Major in Shin Buddhist Studies（Master's and Doctoral Courses）
The Shin Buddhist Studies course investigates the roots of Shin Buddhism (True Pure Land Buddhism) as it was explicated by Shinran through a study of fundamental scriptures and texts. Recently, Shinran has been accorded international recognition for his great intellectual achievements in the history of human thought. Otani University as a whole has a long tradition of research into the teachings of Shinran, and Shin Buddhist Studies draws on such previous research to pursue a more in-depth and systematic study of his thought. Simply speaking, Shinran sought to find the ultimate meaning of Mahāyāna Buddhism in True Pure Land Buddhism through a personal investigation and quest for truth, which he approached academically. The core of Shin Buddhist Studies is a careful examination of Shinran's fundamental work, the Kyogyoshinsho, (The Collection of Passages Expounding the True Teaching, Living, Faith, and Realizing of the Pure Land) and a rigorous explication of his religious beliefs. Background to his ideas can be found in the original Jodo (Pure Land) concepts and in the texts of the patriarchs of Pure Land Buddhism.
Particular emphasis is put on the thinking of those Shinran revered as the "Seven Patriarchs": Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu from India, T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o and Shan-tao from China, and Genshin and Honen from Japan. In addition, the teachings and interpretations of Shin Buddhism by educators who have greatly advanced contemporary Shin Buddhist studies, such as Kiyozawa Manshi, Soga Ryojin, Kaneko Daiei, and Yasuda Rijin, are incorporated into the studies. Ways in which to apply Shin Buddhism to the myriad problems of the modern pluralistic world is also explored.
Master's Course
Basic Courses
Buddhist Thought
Basic Studies of Shin Buddhism (textual studies)
Core Courses
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism I (lectures)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism II (textual studies)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism III (seminars)
Doctoral Course
Basic Courses
Buddhist Thought
Core Courses
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism I (lectures)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism II (textual studies)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism III (seminars)
Related Courses
Studies of Foreign Cultures（textual studies）
Particular emphasis is put on the thinking of those Shinran revered as the "Seven Patriarchs": Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu from India, T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o and Shan-tao from China, and Genshin and Honen from Japan. In addition, the teachings and interpretations of Shin Buddhism by educators who have greatly advanced contemporary Shin Buddhist studies, such as Kiyozawa Manshi, Soga Ryojin, Kaneko Daiei, and Yasuda Rijin, are incorporated into the studies. Ways in which to apply Shin Buddhism to the myriad problems of the modern pluralistic world is also explored.
Master's Course
Basic Courses
Buddhist Thought
Basic Studies of Shin Buddhism (textual studies)
Core Courses
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism I (lectures)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism II (textual studies)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism III (seminars)
Doctoral Course
Basic Courses
Buddhist Thought
Core Courses
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism I (lectures)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism II (textual studies)
Advanced Studies of Shin Buddhism III (seminars)
Related Courses
Studies of Foreign Cultures（textual studies）