is a Japanese scholar of Buddhist studies.
Ueki is an expert in the original Buddhist texts, including Sanskrit and Pali texts as well as Chinese and Japanese translations of sutras.
Career Masatoshi Ueki is a scholar whose research focuses on Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist thoughts. Born in Nagasaki, Japan, Ueki obtained his Bachelor of Physics and Master of Science degrees from Kyushu University. Prior to his work in academia, he worked as a journalist, specializing in fine arts and literature. In recognition of his exceptional storytelling skills, Ueki was awarded the "Cosmos, rookie of the year" award in 1992 for his piece titled "Circus girl."
Starting in 1991, Ueki studied under Professor Hajime Nakamura at the Eastern Institute. In 2002, Ueki received his Ph.D. (Humanity) from Ochanomizu University with a thesis entitled「仏教におけるジェンダー平等の研究──『法華経』に至るインド仏教からの考察」[Gender equality in Buddhism: An analysis of Indian Buddhism, from Early Buddhism to 'the Lotus Sutra']He is the first man who was conferred Ph.D. from Ochanomizu University From 2008 to 2013, Ueki worked as an adjunct lecturer at Center for the Studies of World Civilizations, Tokyo Institute of Technology. He has also taught at NHK cultural center and Asahi culture center
In 2008, Ueki published "Bon-Kan-Wa Taisho Gendaigo Yaku, Hokekyo", 1st and 2nd volumes (『梵漢和対照・現代語訳 法華経』（上・下）, [The Lotus Sutra: A contrastive translation between Sanskrit-Chinese-Japanese], which consist of 1) Sanskrit texts, 2) Chinese translation by Kumarajiva, and 3) Japanese translation by the author).This includes a large number of notes which discussed more than 500 issues in the previously published Lotus Sutra Japanese translation published by Iwanami and Chuo Koron Sha With this work, Ueki won the Mainichi Shuppan Bunka Sho.
He also translated 'the Vimalakirti Sutra', which was found in Potala Palace, Tibet, in 1999, into modern Japanese, and published "Bon-Kan-Wa Taisho Gendaigo Yaku, Yuimakyo" (『梵漢和対照・現代語訳 維摩経』, [The Vimalakirti Sutra: A contrastive translation between Sanskrit-Chinese-Japanese]), and won the Papyrus Award in 2013.
In 2017, Ueki wrote a series of columns for the Nishinippon Shimbun titled "Bukkyo 50 wa"(『仏教50話』[50 Buddhist stories] ). His aim was to make the teachings of Buddhism accessible to a wider audience by explaining them using everyday concepts and common sense.
In 2018, April, Ueki was serving as a commentator on the NHK's "100 Pun de Meicho" (『100分de名著』[Introducing a literary masterpiece in under 100 minutes]) broadcasting program.
Ueki is a member of The Japan P.E.N Club, The Japanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies, and Japanese Association for Comparative Philosophy.
Talks +DateVenueOriginal titleTemporary English title 2023/6/15Democracy times日蓮はニセ科学嫌いのフェミニストだった 植木雅俊さん 池田香代子の世界を変える100人の働き人77人目Nichiren's Surprising Deep Compassion for Women by Dr. Masatoshi Ueki No. 772022/11/24Democracy times原始仏教・大乗仏教の溌剌とした女性たち 植木雅俊さん 池田香代子の世界を変える100人の働き人68人目Vivid Women of Primitive and Mahayana Buddhism by Dr. Masatoshi Ueki No. 68(1)2022/2/7(2)2022/2/14(3)2022/2/21(4)2022/2/28NHK (TV broadcast)「100分de名著」名著116『日蓮の手紙』Introducing a literary masterpiece in under 100 minutes, No. 116: "The Letters of Nichiren."2018/12/22Nishogakusha Universityインド仏教の日本文学への影響——短歌・俳句を中心にThe influence of Indian Buddhism on Japanese literature: Tankan and Haiku as an example(1)2018/4/2(2)2018/4/9(3)2018/4/16(4)2018/4/23NHK (TV broadcast)「100分de名著」名著75『法華経』Introducing a literary masterpiece in under 100 minutes, No. 75. The Lotus Sutra2017/7/2The Japan Science Society原始仏教における知と信Faith and knowledge in Early Buddhism2017/3/15Ikegami Honmon-ji元政上人の詩歌と仏教Poems by Gensei shōninHe influenced on the poets in Edo period, including Matsuo Bashō. and Buddhism2015/7/11Embassy of India, Tokyo日本文学に見る大乗仏教の影響——短歌、俳句を中心にThe influences of Mahayana teachings on Japanese literature - Tanka and Haiku as cases2014/6/15Japan poet Association The H award ceremonyお釈迦さまも詩人であったThe Buddha is also a poet2014/2/23The Papyrus Award commemorative speech私の学問人生My study life 2013/7/26Soka University絶妙だった鳩摩羅什訳ーーサンスクリット語から『法華経』『維摩経』を翻訳してThe excellence in Kumārajīva's translation - The Lotus sutra and the Vimalakirti Sutra from Sanskrit2013/1/20NPO Tokyo Jiyu Daigaku仏教との出会いと、その後An encounter with the Buddhism, then ...
