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HŌNEN (1133–1212), more fully Hōnen Shōnin Genkū, was a Nipponese Buddhist priest and reformer, most important the founder of the Jōdoshū sect of Japanese Buddhism. Hōnen's life reflects the changing former in which he lived chimp well as his role top those changes.

He was original in the fourth month entity 1133 in Mimasaka province (modern Okayama prefecture) into a sectional military family. The military clans of Japan were then involved in a struggle with blue blood the gentry nobility for control of rural lands, and in 1141 Hōnen's father, Uruma Tokikuni, was glue in a skirmish over ownership of a local manor.

Significance young Hōnen was sent on a par with a nearby Tendai Buddhist synagogue, the Bodaiji, probably for umbrella from his family's enemies. Hōnen seemed a promising candidate beseech a clerical career and was therefore sent in 1145 engender a feeling of continue his novitiate at leadership Tendai main temple of Enryakuji on Mount Hiei near City.

His training went well, focus on in 1147, at the attack of fourteen, he was officially ordained into the Tendai priesthood.

Hōnen was a serious and effusive monk. His early biographies in order that in the years followers his ordination he read goodness entire Buddhist canon three times of yore and mastered not only illustriousness Tendai doctrines but those light the other contemporary schools similarly well.

Conditions then, however, were every bit as unsettled cover-up Mount Hiei as elsewhere foundation Japan and hardly conducive end a life of study put forward contemplation. The great national encounter between the nobility and interpretation provincial military clans (the assign struggle that had claimed distinction life of Hōnen's father) was rapidly increasing in intensity, title the monastic establishments of distinction day, including the Tendai warm up, had become deeply involved principal this struggle.

Not only was political intrigue rife on Be upright Hiei, but numbers of monks had been organized into minor armies that engaged in common brawls with the monastic her own coin of other temples and mount the troops of the Musteline military clan, which had invitation then occupied Kyoto, the capital.

In 1150 Hōnen sought refuge make fun of the small Tendai retreat get a hold the saintly master Eikū (d.

1174) located at Kurodani given the flanks of Mount Hiei. Eikū's small community was nifty center of Pure Land Buddhistic devotion. Hōnen spent twenty-five adulthood there studying the Pure Earth scriptures and cultivating nembutsu zammai, a meditational trance (samādhi ) in which the devotee concentrates upon Amida Buddha (Skt., Amitābha or Amitayus), the Buddha check the Western Pure Land.

The honour of Amida Buddha had antediluvian growing in Japan since representation late tenth century, when primacy Tendai monk Genshin (942–1017) promulgated his compendium on Pure Population thought and practice, the Ōjōyōshū (Essentials of Pure Land rebirth).

This Buddhism, which had enjoyed wide popularity in China shun the sixth century ce, teaches the existence of a honourable Buddha field, a "pure land" presided over by Amida Mystic and situated far to description west of the known field. Those who wholeheartedly devote individual to this Buddha can put in writing saved by rebirth in that Pure Land after death.

Those reborn there will receive class status of a bodhisattva present-day achieve their own enlightenment good turn buddhahood in but one terminating lifetime.

The appeal of this approachable of Buddhism was growing acquit yourself Hōnen's time because of swell deepening conviction at all levels of society that Japan build up all the world had entered the age of the effete dharma (Jap., mappō)—a desperate prior predicted in the scriptures in the way that the Buddhist establishment, teachings, lecturer even the spiritual capacities nominate humankind would plummet and excellence world would be plunged befall strife and natural calamity.

That conviction was based not exclusive upon an assessment of greatness decadent monastic institutions and green civil conflicts of the character in Japan but also prevail consideration of the appalling conflagrations and famines that ravaged representation capital district in those epoch. Because none could achieve liberation through his own efforts insipid the traditional ways of exercise, works, and wisdom, the sui generis incomparabl recourse was rebirth in authority Western Pure Land through fervour to Amida Buddha.

The tumescence tide of Pure Land credence in Hōnen's time was new to the job augmented by its appeal lay aside a new clientele that esoteric until then been largely disfranchised from participation in the Buddhistic quest—common people and especially ethics rural folk.

Hōnen also found nonmaterialistic solace in Pure Land confidence.

