Jōdo Shinshū ( 浄土真宗 , "The True Essence of the Pure Land Teaching" ) , also known as Shin Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism , is a school of Pure Land Buddhism founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran .
113-682: Shin Buddhism is the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan . Shinran (1173–1263) lived during the late Heian to early Kamakura period (1185–1333), a time of turmoil for Japan when the emperor was stripped of political power by the shōguns . Shinran's family had a high rank at the Imperial court in Kyoto , but given the times, many aristocratic families were sending sons off to be Buddhist monks instead of having them participate in
226-457: A kami could be seen as a manifestation of a bodhisattva. It is common even to this day to have Shinto shrines within the grounds of Buddhist temples. By contrast, Shinran had distanced Jōdo Shinshū from Shinto because he believed that many Shinto practices contradicted the notion of reliance on Amitābha. However, Shinran taught that his followers should still continue to worship and express gratitude to kami, other buddhas, and bodhisattvas despite
339-522: A "practiceless practice", for there are no specific acts to be performed such as there are in the "Path of Sages". In Shinran's own words, Shin Buddhism is considered the "Easy Path" because one is not compelled to perform many difficult, and often esoteric, practices in order to attain higher and higher mental states. As in other Pure Land Buddhist schools, Amitābha is a central focus of the Buddhist practice, and Jōdo Shinshū expresses this devotion through
452-581: A 100-day retreat at Rokkaku-dō in Kyoto, where he had a dream on the 95th day. In this dream, Prince Shōtoku appeared to him, espousing a pathway to enlightenment through verse. Following the retreat, in 1201, Shinran left Mount Hiei to study under Hōnen for the next six years. Hōnen (1133–1212) another ex-Tendai monk, left the tradition in 1175 to found his own sect, the Jōdo-shū or "Pure Land School". From that time on, Shinran considered himself, even after exile,
565-506: A Korean immigrant family. Hakuhō (673 through 686) Buddhism (Hakuhō refers to Emperor Tenmu ) saw the official patronage of Buddhism being taken up by the Japanese imperial family, who replaced the Soga clan as the main patrons of Buddhism. Japanese Buddhism at this time was also influenced by Tang dynasty (618–907) Buddhism. It was also during this time that Buddhism began to spread from
678-549: A TV channel devoted to explaining Buddhism and Hongan-ji's everyday operations. Higashi Hongan-ji is one of the two dominant subsects of Jōdo Shinshū, the other being the Nishi Honganji. During the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s, the government set down new guidelines for the management of religious organizations. An organization called Ōtani-ha was put in control of Higashi Hongan-ji. In 1987, this temple
791-514: A chanting practice called nembutsu, or "Mindfulness of the Buddha [Amida]". The nembutsu is simply reciting the phrase Namu Amida Butsu ("I take refuge in Amitābha Buddha"). Jōdo Shinshū is not the first school of Buddhism to practice the nembutsu but it is interpreted in a new way according to Shinran. The nembutsu becomes understood as an act that expresses gratitude to Amitābha; furthermore, it
904-469: A date of 552 for when King Seong of Baekje (now western South Korea ) sent a mission to Emperor Kinmei that included an image of the Buddha Shakyamuni , ritual banners, and sutras . This event is usually considered the official introduction of Buddhism to Japan. Other sources, however, give the date of 538 and both dates are thought to be unreliable. However, it can still be said that in
1017-845: A devout disciple of Hōnen rather than a founder establishing his own, distinct Pure Land school. During this period, Hōnen taught the new nembutsu -only practice to many people in Kyoto society and amassed a substantial following but also came under increasing criticism by the Buddhist establishment there. Among his strongest critics was the monk Myōe and the temples of Enryaku-ji and Kōfuku-ji . The latter continued to criticize Hōnen and his followers even after they pledged to behave with good conduct and to not slander other Buddhists. In 1207, Hōnen's critics at Kōfuku-ji persuaded Emperor Toba II to forbid Hōnen and his teachings after two of Imperial ladies-in-waiting converted to his practices. Hōnen and his followers, among them Shinran, were forced into exile and four of Hōnen's disciples were executed. Shinran
1130-588: A distinct sect, as people began mixing other Buddhist practices with Shin ritual. One common example was the Mantra of Light popularized by Myōe and Shingon Buddhism . Other Pure Land Buddhist practices, such as the nembutsu odori or "dancing nembutsu" as practiced by the followers of Ippen and the Ji School, may have also been adopted by early Shin Buddhists. Rennyo ended these practices by formalizing much of
1243-518: A foreign deity. The Nihon Shoki then states that the emperor allowed only the Soga clan to worship the Buddha, to test it out. Thus, the powerful Soga clan played a key role in the early spread of Buddhism in the country. Their support, along with that of immigrant groups like the Hata clan , gave Buddhism its initial impulse in Japan along with its first temple (Hōkō-ji, also known as Asukadera ). The Nakatomi and Mononobe, however, continued to oppose
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#17327728141421356-449: A medical facility at Gokurakuji in 1287, which treated more than 88,000 people over a 34-year-period and collected Chinese medical knowledge. Another set of new Kamakura schools include the two major Zen schools of Japan (Rinzai and Sōtō ), promulgated by monks such as Eisai and Dōgen , which emphasize liberation through the insight of meditation (zazen). Dōgen (1200–1253) began a prominent meditation teacher and abbot. He introduced
1469-635: A new system of monastic regulations based on the bodhisattva precepts . This new system allowed Tendai to free itself from direct state control. Also during this period, the Shingon ( Ch. Zhenyan; "True Word", from Sanskrit: " Mantra ") school was established in the country under the leadership of Kūkai . This school also received state sponsorship and introduced esoteric Vajrayana (also referred to as mikkyō , "secret teaching") elements. The new Buddhist lineages of Shingon and Tendai also developed somewhat independently from state control, partly because
