Murakami Sensho (村上専精)
Sensho MURAKAMI (May 1, 1851 - October 31, 1929) was an educator and a scholar of Japanese Buddhist history who played an active role from the Meiji period to the Taisho period.
He dedicated himself to enriching higher education in the educational community from the Meiji period to the Taisho period. He researched Buddhist concepts and history while coming under fire from the modern academic system, and he disclosed his accomplishments in various public and private educational institutes in which he was involved when they were established.
Career
He was born in Shinshu sect Otani school Kyokaku-ji Temple in Tanba Province. His main name was Hirosaki. He had been excellent in Sinology since he was young; he became a disciple of Gyochu TAKEDA or other monks in Muishin-ji Temple in Niigata Prefecture, which was the furthest religion from Himeji Zenkyo-ji Temple, after he worked his way to study. In 1874, he entered Takakura Gakuryo (the Higashi Hongan-ji seminary) of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple in Kyoto, but soon left there. He became the adopted child of Nyukaku-ji Temple in Aichi prefecture, and changed his name into Murakami. In 1880, he came out to Kyoto again, and entered the school for teachers at the Higashi Hongan-ji seminary, after two years, he took charge of lectures in Shinshu sect Daigaku-ryo (Bureau of Education under the ritsuryo system) and acquired an academic rank within the temple.
In 1887, he was invited by Sotoshu Daigakurin; Sotoshu University (present-day Komazawa University) and assumed the post as a lecturer. In the same year, he assumed the additional post as a lecturer of Tetsugakukan; Private Academy of Philosophy (present-day Toyo University). In the following year, he became a lecturer of Indian Philosophy in Tokyo Imperial University Literature University, and founded Toyo Girls' High School (present-day Toyo girls' senior high school) in 1905. In 1917, he assumed the post as the first professor of the Philosophy Department, Tokyo Imperial University. In the following year, he became a member of the Academy. In 1923, he became the emeritus professor of Tokyo Imperial University. He served as the president of Otani University from 1926 to 1928.
He contributed to the research of modern Buddhist history; he launched the first issue of "Bukkyo Shirin" (Collection of Buddhist history) magazine with Junkyo WASHIO and Koyo SAKAINO in 1894; he published "Dai Nihon Bukkyo shi" (History of Buddhism in Great Japan) in 1897; he compiled and published "Meiji ishin shinbutsu bunri shiryo" (Historical materials on the separation of Shinto and Buddhism during the Meiji Restoration) with others including Zennosuke TSUJI in 1926. In 1901, he introduced an objective methodology into the accomplishments of Buddhist thought research to which he had been dedicated for a long time, and wrote "Bukkyo Toitsu Ron" (On the Unification of Buddhism) to advocate the thesis that the Mahayana teachings do not stem from the historical Buddha, which produced much controversy. This resulted in him leaving the priesthood of Shinshu sect Otani school he belonged to (exclaustration) for a while; he interacted with people from various fields including Bunyu NANJO from the same faction, Enryo INOUE, Manshi KIYOZAWA, and consistently strived to improve and maintain the research of modern Buddhism and educational system.
Major books
Bukkyo Sandaishu Tekiyo: a summary of the three great Buddhist sects (in 1889)
Inmyo-gaku zensho: Explanation of Inmyo, hetu-vidya Utilization guide (in 1891)
Nihon Bukkyoshi ko: Outline of the History of Japanese Buddhism (in 1898)
Wakan Bukkyo Nenkei: chronological tables of Japanese and Chinese Buddhism (in 1898)
Nihon Bukkyo Ikkanron: the Coherent Principles of Japanese Buddhism (in 1890)
Bukkyo Toitsu Ron :On the Unification of Buddhism, the first edition: Outline, the second edition: Principle, the third edition: Budda (from 1901 to 1905)
Daijo bussetsuron hihan: criticism against the theory that Mahayana was expounded by the Buddha (in 1903)
Saishin gakusetsu joshi kyoikuron: Arguments on Education for Women, on the newest theory, my view on the current girl education (in 1905)
Shinshu zenshi: The Complete History of the Shinshu Sect (in 1916)
Shinran no kaishu: Shinran's establishment of the Jodo Shin shu, True Pure Land Sect (in 1921)
Gakan Shinshu: my observation on the Shin-shu, True Pure Land sect (in 1921)
Where does the seriousness of the Shin-shu (True Pure Land sect) exist? (in 1928)