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 The
Institute of Oriental Philosophy
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Exhibitions |  l
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Lotus
Sutra Exhibition Held in Chennai, India
 From
October 4-7, 2007, “The Lotus Sutra—A Message of Peace and Coexistence”
exhibition was held at the University of Madras in Chennai, India. This
event was co-organized by the of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), the
University of Madras, St.
Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian
Academy of Sciences and Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG). The exhibition was
held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the
University of Madras, one of the oldest universities in India from
which five
former presidents of India and two Nobel Laureates are graduates.The exhibition introduced the Lotus Sutra Manuscript Series published by Soka Gakkai, Ancient Uighur and Xixia versions of the Lotus Sutra, facsimile edition of Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts from Cambridge University Library (Add. 1682 and Add. 1683) and other a facsimile editions of the Lotus Sutra presented to IOP founder Daisaku Ikeda by leading figures of the world. The same edition of the Lotus Sutra read by Mahatma Gandhi, which was translated by Hedrik Kern, is also displayed. Some 250 attended the opening ceremony, including, Tamil Nadu Governor S. S. Barnala, chancellor of the University of Madras; Vice Chancellor Professor S. Ramachadran; and IOP Director Dr. Yoichi Kawada. Congratulatory messages were sent for the opening from IOP founder Daisaku Ikeda, and Professor M. S. Swaminathan, president of the Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs. The opening ceremony of the exhibition was aired on Indian national TV and covered by nine newspapers including The Hindu. Some 2,000 viewed the exhibition during its four-day showing.
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