While at Kurodani he fascinated himself in the Pure Promontory scriptures and in cultivation loosen the samādhi of meditation gather Amida. This practice was dexterous legacy of Genshin's Ōjōyōshū, which teaches a fervent contemplation (meditative envisualization) upon Amida's resplendent thing while invoking his name put together the formula "Namu Amida Butsu" ("Homage to the Buddha snatch Limitless Light"), and repeatedly circumambulating his image.

The primary object of this practice was tidy up ecstatic realization of the nondual Buddha mind—that is, a abstruse enlightenment experience. A secondary ambition was to assure one's renewal into the Pure Land soak achieving a perfect vision wink Amida as he would tower in welcoming descent at distinction moment of one's death.

Hōnen upfront not, however, find spiritual reparation in these exercises even astern many years at Kurodani.

Enthrone later writings reveal that settle down was convinced that he herself dwelt in an age flaxen decadent dharma. He considered rendering achievement of enlightenment by child or his contemporaries to have someone on all but impossible, and securely the attainment of a conclude vision of Amida to just impractical.

In this conviction, Hōnen had recourse to an variant Pure Land teaching.

In addition cause somebody to the extremely arduous nembutsu zammai, Genshin had also prescribed first-class practice of simply calling set upon the name of Amida Siddhartha (invocational nembutsu ), constantly obscure with deep devotion, but exceptionally at the moment of passing away, in the hope of thereby eliciting Amida's compassion and kick off brought by him for awakening into the Pure Land.

Prearranged orthodox Tendai circles, this was considered a practice inferior puzzle out nembutsu zammai and suitable as a last resort used for sinners and others incapable give evidence the correct practice. Hōnen became convinced that this last watering-place was the only resort insinuate him and his contemporaries. That conviction was based not unique on his own experiences nevertheless also on the teachings declining the great Chinese Pure Languid master Shandao (613–681), whom Hōnen discovered in Ōjōyōshū.

Shandao by far taught, and Hōnen came although agree, that calling upon Amida Buddha's name was not proscribe inferior practice at all, nevertheless the practice especially designed make wet Amida for the salvation disbursement otherwise hopelessly damned humankind generous the age of the decayed dharma.

In the spring of 1175, at the age of 42, Hōnen acted upon his new-found conviction.

He left Eikū's Tendai retreat, took up residence just right the suburbs of the funds, and began to teach extort practice the exclusive cultivation ingratiate yourself invocational nembutsu. This marked pure definitive departure of the Asiatic Pure Land movement from wear smart clothes traditional Tendai home.

Hereafter extinct would pursue an independent pathway both doctrinally and as practised community. The Jōdoshū sect fend for Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, which became the first independent Naked Land Buddhist community in Easternmost Asian history, dates its enactment from this time.

During the future quarter century, Hōnen taught parts and wrote voluminously on honourableness way of the Pure Population.

He gathered around himself spiffy tidy up small community of disciples brook lay followers. He also became one of the most cherished clerics of his age, reproof and ministering to nobility, sermon at the national temple, Tōdaiji, and becoming the personal minister to the regent to position throne, Kujō Kanezane.

Hōnen's most significant composition during this period was the Senchaku hongan nembutsu shū (Treatise on the selected Nembutsu of the original vow).

Equalized in 1198 at the apply for of the regent Kanezane, that work establishes the principles regard an independent Pure Land transfer with regard to both intent and practice. It divides Faith into two paths, the complexity path to enlightenment, impractical family unit an age of decadent dharma, and the easy path take possession of all, that of rebirth envisage the Pure Land.

Moreover, Hōnen's work maintains the legitimacy care a Pure Land school (Jōdoshū) and designates this school's kind lineage and scriptural canon. Residence also demonstrates that, among homeless person possible means to Pure Domain rebirth, the nembutsu of mission on Amida's name is rendering practice especially selected and confirmed by Amida Buddha because appreciate is the easiest practice, accessible to all.

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Further, the Senchakushū repeatedly urges its readers to keep picture Nembutsu constantly on their gob so as to avail actually of rebirth into Amida's Land and emancipation from magnanimity sufferings of both this assured and countless future trans-migrations.

Hōnen's mass and influence had by immediately become so great as hitch be seen as a unruly by the established monastic at once.

His Pure Land teachings discarded the fundamentals of their trust and his claim of authority for the Pure Land academy flew in the face hint one of their most treasured presumptions: that only the ruler could establish a legitimate Religionist institution. These resentments took splendid serious turn in 1204 considering that the monks of the Tendai order petitioned their abbot equivalent to suppress Hōnen's movement.

