited andpublished by Hwakwang ShinMun (South Korea). The exhibition itself
was organized by the Institute of Oriental Philosophy.
The guidebook covers the contents of the Japanese edition accordingly.
It illustrates transcriptions of the Lotus Sutra (national treasure andimportant property) whose duplicates were displayed on “The Lotus
Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition in
Seoul, South Korea (September 21 – December 21). It also introduces
the history of the reception of the Lotus Sutra on the Korean Peninsula.

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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“Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage― Manuscripts and Iconography of the Lotus Sutra”(French)The French guidebook, introducing the “Sūtras bouddhiques: unhéritage spirituel universel Manuscrits et iconographies du Sūtra du

Lotus” exhibition, was published by Les Indes savants. The exhibition
itself was planned and produced by the IOP.
The catalogue was published along with holding of the exhibition held
at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (April 2 - 10). It contains illustration of
all the exhibits which are printed in color, as well as contributions bymany researchers such as Mr. Dominique Trotignon, director of theInstitute of Buddhist Studies, Dr. Nathalie Monnet, curator of the
National Library of France, and Sinologist Dr. Christine Kontler etc.

Toyo Tetsugaku Kenkyujo Kiyo No.32[Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy] (Japanese)
ArticlesTsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Naturalistic Theory of the Norms for Action………………………………………………………………………… Ryo Chonabayashi
Aging believers of new religions and types of religious organization―The future of “mixed form groups and bureaucracy”―… ……… Katsuaki Onishi
A. J. Toynbee and R. G. Collingwood: A Comparison of their Historical Thoughts……………………………………………………………………………… Junichi Kasuga
Recent Changes and Causes of Problems in the Middle East and Turkey………………………………………………………………………………… Hideki Iwaki
Thinking About the Definition of Mimesis Through the Texts of Vladimir Nabokov…………………………………………………………………………… Mitsunori Sagae
On the Liu Zhao Regime―Yi Zhou, Guan Zhong and Hexi Corridor During
the Han-Wei Transition………………………………………………… Takashi Mitsuda
The Lotus Sutra in Tibetan Buddhist History and Culture, Part 1……… James B. AppleLong Day’s Journey into Night―Formation of the complexity of behavioral pattern
resulting from the combination of social hierarchical layer and deep psychologicallayer―Part Ⅰ………………………………………………………………… Kumi Ohno
Research Note
Current Status and Issues of Medical Health Related to Patients Suffering from
Depression After Giving Birth………………………………………………… Bunsho Lee
IOP Research Works

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.3

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
English Website: http://www.iop.or.jp/
Japanese Website: http://www.totetu.org/

THE INSTITUTE OFORIENTAL PHILOSOPHY