PACIFIC WORLD - The Institute of Buddhist Studies

Bloom: Path to the Revitalization of Buddhism 21Inoue Enryø (1858–1919) established the Philosophical Institute in1887, later called Tøyø University, to promote Buddhism, initiate reform,and refute Christianity. As an intellectual leader he attempted to integrateWestern psychology and Buddhism. Considered the forerunner of modernhumanistic and transpersonal psychologies, Inoue and others stressed therole of intuition, viewing the Buddha nature as one’s true self. 6Murakami Senshø studied with Kiyozawa as a student while teachingat the Søtø Zen University in the late 1880s. He was also influenced by InoueEnryø. According to Kathleen M. Staggs, Murakami’s “greatest concernwas with sect disunity and rivalry that needlessly prevented Buddhismfrom fulfilling its potential.” He spelled out his view in his noted bookBukkyø ikkan ron ( !" The Consistency of Buddhism) which heldthat no sect of Buddhism possessed the final truth. 7 In a later work, Bukkyøtøitsu ron ( !" On the Unification of Buddhism), he advocated theunification of Buddhism beyond sectarianism as a means to oppose Christianity.Buddhist scholars maintained strongly that Buddhism had benefitedJapanese society and culture through many centuries. They alsoargued that Christianity was unsuitable for Japan, employing resourcesdrawn from modern, Western critics.Yet others such as Nanjø Buny¥ (1849–1927), influenced by Westerncritical methods in the study of religion, engaged in scientific research onlanguage, texts, translation, and the history of ideas. Another approach canbe seen in Kiyozawa Manshi, who sought to revitalize Buddhism as aliving, personal faith by integrating it with modern knowledge.II. Life of Kiyozawa Manshi: The Search forReligious AuthenticityKiyozawa was born in a low-ranking samurai family as TokunagaManshi. The family was rooted in Confucianism, Zen, and Shin Buddhism.His mother was a devout Shin Buddhist. Though he was not from a priestlyfamily, Manshi decided for the priesthood in 1878 when he was justfourteen years of age. Because of his low status he had little hope foradvancement in Meiji society. However, the priesthood, supported by thetemple, offered an opportunity to study unburdened by financial considerations.He was always conscious of his mixed motivations for pursuinga career in religion which, in turn, stimulated him to be a good priest andardent student. However, he was different from ordinary priests and hasbeen described as a person with a “defensive and aggressive attitude basedupon his inferiority complex.” 8 His complex personality, derived fromhis low status, non-priestly family, led him to desire to be a true priestand expand Shin Buddhism. He was constantly aware of his debt to thesect, stating