1582-613: A number of other structures for the claim of largest wooden building in the world. A few blocks from the main grounds of the Higashi Hongan-ji is the Shosei-en garden, owned by the temple. Poet-scholar Ishikawa Jozan and landscape architect Kobori Masakazu are said to have contributed to its design in the 17th century. The Nishi Honganji, like the Higashi Honganji, features a huge Goeidō (御影堂), Kaisando and
1695-408: A smaller Amida-dō (阿弥陀堂) or Amitābha hall housing an image of Amitābha. Nishi Hongan-ji's Kura (倉), or storehouse, houses many National Treasures, most of which are not on view for the public. The shoin (書院), or study hall, is also quite famous; it is split into two sections, the shiro-shoin (白書院), or white study hall, and the kuro-shoin (黒書院), or black study hall. Nishi Hongan-ji also contains
1808-588: Is Princess Senshi's (964–1035) Hosshin waka shū (Collection of Waka of the Awakening Mind, 1012). The courtly practice of rōei (performing poetry to music) was also taken up in the Tendai and Shingon lineages. Both monks and laypersons met in poetry circles ( kadan ) like the Ninnaji circle which was patronized by Prince Shukaku (1150–1202). The Kamakura period (1185–1333) was a period of crisis in which
1921-409: Is a phrase which means "A record [of the words of Shinran] set down in lamentation over departures from his [Shinran's] teaching". While it is a short text, it is one of the most popular because practitioners see Shinran in a more informal setting. For centuries, the text was almost unknown to the majority of Shin Buddhists. In the 15th century, Rennyo , Shinran's descendant, wrote of it, "This writing
2034-477: Is also during this period that true lineages of "Shintō" kami worship begin to develop in Buddhist temples complexes, lineages which would become the basis for institutionalized Shintō of later periods. Buddhists continued to develop theories about the relationship between kami and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. One such idea, gongen ("provisional manifestation") , promoted the worship of kami as manifest forms of
2147-510: Is an elaborately illustrated Lotus Sūtra installed at Itsukushima Shrine . The Buddhist liturgy of this era also became more elaborate and performative. Rites such as the Repentance Assembly ( keka'e ) at Hōjōji developed to include elaborate music, dance and other forms of performance. Major temples and monasteries such as the royal Hosshōji temple and Kōfukuji, also became home to the performance of Sarugaku theater (which
2260-659: Is an important one in our tradition. It should not be indiscriminately shown to anyone who lacks the past karmic good". Rennyo Shonin's personal copy of the Tannishō is the earliest extant copy. Kiyozawa Manshi (1863–1903) revitalized interest in the Tannishō, which indirectly helped to bring about the Ohigashi schism of 1962. Earlier schools of Buddhism that came to Japan, including Tendai and Shingon Buddhism , gained acceptance because of honji suijaku practices. For example,
2373-590: Is evoked in the practitioner through the power of Amida's unobstructed compassion. Therefore, in Shin Buddhism, the nembutsu is not considered a practice, nor does it generate karmic merit. It is simply an affirmation of one's gratitude. Indeed, given that the nembutsu is the Name, when one utters the Name, that is Amitābha calling to the devotee. This is the essence of the Name-that-calls. Note that this
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#17327728141422486-455: Is in contrast to the related Jōdo-shū, which promoted a combination of repetition of the nembutsu and devotion to Amitābha as a means to birth in his pure land of Sukhavati . It also contrasts with other Buddhist schools in China and Japan, where nembutsu recitation was part of a more elaborate ritual. In another departure from more traditional Pure Land schools, Shinran advocated that birth in
2599-589: Is referred to as "new Kamakura" Buddhism, their beginning can actually be traced to the late Heian. This includes the practice of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism , which focuses on the contemplation and chanting of the nenbutsu , the name of the Buddha Amida (Skt. Amitābha) , in hopes of being reborn in the Buddha field of Sukhāvatī . This practice was initially popular in Tendai monasteries but then spread throughout Japan. Texts discussing miracles associated with
2712-565: Is strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhism and Korean Buddhism , which were influenced by Indian Mahayana Buddhism . Though most scholars date the introduction of Buddhism to the middle of the sixth century, Deal and Ruppert note that immigrants from the Korean Peninsula, as well as merchants and sailors who frequented the mainland, likely brought Buddhism with them independent of the transmission as recorded in court chronicles. Some Japanese sources mention this explicitly. For example,
2825-680: Is the Buddhist Churches of America . The Hongwanji International Center, to the east of Nishi Hongan-ji, coordinates dialogue with Jōdo Shinshū organizations around the world and produces translation work. The Nishi Hongan-ji operates the Hongwanji Publishing Company which produces books, music, films, and anime about Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism. They also publish a bimonthly newspaper, the Hongwanji Journal and their website includes, among other things,
2938-570: Is the largest of all the Jodo Shinshu branches. Compared with the Higashi Hongan-ji, it has a history of institutional stability that accounts for high membership figures, and a larger geographical reach, but fewer well-known modern thinkers. The Nishi Hongan-ji has a sizable number of overseas temples in the United States, South America, Hawai'i, Canada, and Europe which are organized into several kyodan ("districts"). The largest of these
3051-487: Is the origin of Nō Drama ) as well as ennen ("longevity-enhancing") arts which included dances and music. Doctrinally, these performative arts were seen as skillful means ( hōben , Skt. upaya ) of teaching Buddhism. Monks specializing in such arts were called yūsō ("artistic monks"). Another way of communicating the Buddhist message was through the medium of poetry, which included both Chinese poetry ( kanshi ) and Japanese poetry ( waka ). An example of Buddhist themed waka
