Otani University

Otani University has its beginning in 1665, when it was established as a seminary by the Higashi Honganji denomination of Shin Buddhism. Subsequently, it was reorganized as a modern university in 1901. Kiyozawa Manshi, a major figure of the world of Japanese philosophy, served as its first president. During the address given on the occasion of the founding of the university, he enunciated the school's educational ideal with the words: "Our university is based on Buddhism, especially the spirit of Shinran. It is a center of learning founded upon the desire to nurture human beings who firmly establish themselves in faith, a matter of utmost importance for us, and achieve genuine autonomous existence."

Nearly 4,000 students attend Otani University, divided among the Graduate School, Faculty of Letters and the Junior College. The Korukan (Shin Buddhist Comprehensive Academic Center), completed in April 2002, serves as the new focal point of the university's teaching and research activities.

A number of internationally recognized scholars have taught at Otani. They include Nanjo Bunyu, the compiler of the Nanjo Catalogue (an English catalogue of the Chinese Buddhist canon); Sasaki Gessho, who worked tirelessly to make Otani into a center of the academic study of Buddhism without, however, neglecting the Buddhist spirit; D. T. Suzuki, the scholar of Zen who worked to spread Buddhism in the West; Nishida Kitaro and Nishitani Keiji, who created their distinctive philosophical systems deeply influenced by Buddhism; Soga Ryojin and Kaneko Daiei, who elucidated Shin Buddhism for the modern world from the perspective of their profound faith; Yamaguchi Susumu, a pioneer of the philological approach to the study of Buddhist texts in Japan; and the erudite Sinologist Kanda Kiichiro.

Following the footsteps of these scholars, Otani University has maintained a standard of excellence in teaching and research. To spread the result of our research, a museum was opened in the fall of 2003. It exhibits numerous artifacts and documents acquired by the university over the years.

The university always remains constantly attentive to the needs of working students and international students. Active academic exchange programs are maintained with foreign colleges and research institutions.

Now, the international society is under the greatly confusing circumstances. In global society, it is necessary to exchange among the various people, but people do not know how they make friendly relationship with other, so quarrels occurred one after another in many cases. In Japan too, The Internet society and social network service have developed, and they made up the environment which people can easily connect with others. However, it is difficult to say that human relations are much close to an ideal. The tools for originally cementing connection and relationships are used for despising and hurting people. Also, we often see the matter that these tools are used for excluding others.

The development of tools and technology is important for evolution of humankind, and this development comes together with this evolution. However, the most important thing is to think of how we establish personality in those tools and technology, for example how we grow up and how we build the relationships with others. Otani University will develop education and research in confused society with the hope which is “We would like to educate the human with the desires which they become oneself who can live with respecting other and create the society."

We hope for students to compete with others without hurting and to support others without taking by force. We would like students to learn deeply how they can become oneself who do not definitely despite others and how they build society, with the pride in their lives. Also, we hope that nobody loses the spirit of inquiry.