was a Japanese Buddhist philosopher and priest of the

Ōtani-ha Ōtani-ha (真宗大谷派, ''Shinshū Ōtani-ha'') is a Japanese Buddhist movement. It belongs to , also known as Shin Buddhism (or True Pure Land). The movement has approximately 5.5 million members. The headquarters of Ōtani-ha are in Kyoto,< ...

of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism. He served as the 17th president of

Ōtani University is a private Buddhism, Buddhist university in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Ōtani University is a coeducation institution with an emphasis on Buddhist studies. A two-year private junior college is associated with the university. The university is asso ...

from 1961 to 1967.

Biography

Soga was born in the city of Niigata, Niigata Prefecture. He graduated from

Shinshu University , abbreviated to , is a Japanese national university located in Matsumoto, Nagano, Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As the only national university in Japan bearing the name of a former Provinces of Japan, Japanese province, it bears the nam ...

, later known as Ōtani University, in 1901, after which he returned to Niigata and became the adopted son-in-law of the priest of Jō'on-ji, a

Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhism, Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, khurul and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in B ...

in Mitsuke, Niigata. Soga returned to study at Ōtani University and became a disciple of

Kiyozawa Manshi was a Japanese Shin Buddhist reformer and priest of samurai background who studied at Tokyo University in Western philosophy under the American philosopher Ernest Fenollosa.Popular Buddhism in Japan: Shin Buddhist Religion & Culture by Esben ...

(1863 – 1903), and a member of

. He was a professor at

Toyo University is a private university with the main Hakusan Station (Tokyo), Hakusan campus in Bunkyō, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The university operates multiple satellite campuses in the Kanto region, including. Asaka, Saitama, Asaka, Kawagoe, Saitama, Kawagoe, ...

from 1916 to 1924, and then a professor at Ōtani University for 25 years. Soga Ryōjin developed a subjective and personal approach to Jōdo Shinshū studies, building on the thought of Kiyozawa Manshi, which he summarised in the words; "We do not believe in Buddha or God because they actually exist; they exist because we believe in them." Soga's writing on the topic in his book ''Nyorai hyōgen no hanchū to shiteno sanjinkan'', published in 1928, brought him into strong conflict with his denomination. He left his professorship at Ōtani University soon after in April 1930. Soga differentiated the Jōdo Shinshū perspective from the "Pure Land as mind alone" doctrine found in some

Pure Land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...

and

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

schools: :"Those who believe in 'self-power' proudly boast, 'I am Tathagata!' Those of other Pure Land sects vainly lament this life, saying, 'The Tathagata is the Tathagata.' We odo Shinshu followersare surprised by the wonderous meaning of 'the Tathagata is me.' At the same time, we are aware that ultimately, 'I am me and not Tathagata.'" After leaving Ōtani, Soga founded the Koho Gakuen in

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

with his close friend, the scholar Kaneko Daiei (1881 – 1976). Soga returned as a professor at Ōtani University in 1941. He served as the 17th president of the university from 1961 to 1967. Soga died on June 20, 1971.

Works translated into English

The Core of Shinshu

* ttp://www.shindharmanet.com/writings/kaishin.htm Kaishin: The Open Spirit
Storage consciousness

References

External links

Pure Land Buddhism Japanese scholars of Buddhism 1875 births 1971 deaths Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist priests People from Niigata (city) 20th-century Japanese philosophers {{Japan-reli-bio-stub