No. 4

The Institute of Oriental Philosophy

NEWSLETTERTable of Contents
Message for IOP Day (February 4) ---------------------- 2-3
The 32nd Annual Conference --------------------------- 4-5
News (Academic Exchange Agreement / Courtesy Visit) ------- 6
Lotus Sutra Exhibitions --------------------------------- 7-11
Buddhist Sutras Exhibition ------------------------------ 12
Special Lecture -------------------------------------------- 13
Public Lecture Series “Bioethics and Religions” ---- 14-15
Other Lectures --------------------------------------------- 16
Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series --------------------------- 17
Publications ------------------------------------------- 18-20

IOP Newsletter No. 4 covers the news of three main projects (research, academic
exchange and publication) which The Institute of Oriental Philosophy carried out in2017. (Affiliation and title etc. at that time)Message for IOP Day (February 4)

Dialogue: A Way of Attaining the Truth
Dr. Axinia D. Djourova
Corresponding Member, Bulgarian Academy of Science
Professor, Sofia University

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda envisaged the establishment of theInstitute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) as an academic institute for research into oriental
wisdom when he visited Buddhagaya in India on February 4, 1961. IOP researchers and staff
hold a gathering on February 4 every year to commemorate the day as IOP Day. In 2018,
Dr. Axinia D. Djourova, Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Science andProfessor, Sofia University, delivered a congratulatory message to the IOP (as summarized
below). Dr. Djourova and President Ikeda began their first dialogue in 1982, published by the
IOP in 1999 as Utsukushiki shishi no tamashii [The Beauty of a Lion’s Heart]. A new dialogue‘Awakening a Great Revival of Our Humanity’ appeared in the IOP periodical, Toyo Gakujutsu
Kenkyu [The Journal of Oriental Studies] (Vol.56 No.1 and No. 2) in 2017.
Just before the beginning of the new year, 2018, I received copies of The Journal of Oriental
Studies containing ‘Awakening a Great Revival of Our Humanity’, the new dialogue between
Soka Gakkai International president and founder of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy,
Daisaku Ikeda, and me. I cannot express the delight I felt at receiving these copies.
One of the greatest and the most fortunate moments of my life was my meeting with
President Ikeda in 1982. Since then, President Ikeda has kindly offered me the opportunity to
exchange opinions on topical issues of our time with him. The Beauty of the Lion’s Heart was
published as a result of this spiritual contact and the assistance and efforts of the IOP. I am
also sincerely grateful to the IOP for publishing the second dialogue in The Journal of
Oriental Studies.
During his visit to Bulgaria in May 1981, President Ikeda was conferred an honorary
doctorate by Sofia University. However, I knew little about him at that time. Mr. Todor Dichev,
the Bulgarian Ambassador to Tokyo, gave me some books that contained dialogues between
President Ikeda with Arnold Toynbee, Andre Malraux, Aurelio Peccei and others, to prepareme for my meeting with President Ikeda in April 1982.
Three months later, when I was back in Bulgaria, President Ikeda proposed the idea of
publishing our dialogue. Having read his dialogues with other savants, I realized thesignificance of our continued contact and the responsibility it placed on me.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

After the meeting in 1982, we continued our dialogue in writing for over ten years. This
engagement reminds me of one Latin saying, Audator at altera pars (Listen to the other). It isbeneficial for parties to attain the truth through listening to the opinions of ‘others’, even if
their viewpoints are not in agreement during their dialogue.
Our dialogue was first published (in Japanese) in 1999 and the Bulgarian translation
appeared the following year. In addition to being repeatedly republished in Bulgaria, thedialogue was brought out as part of an omnibus volume, entitled Disquieting Insights of the
21st Century, that also contained President Ikeda’s dialogues with Arnold Toynbee andAurelio Peccei. This did not happen by chance. Some of the global issues discussed in the
dialogues became a reality. For instance, economic issues are now posing a threat to thelong-coveted solidarity of the European Union (EU).
President Ikeda gave me a chance through the dialogue for discussing issues such as thegeopolitical challenges that the EU faces. I would like, once again, to stress my good fortunein having encountered such a responsible person as President Ikeda and sharing views on
global issues with him. It is also such a great honor to be in contact with the IOP researchersand staff who made these dialogues possible.

Symposium on “Interreligious Dialogue about Christian andBuddhist Civilizations” at Sofia University (Bulgaria, 2011)

Moreover, the Center for Slavo-Byzantine Studies “Professor Ivan Dujčev” at Sofia University
has maintained close, professional and personal relationships with the IOP over several
decades. This enabled us to organize a joint symposium in 2011, on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of the IOP’s conception by President Ikeda and the 25th anniversary of thefounding of the Center of Slavo-Byzantine Studies.
The year 2011 witnessed the direst natural calamities in Japan. I shall never forget the way
the people of Japan faced and went through the adversity, to emerge stronger and wiser for
their recovery. It is certain that these accumulated experiences will impart resilience to all ofus against difficulties and will deliver hopes of a better future. I believe that the IOP has asignificant role to play in establishing a better future.

