The Most Venerable Etai Yamada (山田 恵諦, Yamada Etai, 1900–1999) was the 253rd head priest of the Japanese Tendai school of Mahayana Buddhism.

Etai Yamada
Born1900
Died1999
NationalityJapanese
Known for253rd head priest of the Japanese Tendai school of Mahayana Buddhism

In 1986, Yamada was invited by Pope John Paul II to be one of the few non-Christian religious leaders to attend the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy.[1] In 1987, he held a religious summit meeting on Mount Hiei near Kyoto.[2] This event has been held annually to the present day, inviting religious leaders to gather to pray for worldwide peace and reconciliation.[3]

Yamada conducted ecumenical dialogues with religious leaders around the world based on his interpretation of the Lotus Sutra which culminated in a 1987 summit. He also used the Lotus Sutra to move his sect from a "temple Buddhism" perspective to one based on social engagement.[4][5]

Yamada received the Niwano Peace Prize in 1989, to date he is the only Japanese recipient of the award.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Meeting of the Movement with the Patriarch of the Buddhist School Tendai-Shu". Archived from the original on 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  2. ^ Sugitani, Gijun (April 2006). "The Lotus Sutra and Religious Cooperation". Dharma World. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  3. ^ Paul, Poupard. "Memorial Speech of H. Em. Cardinal Paul Poupard, Read on his Behalf by Fr. Felix Machado on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Religious Summit at Mount Machado". Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  4. ^ Covell, Stephen G. (2014). "Interfaith Dialogue and a Lotus Practitioner: Yamada Etai, the "Lotus Sutra", and the Religious Summit Meeting on Mt. Hiei". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 41 (1): 191–217. doi:10.18874/jjrs.41.1.2014.191-217. JSTOR 23784405.
  5. ^ Reeves, Gene (Dec 1, 2001). "Introduction: The Lotus Sutra and Process Thought". Journal of Chinese Philosophy. 28 (4): 355. doi:10.1111/0301-8121.00053.
  6. ^ "Chronology of the Foundation". Niwano Peace Foundation. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
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