On 9 April 2026, Venerable Phrakhrusamu Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, director of Communication Department, Wat Phra Dhammakaya mentioned that Ryukoku University, one of Japan’s leading universities, offered a course of “Samatha-Vipassana in Buddhism and Modern Mindfulness”in the first semester. This course was conducted by the two Dhammaduta monks from Wat Phra Dhammakaya and attended by 70 students. This academic collaboration between Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Ryukoku University came from the growing interest in Buddhist studies of contemporary context.
The two teaching monks from Wat Phra Dhammakaya, invited as instructors for this meditation course are Venerable Phrakhrupalad Sunet Charaphinyo, abbot of Dhammakaya International Meditation Center Tochigi and Venerable Phramaha Phongsak Thaniyo, Ph.D., abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Tochigi. This meditation course covers 15 meditation training sessions throughout the semester, the content of Buddhist meditation principles and the workshop of meditation practice, together with the assignments of continuous meditation practice and meditation record in diary to evaluate the mental development.
Ryukoku University, one of the long-established Japanese universities, was founded in 1639. At present, it comprises 10 faculties with 20,000 students. The meditation course at this prestigious university reflects the trend of mental development knowledge which the university values, along with the modern academic knowledge. This course will be an opportunity for the cultural and religious exchange at international level.