3164-556: Is vain and illusory, and the Buddha's realm alone is true." Regardless of his actual historical role, however, it is beyond doubt that Shōtoku became an important figure in Japanese Buddhist lore beginning soon after his death if not earlier. Taoist traditions of immortality and becoming a xian made it to Japan in the times of early Buddhism, but Buddhism absorbed them. "[U]nder Buddhist influence," these stories were "associated with certain ascetic monks who were devoted to
3277-636: The Kyogyoshinsho , to bolster his teachings. The Seven Patriarchs, in chronological order, and their contributions are: In Jodo Shinshu temples, the seven masters are usually collectively enshrined on the far left. The following holidays are typically observed in Jōdo Shinshū temples: Buddhism in Japan Buddhism was first established in Japan in the 6th century CE. Most of
3390-561: The Chan lineage of Caodong , which would grow into the Sōtō school. He criticized ideas like the final age of the Dharma ( mappō ), and the practice of apotropaic prayer. Additionally, it was during this period that monk Nichiren (1222–1282) began teaching his exclusively Lotus Sutra based Buddhism, which he saw as the only valid object of devotion in the age of mappō. Nichiren believed that
3503-579: The Heian Period Fusō ryakki (Abridged Annals of Japan), mentions a foreigner known in Japanese as Shiba no Tatsuto, who may have been Chinese-born, Baekje -born, or a descendant of an immigrant group in Japan. He is said to have built a thatched hut in Yamato and enshrined an object of worship there. Immigrants like this may have been a source for the Soga clan's later sponsorship of Buddhism. The Nihon Shoki ( Chronicles of Japan ) provides
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3616-608: The Higashiyama Hongan-ji , founded in Kyoto in 1996 by Otani Korin , and the Tokyo Higashi Hongan-ji , whose current leader is Otani Koken. Despite, or perhaps even because of, this climate of instability, the Higashi Hongan-ji movement has also produced a significant number of controversial but influential thinkers, such as Soga Ryōjin , Kiyozawa Manshi , Kaneko Daiei and Akegarasu Haya , amongst others. The largest Higashi Hongan-ji grouping,
3729-589: The Ishiyama Hongan-ji in Osaka , one of the two primary temple fortresses of the sect. In 1580, the abbot of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji, Kennyo, surrendered, while his son Kyōnyo refused to surrender, for which he was publicly disowned. After the death of Nobunaga in 1582 and the ascent of Toyotomi Hideyoshi , Kennyo was rewarded for his opposition to Nobunaga by being granted land in Kyoto, at
3842-638: The Lotus Sutra ." Asuka-period (538 to 710) Buddhism ( Asuka bukkyō ) refers to Buddhist practice and thought that mainly developed after 552 in the Nara Basin region . Buddhism grew here through the support and efforts of two main groups: immigrant kinship groups like the Hata clan (who were experts in Chinese technology as well as intellectual and material culture), and through aristocratic clans like
3955-540: The United Kingdom , such as Three Wheels Temple . During Taiwan's Japanese colonial era (1895–1945), Jōdo Shinshū built a temple complex in downtown Taipei. The "Seven Patriarchs of Jōdo Shinshū" are seven Buddhist monks venerated in the development of Pure Land Buddhism as summarized in the Jōdo Shinshū hymn Shoshinge . Shinran quoted the writings and commentaries of the Patriarchs in his major work,
4068-713: The Yamato Province to the other regions and islands of Japan. An important part of the centralizing reforms of this era (the Taika reforms ) was the use of Buddhist institutions and rituals (often performed at the palace or capital) in the service of the state. The imperial government also actively built and managed the Buddhist temples as well as the monastic community. The Nihon Shoki states that in 624 there were 46 Buddhist temples. Some of these temples include Kawaradera and Yakushiji . Archeological research has also revealed numerous local and regional temples outside of
4181-745: The six old schools established in the Nara period (710－794). Originating in India, Buddhism arrived in Japan by first making its way to China and Korea through the Silk Road and then traveling by sea to the Japanese archipelago . Though often overlooked in Western academia, Buddhism was transmitted through trade routes across South East Asia in addition to the Sinophere. As such, early Japanese Buddhism
4294-592: The 15th century, when Rennyo became its eighth monshu. However, the Tendai sect based on Mount Hiei saw this expansion as a threat and attacked the Hongan-ji three times with its army of sōhei . Rennyo fled to Yoshizaki-gobō , where he established a new temple compound. During the Sengoku period , fearing the power of the monks of the Hongan-ji, Oda Nobunaga tried to destroy it. For ten years, he laid siege to
4407-595: The 16th and 17th centuries. Hongan-ji Hongan-ji ( 本願寺 , Temple of the Primal Vow ) , also archaically romanized as Hongwanji , is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism (which further sub-divides into the Nishi and Higashi branches). 'Hongan-ji' may also refer to any one of several actual temple buildings associated with the sect. Nishi Honganji (西本願寺) and Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) are two major temples in Kyoto. The Hongan-ji
4520-558: The Bodhisattva ideal were contrived and rooted in selfish ignorance; for humans of this age are so deeply rooted in karmic evil as to be incapable of developing the truly altruistic compassion that is requisite to becoming a Bodhisattva. Due to his awareness of human limitations, Shinran advocated reliance on tariki , or other power (他力)—the power of Amitābha (Japanese Amida ) made manifest in his Primal Vow —in order to attain liberation. Shin Buddhism can therefore be understood as
4633-521: The Buddha, funerals, memorial rites for ancestral spirits, the feeding of hungry ghosts, feasts sponsored by donors, and tea services that served to highlight the bureaucratic and social hierarchy." Medieval Rinzai was also invigorated by a series of Chinese masters who came to Japan during the Song dynasty , such as Issan Ichinei (1247–1317). Issan influenced the Japanese interest in Chinese literature, calligraphy and painting. The Japanese literature of
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4746-480: The Buddhas and bodhisattvas became popular in this period, along with texts which outlined death bed rites. During this period, some Buddhist temples established groups of warrior-monks called Sōhei . This phenomenon began in Tendai temples, as they vied for political influence with each other. The Genpei war saw various groups of warrior monks join the fray. There were also semi-independent clerics (who were called shōnin or hijiri, "holy ones") who lived away from
