A Basic Research on Non-Formal Education in Private Academies of Shin Buddhism in Early Modern and Modern Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12820
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 01030:Religious studies-related
• Research Institution: Ryukoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kikukawa Ichido 龍谷大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 研究員 (10828205)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 近世仏教 / 近代仏教 / 教育と宗教 / 私塾 / 僧侶養成 / 空華学派 / 龍華学派 / 九州真宗

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study analyzed the history and reality of the private academies of Shin Buddhism. Early private schools were established before the Sango-wakuran, and they trained ministers based on the model of the education system of Gakurin (Central School of Nishi Hongwanji organization in Kyoto). Later, schools were established all over the country, and the Kuge school had the largest number of schools among them. It became clear that the reason this school was able to become the most influential was due to the provisions of the Kuge’s original school rules, which prohibited its disciples from founding new schools.
After the Meiji period, Nishi Hongwanji introduced a centralized school system, which required all schools in each region to provide a unified education under centralized management. However, in reality, while a certain number of unified curricula were adopted, schools continued to train monks in their own unique way based on the personality and specialty of the school principal.

Free Research Field

近代仏教、近世仏教, 真宗学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近世・近代仏教史研究において、仏教系私塾の歴史と実態を重層的に明らかにする点に、本研究の独自性がある。特に近年活況を呈する近代仏教史研究においては、アカデミズムを牽引した学僧や、権力をもつ教団政治家、有力な在家信徒などの知識層に分析の対象が偏る傾向がある。そうした中、地方私塾を考察した本研究は、空白地帯であった仏教史研究の一部を埋め合わせし、近代仏教史の総体を詳らかにすることに貢献できた。
また教育面においては、明治期の学制公布に由来する一元的公教育システムの問題点が指摘されるようになるなか、多様性をもつ私塾情報は、仏教教団の内外を問わず、今後の教育問題を検討する際の参考となりうるだろう。