Abstract

The theme of article is a short investigation of the problem of virtue in compositions of Prince Shotoku such as “Seventeen-Article Constitution” and “Shomangyo gisho” . Prince Shotoku is a well-known religious leader in a history of Ancient Japan whoplayed a paramount role in Japanese Buddhism. He supervised over the construction of the first Buddhist temples and, more over, was a first Buddhist in Japan who interpreted Buddhist philosophical texts. Shotoku Taishi wrote three commentaries known as “Commentaries on the Three Sutras” . This work contains interpretation of three Buddhist sutras: “Lotus Sutra” , “Vimalakirti sutra” and “Sri-Mala” sutra . One of the most interesting aspects of this work, on my opinion, is a category of “virtue” . While “virtue” in the concept of Shotoku Taishi is a basis of the One Vehile. At the same time, it differs from the Buddhist sense of this word. Also, the influence of “virtue” is reflected in articles of “Seventeen-Article Constitution”. Category of “virtue”, on my opinion, shows the new sights in the personality of Prince Shotoku. It leads as to moral aspects of religious and cultural policy which still not explored well in Western scholarship