Women's Views on Health, Peace and Development
July 2000
Banner photo: ©SEKAI BUNKA PHOTO
Institute of Oriental Philosophy
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
What relevance do the ancient teachings of Buddhism hold for the modern world? This was the thought that occupied the 33-year-old Daisaku Ikeda in February 1961 as he stood at Buddh Gaya, said to be the place where Shakyamuni attained enlightenment some 2,500 years ago. Inaugurated as president of the Soka Gakkai the year previous, Mr. Ikeda traveled to India and from there to the countries of Southeast Asia, all of which have been influenced by Buddhism over the centuries. This experience inspired him to propose the founding of a research institute that would focus on Eastern philosophy in general and Buddhism in particular.
As he later described his motivation: "Standing at the fountainhead of Buddhism, I felt an urgent desire to prevent the spiritual legacy of Buddhism from becoming a thing of the past. It is not enough simply to view Buddhism as a system of beliefs; rather, we must expose it to the light of scholarly inquiry so as to clarify its essential and universal values."
The Institute of Oriental Studies was founded in February 1962 and published the first issue of The Journal of Oriental Studies in November of that year. The institute was recognized as a nonprofit foundation under Japanese law in December 1965, at which time the name was changed to the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP). In 1986, the institute moved to its present location on the campus of Soka University and since 1987 has published an English-language version of its journal on an annual basis. At present, the IOP has a staff of three senior researchers, seven research fellows and some 40 research associates with offices and centers in India, France, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Russia. It has exchange and collaborative agreements with universities and research institutions throughout the world.
Dr.Yoichi Kawada
The eight-point research agenda reflects the effort to clarify the relevance of Eastern philosophy in the modern world. Ongoing projects include: critical scholarship on (1) Nichiren Buddhism, (2) the Lotus Sutra and (3) world religious movements; as well as research into the linkages between religion and (4) human rights, (5) humanism, (6) bioethics, (7) environmentalism and (8) women's issues. Work is carried out by research teams, coordinated by a senior researcher or research fellow. In addition to ongoing research and publication efforts, IOP-affiliated researchers gather annually to share the results of their research and to confirm cross-linkages with the work of other teams. In this way, all efforts are made to ensure that research remains holistic and relevant to the realities of today's world.
The IOP also sponsors and participates in a wide range of conferences and colloquiums that encourage exchange among scholars from different countries. Among the international public lectures over the years have been: Thomas Luckmann, University of Constance: "Religion and the Structure of Modern Western Society"; Bryan Wilson, Oxford University: "New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response"; and Michel Maffesoli, University of Paris: "Religiosity in Daily Life." Similarly, in 1995, the IOP sponsored, together with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the India-Japan joint symposium: "The Mission of the United Nations and the Role of Oriental Philosophy." And in 1999, the IOP sponsored, in collaboration with the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a two-day symposium on the historical significance and future role of the Lotus Sutra.
Sanskrit manuscript of the Lotus Sutra (7-8c) [St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies]
The IOP has also been actively engaged in interfaith dialogue. For example, in 1995, the institute cosponsored, together with the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, a multipart Buddhist-Christian dialogue in the form of exchange symposiums and informal consultations. Likewise, IOP researchers have participated in interfaith seminars sponsored by the SGI and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. These exchanges have sought to examine and compare Buddhist and Christian approaches to such core issues as prayer, salvation and the role of clergy.
In an effort to preserve ancient texts and make them more widely available for study, the IOP has, with support from the Soka Gakkai, been involved in the publication of a Buddhist manuscript series in Sanskrit with plans to produce facsimiles of sutras in Tangut (Xixia) and other languages. In this way, students and researchers can gain the near equivalent of direct exposure to original texts.
The IOP also maintains a library of approximately 25,000 volumes. The collection comprises 11 Buddhist canons, including the Tibetan Tripitaka, and the Koryo Tripitaka. The reference works also include the Satapitaka (Hundred Baskets of Teachings), a compilation of Indian thought and philosophy, as well as many other original source materials on Indian, Chinese and Japanese thought and religion.
"The Lotus Sutra and Its World" exhibit held in Tokyo (November 1998)
Dr. Yoichi Kawada has been director of the IOP since 1988. The purpose of the IOP's activities, according to Kawada, is twofold. "While we focus largely on research into a specific religious tradition, Buddhism, we are motivated by the belief that religion exists to serve humanity, not the other way around. Thus we try to explore those ways in which the insights of Buddhism can help humankind better resolve the many severe problems we face. For example, I am by training an immunologist, so for the past 20 years I have been studying the history of Buddhist medicine. In my work, I am looking for clues to help us develop the kind of robust and universal bioethics we need to meet the challenges produced by rapid advances in the life sciences. This is vitally important for Buddhism, also, which at points in its history has fallen into ritualism and has lost sight of its original mission--enabling ordinary people to meet the challenges of life with confidence, joy and wisdom."
