Vision
To create transformative perspectives on life and death for humanity through the study of Buddhism, especially Tantric teachings on suffering and death. This vision aims to foster a more resilient human spirit and a global environment that supports the well-being of all living beings.
Mission
To realize this vision, I am committed to the following goals:
- Tantric Buddhism: To explore Indo-Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, particularly how teachings and practices have been transmitted in the Gelug school of Tibet. This involves examining the tradition of rnal ʼbyor bla na med pa'i rgyud from various angles—thought, practice, and their contribution to achieving Buddhahood.
- Śūnyatā Thought: To investigate the development of the concept of śūnyatā (emptiness) in Indian Buddhist philosophical schools, including *Prāsaṅgika (dbu ma thal 'gyur pa). This includes understanding its acceptance and interpretation by Tibetan Buddhist monks and its application in esoteric monasticism.
- Logic: To analyze how logic is formed and utilized in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. This includes examining the logical structures developed within the tradition and applying these insights to create algorithms in computer science and enhance educational methods through dialogue.
- Knowledge Preservation: To create a database of texts like the Tripitaka and audio recordings of Tibetan lamas' teachings. Additionally, I aim to use virtual and augmented reality to visualize the worldviews presented in bskyed rim and preserve endangered spiritual cultures.
- Spirituality: To integrate the above studies with knowledge from other religions, literature, prayer, art, history, and society. This will involve analyzing spirituality and narratives that precede organized thought and religion, fostering solidarity and dialogue among people. I will explore connections between spiritual states (happiness, suffering, care) and individual mindsets (compassion, altruism) to propose an ideal state for human society. Establishing kindergartens to ensure spiritual education is also part of this goal.
- Spiritual Security: To explore how the concepts of death, suffering, and the living body and mind, as understood in the tradition of rnal 'byor bla na med pa'i rgyud, align with modern scientific findings from medicine and neuroscience. I aim to develop methods for spiritual security based on these insights.
- Religious Diplomacy: To analyze the landscape of religious diplomacy concerning freedom, education, social impact, reconciliation, and interreligious dialogue. This will involve proposing policies for national and international religious diplomacy to create a more spiritually stable society and establish a supporting foundation.
- Peacebuilding: To study the diverse and inclusive environments in the Indo-Pacific and Buddhist worlds, focusing on fostering dialogue and thought. My goal is to contribute to future peacebuilding efforts by analyzing narratives surrounding suffering and promoting understanding through language, dialogue, logic, law, philosophy, and spirituality.
Scope of Buddhist Studies
Buddhist studies encompass a multilingual and pan-Asian scope. I believe this field allows us to:
- Build a foundation for dialogue in Asia.
- Renew our understanding of Japan, significantly influenced by Buddhism.
- Contribute to achieving peace and stability in the human spirit.
My research is driven by a commitment to these long-term contributions to humanity.
About My Research
I focus on Indo-Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, specifically studying the Pañcakrama by Tantric Nāgārjuna and related Tibetan commentaries, such as rJe Tsongkhapa's Rim lnga rab tu gsal ba’i sgron me. The Pañcakrama is based on the Guhyasamājatantra, a foundational text for rDzogs rim (niṣpannakrama) that greatly influences Japanese esoteric Buddhism. Tsongkhapa's work, one of his last, is crucial for understanding emptiness and tantric monasticism, detailing practices that utilize the mental state of ‘od gsal encountered at death. This research aims to enhance humanity’s understanding of death and promote spiritual stability, especially in an era of significant medical and neuroscientific advancements.
Background
- Sept. 2003: Born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
- Dec. 2016: Met the 14th Dalai Lama in Osaka, Japan.
- Aug. 2018: Studied at Brisbane Grammar School, Australia.
- Mar. 2019: Received Guhyasamaja Empowerment and its tantric teaching, Seifu, Osaka, Japan.
- Mar. 2022: Graduated with honors from Seifu High School, Osaka, Japan.
- Apr. 2022: Enrolled at the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Human Sciences III.
- Mar. 2024: Completed Shido Kegyo (Prayoga) in Koyasan, Japan.
- Apr. 2024: Transferred to the Department of Indian Philosophy and Buddhist Studies at the University of Tokyo.
- Aug. 2024: Studied in Gyudmed Monastery in India, completed bsDus chung subject.
- Oct. 2024: Short stay and study in Tibetan Children's Village Upper Dharamsala with 12 Yr Tibetan students.
- Nov. 2024: Received Vajra Acarya Degree (Kongo Ajari) from Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan, Japan.
Honors and Awards
- Oct. 2020: 31st Oi Ocha New Haiku Award (Kasaku).
- Mar. 2022: Koyasan Shingon Sect Chief Abbot Award for academic excellence in high school.
- Dec. 2023: 33rd Icho Namiki Literature Award for the literary work “Wakai.”
- Jun. 2024: Scholarship for the Tobitate Study Abroad Initiative 2024 by MEXT for study at Gyudmed Tantric University in Karnataka, India.
Published Works
- Apr. 2024: "Wakai," Komaba.
Keywords
Pañcakrama, rDzogs rim, Guhyasamājatantra, Tantric Buddhism, Vimokṣa, Altruism, Compassion, Citta, Happiness, Well-being, Suffering, Death, Care, Bodhisattva, Spirituality, Prayer, Early Childhood Education, Kūkai, Shingon Sect, Tsongkhapa, dGe lugs pa, Madhyamaka Philosophy, Logic, Machine Learning, Lineage, Practice, Education through Dialogue, Monastic Education, Narrative Analysis, Systematic Theological Approach in Buddhist Studies, Religious Politics, Religious Diplomacy, Religion and Global Politics, Peace Building, Database, Natural Language Processing, Transmission.
Research Areas
Religious Studies, Philosophy, Buddhist Studies, Systematic Theology, International Relations Theory, Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetology, Indology, Tantric Buddhism, Neurology, Logic, Informatics, Thanatology, Ethics, Japanese Philosophy.
Updates
Forthcoming publication on rGyud smad nyams bzhes.
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