The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1016 page)

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

(1133–1212).
Founder of the
J
do
(Pure Land) sect of Japanese
Pure Land
Buddhism. At the age of 13, he became a monk of the
Tendai
sect. At the age of 43, he converted to the Pure Land teachings upon reading Shantao's
Kuan-wu-liang-shou-fo ching shu
. Subsequently he preached that everyone without exception can be reborn in
Amida
Buddha's Pure Land by simply reciting the
nembutsu
, and insisted that the Pure Land teachings be considered an independent sect. The older established sects' opposition to H
nen's teachings led to his exile from the capital of
Ky
to
in 1207. Although he was soon pardoned and returned to Ky
to in 1211, he died the following year. Among his major works are the
Senchaku Hongan Nembutsu Shu
, an outline of his Pure Land teachings, and the
Ichimai Kishomon
, a one-page summary of his teachings written or dictated on his deathbed.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

(Jap., ‘original vow’). The initial vow of a
bodhisattva
, or more specifically, the eighteenth vow of
Amida
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

(Jap., ‘Temple of the Original Vow’). The headquarters temple of the Otani Branch (
ha
) of
J
do
Shinsh
or ‘True Pure Land School’ of Buddhism in
Ky
to
, originally established in 1272. Until the beginning of the 17th cent., there was only one Honganji. But Ky
myo established a second temple bearing the same name, in 1602. Since this date, the original Honganji has been called Nishi (‘West’) Honganji and the newer temple Higashi (‘East’) Honganji.