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

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The 32nd Annual Conference“Global Challenge Facing Humanity and Buddhism”

Dr. Noranit Setabutr giving his lecture. From the right, Ms. Oshima, Dr. Yamamoto,IOP Director Kirigaya, and Dr. Pataraporn Sirikanchana

On March 19 and 20, the Institute ofOriental Philosophy (IOP) held its 32nd
annual conference at Soka University and
IOP respectively.
At the conference, marking the 55th
anniversary of its founding, domestic andoverseas research fellows gathered to havesignificant
presentations
andactivediscussions on various themes including the
Lotus
Sutra,
interreligiousandintercivilizational dialogue, and addressing
issues related to peace and human rights,
and the environment.
IOP invited Dr. Noranit Setabutr and Dr.
Pataraporn Sirikanchana from the World
Buddhist University (WBU) in the Kingdomof Thailand as guest speakers to thesymposium, “Global Challenge Facing
Humanity and Buddhism” held on March
19. WBU was founded as an academic
institute to advance the study of Buddhism
and has facilitated an academic exchangewith IOP since 2002.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Dr. Noranit, Acting Rector of WBU,
delivered his keynote address entitled,"Buddhism and Peace" as follows:As our contemporary world has been
globalized, people can easily get along witheach other. In spite of such human bonds,
why does opposition still occur and turninto conflict and war?
In fact, the whole world is caught up in
many kinds of conflicts and wars thatsimultaneously occur, such as the wars in
Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine. These
conflicts and wars are actually caused byhuman beings and continue to exist. We
should halt conflicts before they escalate.
How can we do this? As a Buddhist, I often
think of Lord Buddha's teachings.
One such teaching was that of the four
noble truths (dukkha, samudaya, nirodha
and magga). I believe that we can apply
these to bring about peace.

Annual Conference

If the trauma of war can be thought of as
dukkha or suffering, we must search forsamudaya or the cause in order to practice
nirodha or cessation. It is only then that wewill achieve magga or the means of liberating
us from suffering.
War is caused by human beings. That is to
say that war is initiated by leaders. Therefore,
leaders should make sure not to lose sight ofwhat is good when their judgement isclouded with self-interest and emotion. To
solve the challenges facing humanity, it isnecessary for leaders to take responsibility
for establishing peace and "ten virtues"
including gentleness and self-control. Only
then can we start paving the way to peace.
At the symposium, Dr. Pataraporn,Vice-Rector of academic affairs at WBU, gave
her lecture entitled, "The Spirit ofEnvironmental Preservation in the Buddhist
Teachings". Dr. Shuichi Yamamoto, SeniorResearch Fellow, and Ms. Kyoko Oshima,
Research Fellow of IOP, also delivered theirlectures entitled, "Perspectives of Mahayana
Buddhism on the Destruction of Nature:
Evaluating the Value of Nature” and “A
Future without Nuclear Weapons ―Thoughtsfrom the Standpoint of Buddhist Principles ofPeace―.”
In conjunction with the symposium, IOP held
research meetings on March 19 and 20.

March 19
“The Cause of Evil and the Order of the
Universe in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas”
by Dr. Tatsuya Yamazaki (Research Fellow, IOP)
“Culturalacculturation
andreligious
movements in postwar Japan” by Dr. Katsuaki
Ohnishi (Research Fellow, IOP)
“Causes of Problems and the Future Forms of
Coexistence in the Recent Middle East andTurkey” by Dr. Hideki Iwaki (Commissioned
Research Fellow, IOP)
“Hope and courage in Arabic poetry during theArab revolution in Cairo 2011―The poems of
Ahmad Fuad Nejm―” by Dr. Francesca Maria
Corrao (Overseas Research Fellow, IOP)

March 20
“Artificial Intelligence and Religious Belief” by
Dr. Kenichi Maegawa (Research Fellow, IOP)
“Factors of the Rise and Fall of the Palmyrene
Empire” by Prof. h.c. Katsuhisa Yamada(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)
“Physiological bases for the emergence of myconscious experience and technologies forreading and manipulating of the contents ofconsciousness” by Dr. Masahito Nemoto(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)
“Consideration on suicide trends among
Japanese citizens from the viewpoint of publichealth, especially of mental or behavioral
health”
byMD
ChikaraYamaguchi(Commissioned Research Fellow, IOP)
“Group-complexity and Self-complexity in
Educational Settings: Proposal of Formulas anda Framework for Categorizing Practice” by Prof.
Yuichi Toda (Commissioned Research Fellow,
IOP)

Dr. Noranit Setabutr on Buddhism and Peace“Comparative Analysis on Lolita (Vladimir
Nabokov) and the Horse of Diane (Shinichi
Makino)―From the Motive of Diane Point ofView―” by Dr. Mitsunori Sagae (Commissioned
Research Fellow, IOP)IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

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Thailand:
Academic Exchange Agreement with WBU
For the academic exchange agreement
between the World Buddhist University(WBU) in the Kingdom of Thailand and The
Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), an
MOU signing ceremony was held on May 3,2017 at the Headquarters of Soka Gakkai
Thailand (near Bangkok). Dr. Noranit
Setabutr, Chairman of the WBU Council, and
Mr. Akira Kirigaya, Director of IOP, attended
the ceremony with other concerned
members (See picture).
After the Oxford Center for Buddhist Studies
and Center for Civilizational Dialogue,
University of Malaya, WBU is the 10th
institution which IOP has concluded
academic exchange agreements with.

