In this roundtable discussion, the participants engaged in a dialogue on well-being, mindfulness, and the contemporary application of Buddhist thought. Mr. Nishihara provided an overview of his book, The Habit of Not Trying Too Hard, explaining how defensive instincts and attachment give rise to suffering, and sharing the importance of “Tariki innovation” He also reported
Over 120 high school students—primarily those considering applying to APU—and their parents participated. Thank you so much! I was very pleased to receive so many excellent questions from the high school students. I tried to explain and answer everything as thoroughly as possible, and I hope my responses resonated with everyone. According to the survey
The main topic of the discussion centered on the findings of social science research to date regarding “basic income/BI,” including reports that a two-year experiment in Finland resulted in an increase in the employment rate and a decrease in the number of people leaving their jobs. Professor Hirahara noted that, within the research communities of
This seminar centered on the themes of “reputation economics” and “a world without money,” with discussions focused on the “evaluation economy” as explained by Toshio Okada and Elon Musk’s vision for the future. The panelists examined the possibility of a transition from a monetary economy to a credit-based economy, and ultimately to an economy based
The main purpose of this salon, held under the theme “Passion and Business: What’s Wrong with Making Money?,” was to discuss the relationship between business and money from a Buddhist perspective. At the beginning of the seminar, Mr. Nishihara discussed the meaning of profit in the context of passion and business, as well as giving
A discussion on the future of physical AI and manual labor was held between His Eminence Otani Guwen, Head of the Hongwanji Sect, and Professor Hirahara. Professor Hirahara described physical AI as “the fusion of robotics and AI” and discussed the background behind the development of robotics such as Aibo and Asimo in perspective. During
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University held an experiential event titled “Art and D&I: ‘See, Create, Think.’” In collaboration with Heralbony Co., Ltd., the art NPO BEPPU PROJECT, and others, the university implemented a program that allowed students, faculty and staff, and local community members to experience diversity through art. A total of 45 participants, including students,
The lecturers discussed the ideological divide between generations, focusing in particular on the differences in values between the postwar generation (the baby boomers) and their children (Generation X). The conversation ranged from the secularization of mythology and Nietzsche’s idea that “God is dead” to contemporary anime and superhero culture, and the group discussed how works
This conference was held under the theme “We Don’t Need Motivation.” Participants included His Eminence Otani, the Head of the Shingon Sect; Professor Hirahara; and Reverend Nishihara. Reverend Nishihara argued that the concept of motivation is, in fact, unnecessary, citing Aesop’s fable of the three bricklayers as an example to explain how differences in sense
Lecturer Ohtani Guen, Head of the Temple, and Dr. Hirahara engaged in a dialogue on the concept of suffering in Buddhism and its evolution. They discussed the concept of the “Four Sufferings and Eight Sorrows,” particularly the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death, as well as the recognition of new forms of suffering among