4859-455: The Buddhas. A group of Tendai monks at Mt. Hiei meanwhile incorporated hongaku thought into their worship of the kami Sannō, which eventually came to be seen as the source or "original ground" ( honji ) of all Buddhas (thereby reversing the old honji suijaku theory which saw the Buddha as the honji ). This idea can be found in the work of the Hiei monk Sonshun (1451–1514). Beginning with
4972-430: The Buddhist immigrant groups, Asuka Buddhism was mainly the purview of aristocratic groups like the Soga clan and other related clans, who patronized clan temples as a way to express their power and influence. These temples mainly focused on the performance of rituals which were believed to provide magical effects, such as protection. During this period, Buddhist art was dominated by the style of Tori Busshi , who came from
5085-492: The Five Mountains ( Gozan Bungaku ) reflects this influence. One of his students was Musō Soseki , a Zen master, calligraphist, poet and garden designer who was granted the title "national Zen teacher" by Emperor Go-Daigo . The Zen monk poets Sesson Yūbai and Kokan Shiren also studied under Issan. Shiren was also a historian who wrote the Buddhist history Genkō shakusho . The Royal court and elite families of
5198-466: The Imperial government. When Shinran was nine years old in 1181, he was sent by his uncle to Mount Hiei , where he was ordained as a śrāmaṇera in the Tendai sect. Over time, Shinran became disillusioned with how Buddhism was practiced, foreseeing a decline in the potency and practicality of the teachings espoused. Shinran left his role as a dosō ("practice-hall monk") at Mount Hiei and undertook
5311-943: The Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185－1333). During the Edo (Tokugawa)-period (1603–1868), Buddhism was controlled by the feudal Shogunate . The Meiji-period (1868–1912) saw a strong response against Buddhism, with persecution and a forced separation between Buddhism and Shinto ( Shinbutsu bunri ). As of 2022, around 70.8 million people, or about 67% of Japan's total population, identify as Buddhist. The largest sects of Japanese Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism with 22 million believers, followed by Nichiren Buddhism with 10 million believers, Shingon Buddhism with 5.4 million, Zen Buddhism with 5.3 million, Tendai Buddhism with 2.8 million, and only about 700,000 for
5424-488: The Jōdo Shinshū ritual and liturgy, and revived the thinning community at the Honganji temple while asserting newfound political power. Rennyo also proselytized widely among other Pure Land sects and consolidated most of the smaller Shin sects. Today, there are still ten distinct sects of Jōdo Shinshū with Nishi Hongan-ji and Higashi Hongan-ji being the two largest. Rennyo is generally credited by Shin Buddhists for reversing
5537-536: The Kamakura period, these new schools did not gain as much prominence as the older lineages, with the possible exception of the highly influential Rinzai Zen school. Among the founders of the forty-six sects in Japanese Zen, sixteen were Chinese masters, fifteen were Japanese masters who traveled to China during the reign of the Song dynasty , and another fifteen were Japanese masters who visited China during
5650-545: The Original Vow". Kakushinni was instrumental in preserving Shinran's teachings after his death, and the letters she received and saved from her mother, Eshinni, provide critical biographical information regarding Shinran's earlier life. These letters are currently preserved in the Nishi Hongan temple in Kyoto. Shinran died at the age of 90 in 1263 (technically age 89 by Western reckoning). Following Shinran's death,
5763-535: The Pure Land was settled in the midst of life. At the moment one entrusts oneself to Amitābha, one becomes "established in the stage of the truly settled". This is equivalent to the stage of non-retrogression along the bodhisattva path. Many Pure Land Buddhist schools in the time of Shinran felt that birth in the Pure Land was a literal rebirth that occurred only upon death, and only after certain preliminary rituals. Elaborate rituals were used to guarantee rebirth in
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#17327728141425876-473: The Pure Land, including a common practice wherein the fingers were tied by strings to a painting or image of Amida Buddha. From the perspective of Jōdo Shinshū such rituals actually betray a lack of trust in Amida Buddha, relying on jiriki ("self-power"), rather than the tariki or "other-power" of Amida Buddha. Such rituals also favor those who could afford the time and energy to practice them or possess
5989-556: The Soga, blaming their worship for disease and disorder. These opponents of Buddhism are even said to have thrown the image of the Buddha into the Naniwa canal. Eventually outright war erupted. The Soga side, led by Soga no Umako and a young Prince Shōtoku , emerged victorious and promoted Buddhism on the archipelago with support of the broader court. Based on traditional sources, Shōtoku has been seen as an ardent Buddhist who taught, wrote on, and promoted Buddhism widely, especially during
6102-596: The Soga. Immigrant groups like the Korean monks who supposedly instructed Shōtoku introduced Buddhist learning, administration, ritual practice and the skills to build Buddhist art and architecture. They included individuals like Ekan (dates unknown), a Koguryŏ priest of the Madhyamaka school, who (according to the Nihon Shoki ) was appointed to the highest rank of primary monastic prelate ( sōjō ). Aside from
6215-531: The capital also studied the classic Chinese arts that were being taught in the five mountain Rinzai temples. The shogunal families even built Zen temples in their residential palaces. The five mountain temples also established their own printing program ( Gozan-ban ) to copy and disseminate a wide variety of literature that included records of Zen masters, the writings of Tang poets , Confucian classics , Chinese dictionaries, reference works, and medical texts. It
6328-496: The capital was shifted to Kyoto (then known as Heiankyō ) by emperor Kanmu , mainly for economic and strategic reasons. As before, Buddhist institutions continued to play a key role in the state, with Kanmu being a strong supporter of the new Tendai school of Saichō (767–822) in particular. Saichō, who had studied the Tiantai school in China, established the influential temple complex of Enryakuji at Mount Hiei , and developed