“Global Challenge Facing Humanity andBuddhism” held in March, 2017. It is highly
expected that this agreement will drive both
institutions to continue their active
exchanges in the future.

To date, WBU and IOP have affirmed theircommitment to advance Buddhist studies
through events including the symposium

At the ceremony, Dr. Noranit expressed his
wishes to advance together in search of thewisdom that Buddhism brings forth.

China:
Courtesy Visit to Dunhuang Academy
The Academy conferred President Ikeda acertificate of Honorary Research Fellow inrecognition of his contributions to protecting
and introducing Dunhuang’s valuable relics
to the world. In addition, the Academy has
been providing various materials and relics as
a supporter for “The Lotus Sutra―A Message
of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence”
exhibition which IOP plans and organizes.
On July 27 and 28, 2017, IOP delegates madea courtesy visit to Dunhuang Academy in
China (See picture).
SGI President Ikeda, founder of IOP had
interacted with the Honorary Director Chang
Shuhong and the First Director Duan Wenjie
for a long time.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

The current Director Wang Xudong
expressed his heartfelt welcome to thedelegates and deep appreciation to IOP for
the interaction as well as expected further
development of both institutes. Moreover, it
was confirmed that the Academy would join
the Lotus Sutra exhibition as a co-organizer
with full efforts for its success.

Held in 16 Countries and Areas
Viewed by 800,000

Lotus Sutra Exhibition
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) plans andputs together “The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peaceand Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition, which has
been touring the world since 2006. The exhibition
display’s IOP’s research on the Lotus Sutra, andintroduces its teachings and the history of its
dissemination in simple, easily assimilable language.
Full support by the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts,
the Russian Academy of Science, the Dunhuang
Academy and the International Academy of Indian
Culture has made it possible to display facsimiles andreplicas of the Lotus Sutra manuscripts and replicate
the Dunhuang Mogao Caves along with other various
Buddhist items and materials. The exhibits include thePetrovsky Sanskrit manuscript of the Lotus Sutra which
seems to have been copied in the eighth century and
the Gandhari replicated manuscript 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 edited the guidebook to the exhibition thathas been published in four languages: Japanese,
English, Korean and Chinese (simplified and traditional
characters). To date, the exhibition has attracted
800,000 viewers in 16 countries and areas of the world,
including India, Nepal, Malaysia, South Korea,
Thailand, Japan, the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil andArgentina.

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

On May 3, 2017, “The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition was launchedat the Headquarters of Soka Gakkai Thailand in Nonthaburi near Bangkok of Thailand, a Buddhist country inSoutheast Asia. The exhibition was planned and produced by The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), andco-organized by the Ministry of Culture (Thailand), the World Buddhist University and the Soka Gakkai Thailand.
On display were approximately 160 items. Through the panels and video, the exhibition introduced the history ofdissemination of Buddhist teachings. It showed that Mahayana Buddhist teachings transmitted from India andWestern regions to East Asia including China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan, as well as Southeast Asia
including Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.
The exhibition also featured the Petrovsky Sanskrit manuscript and Gilgit manuscript of the Lotus Sutra as well assutra manuscripts in Pali (all duplicates). Moreover, treasured items presented from academic institutions aroundthe world to Soka Gakkai International President Ikeda, founder of IOP, were also exhibited. On display in thesection of the replicated Dunhuang Magao Caves, were the murals of the Lotus Sutra inside Cave 85 and theentrance of Cave 96 (a nine-story building). With such appealing layout and design, viewers enjoyed the visual
exhibition of the Lotus Sutra.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Guest Comment
Mr. Vira Rojpojchanarat
It is a great pleasure to attend “The Lotus
Sutra―A Message of Peace andHarmonious Coexistence” exhibition as anorganizer.
As its main responsibility, the Ministry of
Culture commits to protect, inherit anddevelop the religion, art and culture ofThailand. Therefore, to fulfill that
responsibility, it is significant for us toco-organize the worldwide exhibition of
the Lotus Sutra with Soka Gakkai Thailand.
The exhibition gives people of Thailand thebest opportunity to learn the philosophyof humanism which the Lotus Sutra
explains and deepen their understanding.
Moreover, the exhibition makes it possible
to protect religion and spread a sublime
culture that emphasizes coexistence andharmony. It will definitely drive us toestablish a good society, equip people
with virtues, and bring about harmonious
integration. These points are also in linewith future vision of Thailand which was
proposed by Prime Minister Prayuth
Chan-ocha.
It is my hope that Soka Gakkai Thailand
which indomitably spreads “good andvirtue” in Thai society will make thisexhibition a great success under the nameof the Ministry with each co-organizer.
(Minister of Culture, Thailand)

