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Volume 12, Number 2, December 2026
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| # | Title | Author(s) | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tie that binds India and Japan (Keynote address) | Madhumita Chattopadhyay | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 2 | The interconnectivity between India and Japan through Historical, Philosophical and Artistry | Priyaly Chakraborty | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 3 | Bengal’s Maritime Cosmopolitanism: Spiritual and Maritime Pathways of Early Indo–Japanese Connection | Arpita Paul | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 4 | A special empathetic note for the elderly citizens: Reflected through folklore and legends of Japan and India | Lopamudra Maitra | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 5 | India-Japan Partnership in the Indo-Pacific era: Dividend of Cultural Affinity | Madhuchanda Ghosh | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 6 | Fantasy-Lives of People in Bengali and Japanese Folklores: A Psychological Correlation | Barnali Pramanik | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 7 | “Across the Pixelated Sea”: Anime, Soft Power, and the Reimagining of India–Japan Fraternity | Ayantika Maitra | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 8 | Floral Festivals as Cultural Metaphors: A Comparative Study of the Cherry Blossom Festival and Palash Utsob | Sutapa Datta Dasgupta | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 9 | Resonance of Asian Modernity: Japan’s Role in The Reimagining of India, 1905-1920 | Anagha Suresh | [Download this paper · Free] |
| 10 | Justice Radhabinod Pal at the Tokyo Trials: From Asian Dissent To Cultural Fraternity | Swapnil Chowdhury | [Download this paper · Free] |
Abstract : The Special Tie - India & Japan
Madhumita Chattopadhyay
Buddhism originated in India in the 6th century B.C. and the period when it reached Japan was 6th century A.D. Within this span of one thousand years, this religion had undergone several changes in its motherland. The most important one was the broad division into the old school, known as Hīnayāna and the modern school, known as Mahāyāna. Under the umbrella of this division, all the earlier sub-schools were included. In course of time the Mahāyāna school gained popularity over the traditional Hīnayāna school. Naturally when Buddhism reached Japan via Korea from China, the form that was prevalent was the Mahāyāna form.
The two fundamental texts of the Vijñānavāda sub-school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, viz. Laņkāvatāra-sūtra and Avatamsakasūtra gained popularity among the learned people of Japan. Even among the ordinary people, the text that was studied by the priests, namely Yuishika was actually based on the Mahāyāna text Trimśikā. Not only in respect of religious texts, but in inculcating moral values among the Japanese Buddhism had brought about a revolution. As compared to the austere principles of prevalent Shinto religion, the principles of non-violence, compassion, friendliness had a special appeal to the Japanese mind. Following the Buddhist principles, Emperor Temmu in the year 675 A.D. advised his people to refrain from killing animals and restrict their diet to fish and vegetables only.
Belief in continuity through different births to enjoy the results of the actions performed by the individual along with the beliefs in golden paradise and blazing hell, brought a special impetus to the Japanese moral beliefs, since in the prevalent Shinto religion no room was admitted for afterlife or state of the dead. The influence of Buddhism on the Japanese people could be felt gradually in the spheres of politics, education and art in such a way that it seemed to leave little space for Shintoism. But in the spirit of Buddha who never supported religious conversion and always spoke in favour of religious tolerance, Buddhism in Japan never replaced the age-old practiced Shinto religion. On the contrary Buddhism supplemented what was lacking in Shinto. Thus, Buddhism and Shintoism started to co-exist. Almost all the Buddhist temples have Shinto shrines nearby. And the modern Japanese does not have any hesitation to declare that "we are born as a Shinto but die as a Buddhist." This declaration clearly indicates that Buddhism is the true bond that ties the two nations together.
Key words: Mahāyāna Buddhism, Yuishika, Trimśikā, Buddhism and Shintoism.
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Volume 10, No. 2, December 2024, Special Issue 'BENGAL BASIN AND BAY OF BENGAL INTERACTION SPHERE: PAN INDIAN AND PAN ASIAN CONTACTS'
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| # | Title | Author(s) | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Towards A better world: A Tagorean model of environment | Tapati Mukherjee | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 2 | Indo-Nepal Cooperation in Water Resources: The Problems and Prospects | Satabdi Das | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 3 | Trade and Investment catches the harmonic pattern: T & I in Asia-Pacific region | Suvro Parui | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 4 | Middle Class Women–A Post facto Study on Online Retail Shopping | Partha Sarathi Sarkar | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 5 | Religious Beliefs and Practices of Kora-Mudi Tribe: Tradition and Transformation | Parikshit Chakraborty | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 6 | The Asian Peoples in Multiple Cultural Folds | Suniti Kumar Pathak | [⇩ Download this paper] |
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| # | Title | Author(s) | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Usage of Classifiers in Thai | Phramaha Singkhon Kuakkhuntod | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 2 | Development of Pharmaceutical Industries with Special Reference to Colonial India | Malika Basu (Ghosh) | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 3 | Bhanubhakt Acharya | Soma Banerjee | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 4 | A Socio-Cultural Study of Two Sylvan Gods of South Bengal:Banabibi, Dakshin Ray | Arpita Basu | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 5 | Prehistoric Survey in Lower Suvarnarekha Valley | Banani Bhattacharyya | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 6 | Bharater Uttarpurbanchaler Mukhosh Nritya O Puruliar - Chho | Chandicharan Mura | [⇩ Download this paper] |
| 7 | Narir Khamatayan:Uttar-Purber Pratibadi Patabhumite Ekok Pratibad | Sumana Basu (Dey) | [⇩ Download this paper] |