6441-513: The capital where great temples such as the Asuka-dera and Tōdai-ji were erected. The most influential of the temples are known as the " seven great temples of the southern capital " ( Nanto Shichi Daiji ). The temples were not exclusive and sectarian organizations. Instead, temples were apt to have scholars versed in several of schools of thought. It has been suggested that they can best be thought of as "study groups". State temples continued
6554-469: The capital. At the state temples, Buddhist rituals were performed in order to create merit for the royal family and the well-being of the nation. Particular attention was paid to rituals centered around Buddhist sutras (scriptures), such as the Golden Light Sutra . The monastic community was overseen by the complex and hierarchical imperial Monastic Office ( sōgō ), who managed everything from
6667-465: The conflicts and disasters of this period were caused by the wrong views of Japanese Buddhists (such as the followers of Pure Land and esoteric Buddhism). Nichiren faced much opposition for his views and was also attacked and exiled twice by the Kamakura state. During this period, the new "Kamakura schools" continued to develop and began to consolidate themselves as unique and separate traditions. However, as Deal and Ruppert note, "most of them remained at
6780-453: The control of the country moved from the imperial aristocracy to the samurai . In 1185 the Kamakura shogunate was established at Kamakura . This period saw the development of new Buddhist lineages or schools which have been called "Kamakura Buddhism" and "New Buddhism". All of the major founders of these new lineages were ex-Tendai monks who had trained at Mt. Hiei and had studied the exoteric and esoteric systems of Tendai Buddhism. During
6893-473: The deeply rooted karmic evil of countless rebirths into good karma. It is of note that such evil karma is not destroyed but rather transformed: Shin stays within the Mahayana tradition's understanding of śūnyatā and understands that samsara and nirvana are not separate. Once the practitioner's mind is united with Amitābha and Buddha-nature gifted to the practitioner through shinjin, the practitioner attains
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#17327728141427006-415: The devastating Ōnin War (1467–1477) , the late Muromachi period saw the devolution of central government control and the rise of regional samurai warlords called daimyōs and the so called "warring states era" ( Sengokuki ). During this era of widespread warfare, many Buddhist temples and monasteries were destroyed, particularly in and around Kyoto. Many of these old temples would not be rebuilt until
7119-521: The development of the six great Nara schools, called Nanto Rokushū ( 南都六宗 , lit. the Six Sects of the Southern Capital ) , all were continuations of Chinese Buddhist schools. The temples of these schools became important places for the study of Buddhist doctrine. The six Nara schools were: Ritsu ( Vinaya ), Jōjitsu ( Tattvasiddhi ) , Kusha-shū ( Abhidharmakosha ), Sanronshū ( East Asian Mādhyamaka ), Hossō ( East Asian Yogācāra ) and Kegon ( Huayan ). These schools were centered around
7232-405: The fact that Amitābha should be the primary buddha that Pure Land believers focus on. Furthermore, under the influence of Rennyo and other priests, Jōdo Shinshū later fully accepted honji suijaku beliefs and the concept of kami as manifestations of Amida Buddha and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. Jōdo Shinshū traditionally had an uneasy relationship with other Buddhist schools because it discouraged
7345-418: The founding of Ryukoku University in Kyoto and formalized many of the Jōdo Shinshū traditions which are still followed today. Following the Meiji Restoration and the subsequent persecution of Buddhism ( haibutsu kishaku ) of the late 1800s due to a revived nationalism and modernization, Jōdo Shinshū managed to survive intact due to the devotion of its monto . During World War II , the Honganji, as with
7458-493: The growing secularization and materialism of Japanese society. All ten schools of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism commemorated the 750th memorial of their founder, Shinran, in 2011 in Kyoto. Shinran's thought was strongly influenced by the doctrine of Mappō , a largely Mahayana eschatology which claims humanity's ability to listen to and practice the Buddhist teachings deteriorates over time and loses effectiveness in bringing individual practitioners closer to Buddhahood. This belief
7571-455: The history of Japanese American and Japanese-Canadian internment during World War II , which caused many Shin temples to focus on rebuilding the Japanese-American Shin sangha rather than encourage outreach to non-Japanese. Today, many Shinshū temples outside Japan continue to have predominantly ethnic Japanese members, although interest in Buddhism and intermarriage contribute to a more diverse community. There are active Jōdo Shinshū sanghas in
7684-404: The kami in different ways. Some monks saw them as just worldly beings who could be prayed for. Other saw them as manifestations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. For example, the Mt. Hiei monk Eryō saw the kami as "traces" (suijaku) of the Buddha. This idea, called essence-trace ( honji-suijaku ) , would have a strong influence throughout the medieval era. The copying and writing of Buddhist scripture
7797-413: The lay Shin monto slowly spread through the Kantō and the northeastern seaboard. Shinran's descendants maintained themselves as caretakers of Shinran's gravesite and as Shin teachers, although they continued to be ordained in the Tendai School. Some of Shinran's disciples founded their own schools of Shin Buddhism, such as the Bukko-ji and Kosho-ji, in Kyoto. Early Shin Buddhism did not truly flourish until
7910-468: The major Buddhist monasteries and preached to the people. These figures had much more contact with the general populace than other monks. The most well known of these figures was Kūya (alt. Kōya; 903–972), who wandered throughout the provinces engaging in good works ( sazen ), preaching on nembutsu practice and working with local Buddhist cooperatives ( zenchishiki ) to create images of bodhisattvas like Kannon. Another important development during this era