Grand opening ceremony with guests

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Vira
Rojpojchanarat, Minister of Culture, Dr.
Noranit Setabutr, Chairman of World
Buddhist University Council, and Mr. Nisit
Chansomwong, Governor of Nonthaburi,
participated in the grand ribbon-cutting,
together with approximately 650 guests andrepresentatives of Soka Gakkai Thailand.
The opening ceremony and the exhibition
werereportedby
NBT(National
Broadcasting Services of Thailand), TV3, TV5
and other Thai media, including Thaipost,
Matichon, Daily News, The Kurunthep Trakij
and Siam Turakij. In the exhibition, theviewers counted 125,000.

Students keen attention to a staff

Planner: The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
Organizers: The Institute of Oriental
Philosophy, Ministry of Culture (Thailand),World Buddhist University and Soka Gakkai
ThailandSupporters: Institute of Oriental Manuscripts,
the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dunhuang
Academy and International Academy of Indian
CultureVenue: Headquarters of Soka Gakkai Thailand(Nonthaburi, near Bangkok)
Date: May 3 – June 28, 2017

Theravada Buddhist monks as viewers

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Singapore“The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peaceand Harmonious Coexistence” Exhibition
On October 1, 2017, “The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition was
launched at The Arts House (old Parliament) in Singapore. The exhibition was organized by The Institute ofOriental Philosophy (IOP), the Dunhuang Academy and the Singapore Soka Association (SSA). Thanks to the firstco-organization with the Dunhuang Academy, the exhibition became much richer in the content than before.
Moreover, the continued support of the International Academy of Indian Culture and the Institute of Oriental
Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences, made it possible to display over 150 items. Singapore is the 16th
country to host this international exhibition.

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

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Baey Yam Keng, Parliamentary Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Community andYouth, Prof. Zhang Yuanlin, Chief Librarian and Director of Dunhuang Academy, and Mr. Zhao Xiurong, Research
Assistant of the Academy, participated with 250 guests including representatives of SSA, other academics andleaders in politics, finance and education. Singapore has multiplicity of ethnic groups including Chinese, Malays
and Indian as well as religions including Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Hindu, thereby languages.
According to its national characteristics, the exhibition was prepared with the bilingual panels in both English andChinese as well as multilingual Buddhist scriptures. The full effort of the Dunhuang Academy made the section of
replicated Dunhuang Mogao Caves more attractive. After the entrance of a nine-story building, a symbol of theCaves, over the ceiling were the replicated murals depicting the teachings of the Lotus Sutra inside Cave 85. Dueto its popularity, the exhibition was also held at the Headquarters of SSA. It attracted 62,000 viewers in total.

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Guest Comments

The Arts House, venue of the exhibition

Imitative painting of Mogao Cave gifted by
Dunhuang Academy at opening ceremony

Guests viewing brightened panels of ‘sevenparables’ on replicated cave walls

Many pupils and students with smiles

Mr. Baey Yam Keng
May peace and harmonious existence lastforever in multi-racial and multi-religious
Singapore. May the message of thisexhibition spread far in Singapore and theworld. (Parliamentary Secretary of Ministryof Culture, Community and Youth)
Mr. Kwok Kian Chow
The Lotus Sutra exhibition indeed makes
us feel real and gives us a great
opportunity to understand the history of
Buddhist dissemination in simple words. I
believe the exhibition to convey such asignificant message to people and exercise
our wisdom. It really matters how weconvey and spread the spirit of the Lotus
Sutra over our whole society. The sectionof introduction to academic exchanges on
the Lotus Sutra teaches us various kinds ofways to understand the wisdom of the
Lotus Sutra. It is sure that such academic
research can bring universal values tohuman beings and will continue further inthe future. The exhibition not only
introduces the heart of peace andharmony embedded in the Lotus Sutra but
also awakens the ‘spirit of coexistence’
inherent in every one of us. (Director of
Wee Kim Wee Center, Singapore
Management University)

Planner and Producer: The Institute of Oriental
Philosophy
Organizers: The Institute of Oriental Philosophy,
Dunhuang Academy and Singapore Soka
Association
Sponsors: Institute of Oriental Manuscripts ofRussian Academy of Sciences and International
Academy of Indian Culture
Venue: The Arts House and Headquarters ofSingapore Soka Association
Date: October 1-25 and November 1-18, 2017

