In our ongoing series of discussions concerning the Buddhist self and no-self doctrines, Seten Tomh will read an essay by Hajime Nakamura entitled “The Problem of Self in Buddhist Philosophy” (45 minutes), including a brief biographical introduction to the noted Japanese Buddhist scholar (15 minutes). This essay is from a long out of print collection of essays by Hajime Nakamura, Herbert Guenther, A.K. Chatterjee, and others. Dharmata. Mon. May 3, 2021, 1pm, Pacific time. 1 hr. Voice. Q&A.
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https://secondlife.com/my/community/events/event.php?id=8373578
Hajime Nakamura (1912-1999) was a Japanese Vedic, Hindu, and Buddhist scholar. Nakamura graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1912 with a study on the history of early Vedanta. In 1943 he became an Associate Professor at the same university. After retiring from Tokyo University in 1973, he established the Eastern Institute (Toho Gakuin) and lectured to the public on philosophy. Expert in Sanskrit and Pali, he wrote commentaries on the Buddhist scriptures, including translating the entire Pali Tipitaka into Japanese, which is still considered the definitive translation. His footnotes include references to German, English, French, and ancient Chinese authorities. Nakamura was influenced by Indian Buddhism as well as Chinese, Japanese, and Western thought, and also contributed to the topic of bioethics. He published over 170 monographs and over a thousand articles. He received the Imperial Award of the Japan Academy, the Order of Culture, a nomination to the Japan Academy, and the honorary degree of Vidya-Vacaspati, the highest educational attainment at Indian Sanskrit Colleges, and is the author of Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples, A History of Early Vedanta Philosophy, Indian Buddhism, A Comparative History of Ideas, and Gotama Buddha, all in English.