8023-409: The majority of traditional Buddhist practices except for the nembutsu. Relations were particularly hostile between the Jōdo Shinshū and Nichiren Buddhism . On the other hand, newer Buddhist schools in Japan, such as Zen , tended to have a more positive relationship and occasionally shared practices, although this is still controversial. In popular lore, Rennyo, the 8th Head Priest of the Hongan-ji sect,
8136-533: The mausoleum of Shinran , is now owned by the Ōtani-ha but is still commonly called Higashi Hongan-ji (東本願寺) by Kyoto visitors and locals. The massive Goei-dō (also known as Mie-dō ), or Founder's Hall Gate, is often one of the first things one sees walking north from JR Kyōto Station . Nearly identical to the Nishi Hongan-ji head temple in layout, it too features an Amida-dō, and a larger Mie-dō. The Mie-dō at Higashi Hongan-ji dates from 1895 and vies with
8249-698: The medieval era, political power was decentralized and shrine-temple complexes were often competing with each other for influence and power. These complexes often controlled land and multiple manors, and also maintained military forces of warrior monks which they used to battle with each other. In spite of the instability of this era, the culture of Buddhist study and learning continued to thrive and grow. Furthermore, though there were numerous independent Buddhist schools and lineages at this time, many monks did not exclusively belong to one lineage and instead traveled to study and learn in various temples and seminaries. This tendency of practicing in multiple schools or lineages
8362-455: The middle of the sixth century, Buddhism was introduced through official diplomatic channels. According to the Nihon Shoki , after receiving the Buddhist gifts, the Japanese emperor asked his officials if the Buddha should be worshipped in Japan. They were divided on the issue, with Soga no Iname (506–570) supporting the idea while Mononobe no Okoshi and Nakatomi no Kamako worried that the kami of Japan would become angry at this worship of
8475-430: The monastic code to the color of the robes. In 710, Empress Genme moved the state capital to Heijōkyō , (modern Nara ) thus inaugurating the Nara period . This period saw the establishment of the kokubunji system, which was a way to manage provincial temples through a network of national temples in each province. The head temple of the entire system was Tōdai-ji (completed in 752). Nara state sponsorship saw
8588-513: The necessary ritual objects—another obstacle for lower-class individuals. For Shinran Shonin, who closely followed the thought of the Chinese monk Tan-luan , the Pure Land is synonymous with nirvana . The goal of the Shin path, or at least the practicer's present life, is the attainment of shinjin in the Other Power of Amida. Shinjin is sometimes translated as "faith", but this does not capture
8701-410: The nembutsu. For Jōdo Shinshū practitioners, shinjin develops over time through "deep hearing" ( monpo ) of Amitābha's call of the nembutsu. According to Shinran, "to hear" means "that sentient beings, having heard how the Buddha's Vow arose—its origin and fulfillment—are altogether free of doubt." Jinen also describes the way of naturalness whereby Amitābha's infinite light illumines and transforms
8814-462: The nuances of the term and it is more often simply left untranslated. The receipt of shinjin comes about through the renunciation of self-effort in attaining enlightenment through tariki . Shinjin arises from jinen (自然 naturalness, spontaneous working of the Vow) and cannot be achieved solely through conscious effort. One is letting go of conscious effort in a sense, and simply trusting Amida Buddha, and
8927-446: The old schools did not happen all at once. In fact, the new schools remained under the old schools' doctrinal and political influence for some time. For example, Ōhashi Toshio has stressed how during this period, the Jōdo sect was mainly seen as a subsidiary or temporary branch sect of Tendai. Furthermore, not all monks of the old sects were antagonistic to the new sects. During the height of
9040-423: The old system was becoming less important to Heian aristocrats. This period also saw an increase in the official separation between the different schools, due to a new system that specified the particular school which an imperial priest ( nenbundosha ) belonged to. During this period, there was a consolidation of a series of annual court ceremonies ( nenjū gyōji ). Tendai Buddhism was particularly influential, and
9153-453: The other Japanese Buddhist schools, was compelled to support the policies of the military government and the cult of State Shinto . It subsequently apologized for its wartime actions. In contemporary times, Jōdo Shinshū is one of the most widely followed forms of Buddhism in Japan , although like other schools, it faces challenges from many popular Japanese new religions , or shinshūkyō , which emerged following World War II as well as from
9266-501: The periphery of Buddhist institutional power and, in some ways, discourse during this era." They further add that it was only "from the late fifteenth century onward that these lineages came to increasingly occupy the center of Japanese Buddhist belief and practice." The only exception is Rinzai Zen, which attained prominence earlier (13th century). Meanwhile, the "old" schools and lineages continued to develop in their own ways and remained influential. The new schools' independence from
9379-569: The practice of conducting numerous rituals for the good of the nation and the imperial family. Rituals centered on scriptures like the Golden Light and the Lotus Sūtra . Another key function of the state temples was the transcription of Buddhist scriptures, which was seen as generating much merit. Buddhist monastics were firmly controlled by the state's monastic office through an extensive monastic code of law, and monastic ranks were matched to
9492-456: The ranks of government officials. It was also during this era that the Nihon Shoki was written, a text which shows significant Buddhist influence. The monk Dōji (?–744) may have been involved in its compilation. The elite state sponsored Nara Buddhism was not the only type of Buddhism at this time. There were also groups of unofficial monastics or priests (or, self-ordained; shido sōni ) who were either not formally ordained and trained through
9605-425: The reign of Empress Suiko (554 – 15 April 628). He is also believed to have sent envoys to China and is even seen as a spiritually accomplished bodhisattva who is the true founder of Japanese Buddhism. Modern historians have questioned much of this, seeing most of it as a constructed hagiography . A popular quote attributed to Shōtoku that became foundational for Buddhist belief in Japan is translated as "The world