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France“Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage” Exhibition
On October 21, 2017, the tour exhibition of “Buddhist Sutras: A Universal Spiritual Heritage” was launched at
Centre Culturel Bouddhique de Rennes in northwestern France.
The exhibition has broader scope into Buddhism itself based on items of “The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peaceand Harmonious Coexistence” exhibition. The Institute of Buddhist Studies in France collaborated in producing
the panels with the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP). On April, 2016, the exhibition was held at UNESCO
Headquarters in Paris and attracted over 7,000 viewers. It featured 26 original manuscripts from the Institute ofOriental Manuscripts of the ussian Academy of Sciences, including the Petrovsky Sanskrit manuscript.
Commemorating the exhibition, the symposium “Dissemination and Reception of Major Teachings of the
Buddhist Canon” was held. Dr. Dennis Gira (Honorary Professor, Catholic Institute of Paris), Dominique Trotingon(Director, The Institute of Buddhist Studies), Dr. Lokesh Chandra (Director, International Academy of Indian
Culture), Dr. Irina Popova (Director, Institute of Oriental Manuscripts) and others gave their speeches.
The Centre Culturel Bouddhique de Rennes, an organizer of the exhibition, was established in 2011 to provide
opportunities for the general public to expose to Buddhism through its culture and practices, and to develop theexchanges of West and East. At the center, people join activities of Buddhist practice and meditation courses
organized by some associations.
On opening day, many guests attended the commemorating seminar entitled, ‘Values That Buddhism Expresses’with presentations given by Mr. Dominique Trotignon on Buddhist Sutras, Mr. Pham Quang Lê (Former
Vice-president of Drukpa Paris Association) on Buddhism in Vietnam and Dr. Bertrand Rossignol (Overseas
Research Fellow of IOP) on the Lotus Sutra.
The visitors counted 700 for a week in the exhibition which daily paper Ouest-France reported, thereby received
a great response.
Planner and Producer: The Institute of Oriental
Philosophy
Organizers: Centre Culturel Bouddhique de Rennes,
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy and Soka
Cultural Association in FranceSponsors: Dunhuang Academy China, Institute ofOriental Manuscripts of Russian Academy of Sciences
and International Academy of Indian Culture
Collaborator: The Institute of Buddhist Studies
Venue: Centre Culturel Bouddhique de Rennes
Date: October 21-29, 201712

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Special Lecture:“For Solidarity of Peace in East Asia”

Dr. Lee Soo-sung (Former Prime Minister of South Korea)
Dr. Lee Soo-sung, known as a politician with philosophy, served as Prime Minister of South
Korea and president of Seoul National University. Having received his LL.D., he wrote many
books and articles on criminal law and criminal policy. In 1999, he had a dialogue with Soka
Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda, founder of the Institute of Oriental
Philosophy, on various topics including culture, education and peace. In 2016, Dr. Lee assumed
executive chairman of “The Lotus Sutra―A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence”
exhibition held in Seoul.
His special lecture “For Solidarity of Peace in East Asia” was held at CongreSquare (Nakano
Ward, Tokyo) on October 8, 2017. In his lecture, Dr. Lee first referred to life as a precious
foundation of peace. He stressed, “It is a miracle that a human comes into this world. Each andevery one of us is irreplaceable and precious.” Based on his engagement in the Lotus Sutra
exhibition, he told the audience, “The Lotus Sutra expresses that each one of us has inherent
Buddha-nature. You are not the only one who is special. All humans live as precious beings.
Therefore, we all should not be arrogant to anyone but humble to every single person in frontof us.”In addition, Dr. Lee touched upon the history that Korea was annexed by Japan. He said,“Once a war breaks out, one has no choice but to kill the other. Although South Korea andJapan have original brotherhood, the history of two nations tells many complicated affairs.
Everyone has to understand what happened in the past. We should not take wars and conflicts
as small matters.” He expressed his expectations by commenting, “While there are diplomatic
discords among South Korea, China and Japan, President Ikeda is awarded by many cities andinstitutions of South Korea and China. As long as I know, there is no one who is greater thanhim in the world. It is my sincere wish that, in respect for leaders like President Ikeda, amovement of hope and solidarity will spread in waves over the world.”

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Public Lecture Series:“Bioethics and Religions”
Lecturer: Dr. Kaoru Aoyagi(Associate Professor, Niigata University)
Date:
October 31, 2017
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: Bioethical Issues in Islam