Publication
Publication in English • Images of Women in Chinese Thought and Culture（with Robin Wang and Makiko Ueki）Hackett Publ. Inc., Massachusetts, 2003
• Gender Equality in Buddhism, Asian Thought and Culture series vol. 46, Peter Lang Publ. Inc., New York, 2001
Publication in Japanese
Translation ・Japanese Translation of Therī-gāthā: Pāli Terminology and Grammatical Analysis (2023)
・Japanese Translation of The Lotus Sutra: Sanskrit Terminology and Grammatical Analysis (2020)
・Japanese Translation of The Vimalakirti Sutra: Sanskrit Terminology and Grammatical Analysis (2019)
・"Therī-gāthā — Immortal Poems of Early Buddhist Nuns," (2017)
・"The Lotus Sutra — Translation into Modern Language of a Sanskrit Original"(2015)
・The Vimalakirti Sutra (2011)
・The Lotus Sutra (2008)
Books (some major works by Ueki) Original titleEnglish titleDatePublisher日蓮の思想——『御義口伝』を読む The philosophy of Nichiren: Reading "Ongi-kuden", the record of the orally transmitted teachings2024Chikuma sensho日蓮の手紙The letters of Nichiren2021Kadokawa sophia bunko法華経とは何か—その思想と背景What is the Lotus sutra? The philosophy and backgrounds2020Kadokawa sophia bunko今を生きるための仏教100話"100 Stories about Buddhism for Living in the Present Time"2019Heibonsha, INC.江戸の大詩人 元政上人－京都深草で育んだ詩心と仏教A great poet of Edo era, Gensei Shounin - Deepening the heart of poet and Buddhism in Kyoto Fukakusa2018CHUOKORON-SHINSHA, INC.差別の超克——原始仏教と法華経の人間観Overcoming Discrimination - The view of the human in the Early Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra2018Kodansha Ltd.法華経 2018年4月 (100分 de 名著)The Lotus Sutra: April 2018 (An introduction to a masterpiece within 100 minutes)2018NHK Publishing人間主義者、ブッダに学ぶ——インド探訪Learning from Buddha as a Humanist －Visiting and searching India2016Gakuge Mirai Sha本当の法華経(橋爪大三郎との対談)The truth of the Lotus Sutra(Discussions with Daisaburo Hasizume)2015Chikuma仏教学者 中村元——求道のことばと思想Hajime Nakamura, A Buddhist scholar - Seeking the truth in words and thoughts2014Kadokawa思想としての法華経The Lotus Sutra as philosophical thoughts2012Iwanami仏教、本当の教え——インド、中国、日本の理解と誤解The truth of teaching in Buddhism - Understandings and misunderstandings in India, China, and Japan2011Chuokoron Shinsha
Columns 『仏教50話』(50 Buddhist stories) (2017) Nishinippon Shimbun.
+ 50 Buddhist storiesNo.Original titleTemporary English titleDate1紆余曲折Twists and turns2017/9/122自分で考えるThinking by yourself2017/9/133乞眼のバラモンEye-begging Brahman2017/9/144言葉が出来上がる！Words developed!2017/9/155中村先生の励ましEncouragement by Prof. Nakamura2017/9/186"人間ブッダ"の探求Seeking "the Buddha as a human"2017/9/207釈尊の平等思想Shakyamuni's idea of equality2017/9/218悟りを表明する女性Women expressing her enlightenment2017/9/229女性の自立と財産権Independence of woman and property rights2017/9/2510女性の知恵第一A woman of a top master of Wisdom2017/9/2611"無我"という誤訳"Anatta(non-self)" as a misinterpretation2017/9/2712自己との対決の必要性Necessity to confront one's self2017/9/2813"真の自己"の探求Seeking "the true self"2017/9/2914インド訪問Visiting to India2017/10/215「成仏」は人格の完成"Enlightenment" as a perfection of character2017/10/316タゴールの思想Tagore philosophy2017/10/417如実知見の困難さDifficulty of "perceiving reality as it is"2017/10/518過去を引きずらないOvercoming the past2017/10/619盲信を否定するDeny of blind faith2017/10/1120釈尊の遺言Shakyamuni's testament2017/10/1221民主的な会議Democratic meeting2017/10/1322ブッダの神格化Deification of the Buddha2017/10/1623教団の権威主義化Authoritarianism by the order 2017/10/1724莫大な布施と蓄財Enormous donation and savings2017/10/1825大乗の"差別思想"Discrimination by "the Great Vehicle"2017/10/1926法華経の平等思想Equality preached in the Lotus Sutra2017/10/2027怨みを捨ててこそThrowing away a grudge2017/10/2328最後の講義The last lecture2017/10/2429自作の戒名A posthumous Buddhist name by themselves2017/10/2530法華経の導きか？A guidance by the Lotus sutra?2017/10/2631日系二世の菩薩道A life as the Bodhisattva by a second generation Japanese2017/10/2732龍女の成仏Enlightenment of Naga princess2017/10/3133ジェンダーフリー？Gender free?2017/11/134葬式のおまじない？Incantatory for funeral? 2017/11/235納得できる訳をTranslation with full understanding2017/11/336掛詞が表す寛容思想Tolerance expressed by pivot words2017/11/637宗派を超える視点The viewpoint beyond each sect2017/11/738仏塔か経典か？Stupa or sutra?2017/11/839聖地信仰への反省Reflection to holy land faith2017/11/940人と法People and the law2017/11/1041巨大化した如来Giant growth of Thus come one2017/11/1442ブラックホールBlack hole2017/11/1543ゼロと巨大数Zero and large numbers2017/11/1644白川義員さんMr. Yoshikazu Shirakawa2017/11/1745報恩Repaying kindness2017/11/2046菅原文太さんMr. Bunta Sugawara2017/11/2147偶然的必然Accidentally but the inevitable2017/11/2248『等伯』Tohaku2017/11/2349忘れ去られた詩人A forgotten poet2017/11/2750今を生きるLiving now2017/11/28
Others See Japanese profile
Footnotes