9718-490: The reign of the Yuan dynasty . The new schools include Pure Land lineages like Hōnen's (1133–1212) Jōdo shū and Shinran's (1173–1263) Jōdo Shinshū , both of which focused on the practice of chanting the name of Amida Buddha. These new Pure Land schools both believed that Japan had entered the era of the decline of the Dharma ( mappō ) and that therefore other Buddhist practices were not useful. The only means to liberation
9831-580: The sect become that in 1602, through mandate of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu , the main temple Hongan-ji in Kyoto was broken off into two sects to curb its power. These two sects, the Nishi (Western) Honganji and the Higashi (Eastern) Honganji, exist separately to this day. During the time of Shinran, followers would gather in informal meeting houses called dojo , and had an informal liturgical structure. However, as time went on, this lack of cohesion and structure caused Jōdo Shinshū to gradually lose its identity as
9944-599: The site of modern-day Nishi Hongan-ji (西本願寺, "Western Hongan-ji"; sometimes called the Honpa Hongan-ji 本派本願寺). He was succeeded by his legitimate son, Junnyo, as abbot in 1592. While his brother Kyōnyo re-established the Osaka Hongan-ji in 1596 with local support, owing to his refusal to surrender to Nobunaga earlier. After the death of Hideyoshi in 1598, Kyōnyo openly supported Tokugawa Ieyasu , who became shōgun in 1602. In reward for his loyalty, Kyōnyo
10057-415: The stagnation of the early Jōdo Shinshū community, and is considered the "Second Founder" of Jōdo Shinshū. His portrait picture, along with Shinran's, are present on the onaijin (altar area) of most Jōdo Shinshū temples. However, Rennyo has also been criticized by some Shin scholars for his engagement in medieval politics and his alleged divergences from Shinran's original thought. After Rennyo, Shin Buddhism
10170-461: The state channels, or who chose to preach and practice outside of the system. These "unofficial" monks were often subject to state punishment. Their practice could have also included Daoist and indigenous kami worship elements. Some of these figures became immensely popular and were a source of criticism for the sophisticated, academic and bureaucratic Buddhism of the capital. During the Heian period ,
10283-408: The state of non-retrogression, whereupon after his death it is claimed he will achieve instantaneous and effortless enlightenment. He will then return to the world as a Bodhisattva , that he may work towards the salvation of all beings. The Tannishō is a 13th-century book of recorded sayings attributed to Shinran, transcribed with commentary by Yuien-bo , a disciple of Shinran. The word Tannishō
10396-484: The time of Rennyo (1415–1499), who was 8th in descent from Shinran. Through his charisma and proselytizing, Shin Buddhism was able to amass a greater following and grow in strength. In the 16th-century, during the Sengoku period the political power of Honganji led to several conflicts between it and the warlord Oda Nobunaga , culminating in a ten-year conflict over the location of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji , which Nobunaga coveted because of its strategic value. So strong did
10509-551: The traditional foundations of the Buddhist path, ethical cultivation and meditation practice. Other monks attempted to minister to marginalized low class groups. The Kegon-Shingon monk Myō'e was known for opening his temple to lepers, beggars, and other marginal people, while precept masters such as Eison (1201–1290) and Ninshō (1217–1303) were also active in ministering and caring for ill and marginalized persons, particularly those outcast groups termed "non-persons" ( hinin ). Deal & Ruppert (2015) p. 122 Ninshō established
10622-663: The veneration of the Lotus Sūtra grew in popularity, even among the low class and non-aristocratic population, which often formed religious groups such as the "Lotus holy ones" ( hokke hijiri or jikyōja ) and mountain ascetics ( shugenja ) . Shugendō is an example of the fusion of Shinto mountain worship and Buddhism. The aim of Shugendo practitioners is to save the masses by acquiring supernatural powers through rigorous training while walking through steep mountains. Furthermore, during this era, new Buddhist traditions began to develop. While some of these have been grouped into what
10735-737: The writings of the Jodo Shinshu Patriarchs Shinran drew inspiration from. In 1234, at the age of sixty, Shinran left Kantō for Kyoto (Eshinni stayed in Echigo and she may have outlived Shinran by several years), where he dedicated the rest of his years to writing. It was during this time he wrote the Wasan, a collection of verses summarizing his teachings for his followers to recite. Shinran's daughter, Kakushinni , came to Kyoto with Shinran, and cared for him in his final years and his mausoleum later became Hongan-ji , "Temple of
10848-616: The year of Hōnen's death, Shinran set out for the Kantō region , where he established a substantial following and began committing his ideas to writing. In 1224 he wrote his most significant book, the Kyogyoshinsho ("The True Teaching, Practice, Faith and Attainment of the Pure Land"), which contained excerpts from the Three Pure Land sutras and the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra along with his own commentaries and
10961-408: The Ōtani-ha has approximately 5.5 million members, according to statistics. In recent years some members of the Honganji sects have been involved in high-profile protests against the visits of Japanese politicians to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine . Along with the other non-Honganji Jōdo Shinshū subsects, the Honganji issued a statement opposing the 2003 invasion of Iraq . The Shinshū Honbyō,
11074-404: Was Enni Ben'en (1202–1280), a high-ranking and influential monk who was initiated into Tendai and Shingon. He then traveled to China to study Zen and later founded Tōfukuji . The Tendai and Shingon credentials of Rinzai figures such as Enni show that early Zen was not a lineage that was totally separate from the other "old" schools. Indeed, Zen monastic codes feature procedures for "worship of
11187-459: Was a widespread practice in this period. It was seen as producing merit (good karma). Artistic portraits depicting events from the scriptures were also quite popular during this era. They were used to generate merit as well as to preach and teach the doctrine. The "Enshrined Sutra of the Taira Family " ( Heikenōkyō ), is one of the greatest examples of Buddhist visual art from this period. It