Dr. Aoyagi specializes in religious studies and history of Islamic thought. To date, The Institute ofOriental Philosophy has interacted with her through the lectures on marriage in Islam (2010) andprinciples and practices of Islamic mysticism (2012) as well as the seminar on bioethics (April, 2017).
In her lecture, Dr. Aoyagi mentioned that it became necessary for the general public to build its
consensus on medical technology influencing the dignity of life. She introduced that the bioethics
emerged as a new discipline to bridge the public and medical front from late 1960s and to 1970s. Then,
touching upon the outlines of bioethics and Islam, she explained the detailed bioethical issues in Islam
such as fertilization and abortion, assisted reproductive technologies and terminal care.
Regarding death as one of the most essential matters, Dr. Aoyagi added, “In Islam, death does notalways scare Muslims but functions as a passing point. What Islam teaches rather is to overcome thescare.” She concluded by stressing, “Muslims take the way how the prophet Muhammad lived as amodel in their real life. For them, to base the teachings of Islam is equal to live their ‘good life’.”Lecturer: Prof. Katsuhiro Kohara(Professor, Doshisha University)
Date:
November 14, 2017
Venue: Umeda Sky Building (Osaka-shi, Osaka)
Theme: The Past, Present and Future of the Ethical Issues on
Scientific Advancement and Life: Referring to
Discussions in Christianity
Prof. Kohara is a specialist in Christian theology, religious ethics and comparative study of monotheistic
religions. The Institute of Oriental Philosophy has interacted with him since IOP invited him for his
lecture ‘Women in Christian World’ in November 2011.
Prof. Kohara mentioned that recent development of technology and science brings about astereotypical value which makes it difficult to tell good and evil and to make a bioethical judgement. He
said, “What we should do is to respect for diverse values. We are supposed to show to choose the bestfrom among optional matters. It is more important to have a binocular vision of Japanese traditionalview of life as ‘bond’ and Western view of life as ‘individual’.”In conclusion, he pointed out that contemporary view of life deals with a life which is not gifted but
produced or chosen. He showed his expectations by commenting, “It is important to cherish love of
accepting a gifted life rather than changing, controlling or choosing a life, isn’t it? There is a need tocenter a sense of value and ethics that function as appropriate base in evaluation of life.”

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IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Public Lecture Series

Lecturer: Dr. Norio Yamamoto(Associate Professor, Juntendo University)
Date:
November 30, 2017
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: Buddhism and Bioethics

Dr. Yamamoto specializes in virology and infectious disease medicine and also serves as acommissioned research fellow of The Institute of Oriental Philosophy. As part of projects related to The
Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Dr. Yamamoto contributed his article to Daijo Bukkyo no Chousen [AChallenge for Mahayana Buddhism] (2010) and had charge of an open class organized by University ofHachioji College Community.
In his lecture, Dr. Yamamoto first outlined the Buddhist view of life from the standpoint of ‘Ten Worlds’,‘nine consciousnesses’ and ‘dependent origination’. He stressed that all life represents fundamental lifeof the universe and possesses the ultimate life of Buddha. Then, he explained about embryonic stem (ES)cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for ‘regenerative medicine’ through his own research.
He remarked, “If human life is regarded as the ultimate, naturally, human life should not be utilized forthe certain purpose. While it is hard to fix the moment that human life begins in the ontogenetic
process, embryonic dignity should be taken into consideration as the embryo has a potential of life.”

Lecturer: Prof. Masaru Ikezawa(Professor, The University of Tokyo)
Date:
December 5, 2017
Venue: TKP Ichigaya Conference Center(Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Theme: Bioethics in China

Prof. Ikezawa currently specializes in Chinese religion, ancestral worship, and death and life studies andalso writes many articles on Confucianism. In his lecture, Prof. Ikezawa first introduced the basic conceptof bioethics and exemplified the bioethical stream in the United States, Germany and Japan forcomparison with that in China.
He said, “A bioethical view first appeared in the United States. Even before the appearance, medical
ethics existed for the medical profession in the form of codes. Outlining the bioethics in Germany andJapan, he stressed that the manner of bioethics can differ according to the culture and the tradition.
In old China, medical ethics was established based on Confucian ethic and Buddhist views. The medical
treatment was generally justified by 仁 (ren, benevolence) and non-killing which a Confucian
scholar/doctor should realize. Prof. Ikezawa concluded that 全体 (quan ti, all) is a key concept ofChinese bioethics and its meaning varies from people to a nation. “The term may have been used in the
Confucian way, but more important is to understand in which context the term is used,” he said.

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Other Lectures◆Lecture on Islam
February 21: “Ontology of Avicenna and Medieval Europe” by Prof. Shiro Yamauchi(Professor, Keio University)◆Lectures on Society and Religion
April 8: “Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Islam with Special Reference
to Shias” by Dr. Kaoru Aoyagi (Associate Professor, Niigata University)
July 22: “Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Iran” by Dr. Sachiko Hosoya(Fellow, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia andAfrica, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
September 26 : “Christian and Buddhist Logical Structures for Expressing ‘Wisdom’with Eckhart’s Interpretation of ‘Et flores mei fructus’ (Sirach) as a Key”
by Prof. Teruhisa Tajima (Professor, Waseda University)
October 14: “On Confucian Bioethics” by Prof. Masaru Ikezawa (Professor, The
University of Tokyo / Director, Center for Death and Life Studies andPractical Ethics)
November 18 : “Bioethics and Christianity” by Prof. Kenji Doi (Professor, Kwansei
Gakuin University)
December 21 : “On Welfare, Punishment and Warfare in Mahayana Buddhist Sutra:
How the Ten Virtues are Practiced as the Form of Kingship?” by Dr.
Tsunehiko Sugiki (Associate Professor, Hiroshima University)

