education; Buddhist studies; university system; Taishō Japan
摘要
The Japanese university system was established in earnest during the Taishō era (1912-1926). The 1918 University Ordinance gave legal recognition to private universities as one element of the nation’s education system. Many Buddhist sectarian educational institutions gained official recognition at this time. My research aims to explore the effects the birth of these institutions had on modern Buddhism in Japan. I will highlight three key developments that took place in the Taishō era. Firstly, institutional changes led to an increase in the number of university positions for scholars of Buddhism, a development that led to the recognition of Buddhist studies as a regular discipline in the Japanese academic world. Secondly, Buddhist universities functioned as a means to preserve historical materials and shape memories regarding “Meiji Buddhism.” Thirdly, a new field of sectarian theology, which was to be identified as “Buddhist studies,” took its place alongside related aspects of the study of Buddhism, such as Western Buddhology and Buddhist History.
目次
1. Imperial Universities and Private Universities 15 2. The Process of the Establishment of Buddhist Universities 16 3. Linguistic Problems 20 4. The Influence of Buddhist Universities 22 5. In Lieu of Conclusion: Three Types of Buddhist Studies 26 References 27