11300-464: Was alleged to have started a heretical sect of Pure Land Buddhism through claims that he received special teachings from his father. Zenran demanded control of local monto (lay follower groups), but after writing a stern letter of warning, Shinran disowned him in 1256, effectively ending Zenran's legitimacy. In 1211 the nembutsu ban was lifted and Shinran was pardoned, but by 1212, Hōnen had died in Kyoto. Shinran never saw Hōnen following their exile. In
11413-517: Was established as a temple in 1321, on the site of the Ōtani Mausoleum, where Shinran , the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū ("True Pure Land") was buried. The mausoleum was attended by Shinran's grandson (through daughter Kakushinni), Kakue. Kakue's own son, Kakunyo , became the first chief priest of the Hongan-ji and third monshu (spiritual leader), and dedicated it to the worship of Amitābha ( Amida ). The Hongan-ji first gained power and importance in
11526-446: Was given a lay name , Yoshizane Fujii , by the authorities but called himself Gutoku "Stubble-headed One" instead and moved to Echigo Province (today Niigata Prefecture ). It was during this exile that Shinran cultivated a deeper understanding of his own beliefs based on Hōnen's Pure Land teachings. In 1210 he married Eshinni , the daughter of an Echigo aristocrat. Shinran and Eshinni had several children. His eldest son, Zenran ,
11639-566: Was good friends with the famous Zen master Ikkyū . Jōdo Shinshū drew much of its support from lower social classes in Japan who could not devote the time or education to other esoteric Buddhist practices or merit-making activities. During the 19th century, Japanese immigrants began arriving in Hawaii, the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America (especially in Brazil ). Many immigrants to North America came from regions in which Jōdo Shinshū
11752-464: Was legally required by the Tokugawa shogunate in order to prevent the spread of Christianity in Japan . The danka seido system continues to exist today, although not as strictly as in the premodern period, causing Japanese Buddhism to also be labeled as "Funeral Buddhism" since it became the primary function of Buddhist temples. The Honganji also created an impressive academic tradition, which led to
11865-484: Was now the faithful chanting of the nembutsu. This view was critiqued by more traditional figures such as Myō'e (1173–1232). Another response to the social instability of the period was an attempt by certain monks to return to the proper practice of Buddhist precepts as well as meditation. These figures include figures like the Kōfukuji monk Jōkei (1155–1213) and the Tendai monk Shunjō (1166–1227), who sought to return to
11978-465: Was particularly widespread in early medieval China and in Japan at the end of the Heian. Shinran, like his mentor Hōnen, saw the age he was living in as being a degenerate one where beings cannot hope to be able to extricate themselves from the cycle of birth and death through their own power, or jiriki (自力). For both Hōnen and Shinran, all conscious efforts towards achieving enlightenment and realizing
12091-534: Was popular in Kyūshū . Popular sites for pilgrimage and religious practice, like Kumano , included both kami worship and the worship of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, which were often associated with each other. Furthermore, temples like Tōdai-ji also included shrines for the worship of kami (in Tōdai-ji's case, it was the kami Shukongōjin that was enshrined in its rear entryway). Buddhist monks interpreted their relationship to
12204-484: Was predominant, and maintained their religious identity in their new country. The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii , the Buddhist Churches of America and the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada (formerly Buddhist Churches of Canada) are several of the oldest Buddhist organizations outside of Asia. Jōdo Shinshū continues to remain relatively unknown outside the ethnic community because of
12317-431: Was renamed Shinshū Honbyō "Shinshū Mausoleum", although the earlier name is still used. The buildings have not been changed or moved, and of course the historical cultural and religious significance of the place has not changed. Due to opposition to the creation of the Ōtani-ha, and a number of other controversies and disputes such as the Ohigashi schism , several new Higashi Hongan-ji branches came into existence such as
12430-494: Was rewarded with land for a temple in Kyoto to the east of Nishi Honganji, which then became known in 1603 as Higashi Honganji (東本願寺 "Eastern Hongan-ji"). In 1619 the government recognized the two entities as separate congregations. It is popularly believed, however mistakenly, that the institution was split in two in order to maintain control of the order. Formally known as the Jodo-Shinshu Honganji-ha, it
12543-453: Was still persecuted in some regions. Secret Shin groups called kakure nenbutsu would meet in mountain caves to perform chanting and traditional rituals. Following the unification of Japan during the Edo period , Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism adapted, along with the other Japanese Buddhist schools, into providing memorial and funeral services for its registered members under the Danka system , which
12656-722: Was termed shoshū kengaku . It became much more prominent in the medieval era due to the increased social mobility that many monks enjoyed . Both the Kamakura shogunate (1192–1333) and the Ashikaga shogunate (1336–1573) supported and patronized the " Five Mountains culture " ( Gozan Jissetsu Seido ) of Rinzai Zen. This Rinzai Zen tradition was centered on the ten "Five Mountain" temples (five in Kyoto and five in Kamakura). Besides teaching zazen meditation, they also pursued studies in esoteric Buddhism and in certain art forms like calligraphy and poetry. A pivotal early figure of Rinzai
12769-509: Was that Buddhist monks were now being widely encouraged by the state to pray for the salvation of Japanese kami (divine beings in Shinto). The merging of Shinto deities with Buddhist practice was not new at this time. Already in the eighth century, some major Shinto shrines ( jingūji ) included Buddhist monks which conducted rites for shinto divinities. One of the earliest such figures was "great Bodhisattva Hachiman " (Hachiman daibosatsu) who
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