Lectures open to
Hachioji citizens
April 15

July 15

August 12

16: “Reading Historical Documents of the Gohojo Clan: Hachioji from
Sengoku to Edo” by Ou Kobayashi (Commissioned Research Fellow,
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy): “’Optimism’ as a Key to Vigor: An Encouragement to Living in a
Positive Way” by Prof. Haruo Magari (Commissioned Research Fellow,
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy): “Physician-Patient Ethics: What to Inform, What to Know” by Dr. Ryo
Chonabayashi (Research Fellow, The Institute of Oriental Philosophy)

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the National Archivesof Nepal (No. 5-144), Romanized Text (2017)
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) andthe Soka Gakkai have been involved inpublishing the Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series
since 1994. The series include facsimile
editions and romanized texts of manuscript
such as Gilgit manuscript and Petrovsky
Sanskrit manuscript of the Lotus Sutra (aslisted below). These help promote Buddhist
studies, in particular further studies of early
Mahayana Buddhism centering on the Lotus
Sutra. Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript fromthe National Archives of Nepal (No.5-144) is
the 17th publication of the series.
The manuscript begins with Rāhulabhadrasya Saddharmapuṇḍarīkastavaḥ (Rāhulbadra’s
Tribute to the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka) on folio 1 (missing) and ends with folio 120, which
includes a part around the beginning of chapter 26, “Encouragements of the Bodhisattva
Universal Worthy.” Folio 121 and those thereafter are missing. The folios preceding 120,
however, are not all in good condition. Many are seriously damaged, and some are missing.
As a major characteristic of this book, along with the N3 manuscript and its Romanized text,
four different copies of the Gilgit manuscripts (ca. seventh century) and 15 divergent copies of
the Nepalese palm-leaf manuscripts (ca. 11th-13th centuries) were also carefully examined.
After the frequency of text accordance between N3 and the other manuscripts was confirmedwith a multivariate analysis technique, the data was finally rendered into graphs.

List of Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series (Not for Sale)
1
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Fragments from the Lüshun Museum Collection, Facsimile Edition and Romanized Text
2-1 Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the National Archives of Nepal (No. 4-21), Facsimile Edition
2-2 Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the Nationla Archives of Nepal (No. 4-21), Romanized Text 1
2-3 Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the National Archives of Nepal (No. 4-21), Romanized Text 2
3
Fragments of a Manuscript of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra from Khādaliq
4
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts from Cambridge University Library (Add. 1682 and Add. 1683), Facsimile Edition
5
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the University of Tokyo General Library (No. 414), Romanized Text
6
Xixia Version of the Lotus Sutra from the Collection of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies of
the Russian Academy of Science
7
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the Royal Asiantic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (No. 6), Romanized Text
8
Manuscrit sanscrit du Sûtra du Lotus de la Société asiatique (No. 2), Texte romanisé [Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscriptfrom the Société Asiatique (No. 2), Romanized Text]
9
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the British Library (Or. 2204), Facsimile Edition
10
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from Cambridge University Library (Add. 1684), Romanized Text
11
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the British Library (Or. 2204), Facsimile Edition
12
Gilgit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts from the National Archives of India, Facsimile Edition
13
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts from the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences,Facsimile Edition
14
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the Asiatic Society, Kolkata (No. 4079) Romanized Text
15
Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscript from the National Archives of Nepal (No. 5-144), Romanized Text

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

17

Publications
Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu Vol.56, No.1
[The Journal of Oriental Studies] (Japanese)

1,238 yen (+tax)

Main Contents■New Series
Awakening a Great Revival of Our Humanity (1)……………… Daisaku Ikeda

Axinia D. Djourova■Feature 1: Buddhist Sūtras―A Universal Spiritual Heritage
Buddhist Sūtras―An Extraordinary Spiritual Heritage…………………………………………………………… Dominique Trotignon
Perspectives on Parables of the Lotus and the Gospel………… Dennis Gira
Lotus and Pure Land……………………………………………… Jérôme Ducor
Translation and Distribution of the Lotus Sūtra in the Cultural Field ofClassical Chinese…………………………………………… Jean-Noël Robert
and others■Feature 2: A Sustainable Future and Religion
Comprehensive Understanding of Islam: Conversation with IndonesianMuslims…………………………………………………………… Hisanori Kato
Toynbee and Religion……………………………………… Keisuke Kawakubo
A Sustainable Future and Religion……………………………… Hisatake Kato
Thoughts on Earth in the Contemporary World………………… Masako Keta

Toyo Gakujutsu Kenkyu Vol.56, No.2
[The Journal of Oriental Studies] (Japanese)

1,238 yen (+tax)

Main Contents■Special Series
Awakening a Great Revival of Our Humanity (2)……………… Daisaku Ikeda

Axinia D. Djourova■Feature 2: Global Challenge Facing Humanity and Buddhism
From the Symposium in conjunction with the 32nd Annual Conference

Buddhism and Peace…………………………………………Noranit Setabutr
A Future without Nuclear Weapons―Thoughts from the Standpoint of
Buddhist Principles of Peace―………………………………… Kyoko Oshima
The Spirit of Environmental Preservation in the Buddhist Teachings andPresent-day Thai Life………………………………… Pataraporn Sirikanchana
Perspectives of Mahayana Buddhism on the Destruction of Nature:
Evaluating the Value of Nature…………………………… Shuichi Yamamoto■From the Exhibition “The Lotus Sutra ― A Message of Peace andHarmonious Coexistence” in South Korea
The Lotus Sutra is as Deep as the Sea in Us………………… Lokesh Chandra

18

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

The Journal of Oriental Studies Vol. 27 (English)

2,000 yen (+tax)

Main Articles■Special Series
Awakening a Great Revival of Our Humanity (1)……… Axinia D. Djourova

Daisaku Ikeda■Feature 1: Buddhist Sūtras―A Universal Spiritual Heritage
Buddhist Sūtras―An Extraordinary Spiritual Heritage……………………………………………………………… Dominique Trotignon
Perspectives on Parables of the Lotus and the Gospel………… Dennis Gira
Lotus and Pure Land……………………………………………… Jérôme Ducor
Translation and Distribution of the Lotus Sūtra in the Cultural Field ofClassical Chinese……………………………………………… Jean-Noël Robert
and others■Feature 2: Global Challenge Facing Humanity and Buddhism
From the Symposium in conjunction with the 32nd Annual Conference

Buddhism and Peace………………………………………… Noranit Setabutr
A Future without Nuclear Weapons―Thoughts from the Standpoint of
Buddhist Principles of Peace―………………………………… Kyoko Oshima
The Spirit of Environmental Preservation in the Buddhist Teachings andPresent-day Thai Life………………………………… Pataraporn Sirikanchana
Perspectives of Mahayana Buddhism on the Destruction of Nature:
Evaluating the Value of Nature…………………………… Shuichi Yamamoto

Victor S. Kuwahara

Toyo Tetsugaku Kenkyujo Kiyo No.33[Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy] (Japanese) （Not for Sale）
ArticlesToynbee’s Humanistic View of Religion………………… Yutaka Ishigami
Japanese New Religions and Modernity……………… Katsuaki Ohnishi
Current Situations and Problems of Poverty and Disparity… Hideki Iwaki
The Hojo Family’s Internal Conflict……………………… Takako Kajikawa
Where Tarokaja Lived……………………………………… Michiko Fujioka
Wie Eckhart über das Übel verstanden hat…………… Tatsuya Yamazaki
Ambivalence of “Tears and Laughter” and “Death and Life”…………………………………………………………… Mitsunori Sagae
The Strategy of the Expedition to the North by Zhege Liang and the
Non-Han Race in the Longxi and Hexi Corridor………… Takashi Mitsuda
Considering the Phenomenon of Suicide…………… Chikara Yamaguchi
Humanity-Quest: Contemporary Appropriations of the Ekayāna
Doctorine in the Lotus Sutra………………………… Shinobu Arai Apple
The Lotus Sutra in Tibetan Buddhist History and Culture, Part 2………………………………………………………………… James B. AppleLong Day’s Journey into Night………………………………… Kumi Ohno
(subtitles abbreviated)
IOP Research WorksIOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

19

English Edition of Guidebook:

The Lotus Sutra ― A Message of Peace and Harmonious CoexistenceFirst Edition: July, 2017
Published by Eternal Ganges Press Private Limited (India)
The English edition of the guidebook, “The Lotus Sutra ― A Message
of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” was finally translated, edited
and published by Eternal Ganges Press. The publication covers theexhibition which has been planned and produced by the Institute ofOriental Philosophy.
The guidebook was already published in Chinese (simplified andtraditional characters) and Korean after Japanese. The content ofEnglish edition was reedited based on displays and panels of therenewed exhibition. With full colored images and simple words, theguidebook explains how the Lotus Sutra has been embraced by manykinds of people as well as what the Lotus Sutra expresses. Focusing on
the Lotus Sutra, it illustrates the Buddhist history and introduces theimitative paintings of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves. This book is
recommendable as an introductory guide for study on Buddhism.
Contents:
History of the Transmission of the Lotus Sutra (Chapter 1) / Buddhist Texts in Many Languages (Chapter 2) /Dramatic Discovery and Preservation of Manuscripts (Chapter 3) / Visual Depictions of the Lotus Sutra in the
Dunhuang Mogao Caves (Chapter 4) / The Message of the Lotus Sutra (Chapter 5) / Materials Related to the
Lotus Sutra Presented by Academic Institutions (Chapter 6) / Words from the Lotus Sutra (Chapter 7)
The guidebook is available from the website of Eternal Ganges Press (https://goo.gl/5pfUHn).

20

IOP NEWSLETTER NO.4

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 of Oriental Philosophy