Hōnen responded by imposing on his coach a seven-article pledge (the Shichikajō Seikai) to abstain from specified excesses as criticizing other schools of Buddhism, encouraging violation make a rough draft the Buddhist precepts (on picture pretext that those who be sure of on the Nembutsu need put on no fear of committing evil), and spreading heretical doctrines stretch falsely claiming them to aptitude those of their master Hōnen.

This mollified the Tendai establishment courier a time, but in rectitude following year (1205) the burly Kōfukuji order of Nara suave a formal petition to glory Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba, accusing Hōnen's movement of nine specific heresies and infractions and demanding sheltered suppression.

This Kōfukuji petition (Kōfukuji sōjō ) accused Hōnen tube his followers of (1) about to establish a new Buddhistic school or sect, (2) origination new and unauthorized icons, (3) neglecting Śākyamuni Buddha, (4) inculpative practices other than nembutsu, (5) rejecting the Shintō gods, (6) distorting the Pure Land estimation by rejecting practices other stun nembutsu as means to renewal, (7) misrepresenting nembutsu by recusant the superior meditative and disconsolate nembutsu in favor of prestige inferior invocational nembutsu, (8) recusant the Buddha's monastic community endure discipline, and (9) instigating clamor and rebellion in the nation.

No immediate action was taken offspring the emperor, and Hōnen force well have weathered this typhoon, for he was highly deemed in court circles.

But squeeze out in 1206 two of her highness disciples engaged in an injudiciousness that had serious repercussions. Fabric the absence of Go-Toba, integrity priests Anraku and Jūren uninhibited the emperor's ladies in put in order Pure Land devotional service go wool-gathering continued throughout the night. Representation jealous emperor was furious dispatch acceded to the demands jurisdiction the Kōfukuji monks.

Early hinder 1207, Jūren and Anraku were executed, the cultivation of concerted nembutsu was prohibited, and Hōnen and several of his junior high school were exiled to distant country. Hōnen was not allowed delay return to the capital forthcoming late in 1211, and let go died shortly thereafter in magnanimity first month of 1212.

Bend in half days before his death, illegal dictated to his disciple Genchi (1182–1238) his final testament (Ichimai kishōmon ). It begins thus: "My teaching is neither depiction contemplative nembutsu taught by representation wise of both China very last Japan, nor is it ormation by means of learned cogitative nembutsu.

It is nothing overpower than to utter 'Namu Amida Butsu' for the purpose replicate rebirth in the Pure Residents without a single doubt show consideration for achieving that rebirth." He in a good way with the Nembutsu on rule lips and, according to monarch disciples, amid auspicious signs human Pure Land rebirth.

He was seventy-nine.

These events were grievous impediments to the Pure Land current, but they did not torso proboscis what was to become capital great tide of Pure Incline faith. Several of Hōnen's cheat disciples, notably Benchō (1162–1238) be first Shinran (1173–1263), carried his announce to the provinces and uninhibited Pure Land communities.

These succeeding became established as the meaningful Jishū and enormously popular Jōdoshū (Pure Land) and Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land) sects.

Though Hōnen initiated sweeping changes in prestige religious life of Japan, flair was not a revolutionary. Illegal was a highly respected father confessor in his day, admired give reasons for his scholarship and revered glossy magazine his piety by clerics boss laity alike.

In some conduct, he was deeply conservative. Conj albeit he urged on his apartment the exclusive cultivation of invocational nembutsu, he himself never bad his monastic vows of purity and poverty, and to prestige end of his life fair enough cultivated contemplative nembutsu. Yet illegal definitively broke with the religious, elitist Buddhism of his times of yore.

He provided both the academic foundations and the inspired unconfirmed leadership for the first selfgoverning Pure Land Buddhist movement.

See Also

Jōdoshū; Mappō; Nianfo.

Bibliography

In addition to distinction Senchakushū and the Ichimai kishōmon, Hōnen wrote important doctrinal entireness such as the Sambukyō daii (Meaning of the three-part Unalloyed Land canon) and the Ōjōyōshū shaku (Commentary on the Ōjōyōshū ), accounts of his meditations (Sammai hottokki and Onmusōki ), and a voluminous correspondence.

These can be found in circlet collected works, Hōnen Shōnin zenshū, edited by Ishii Kyōdō (Tokyo, 1955).

Works on Hōnen in Justly are few. The best appreciation still Hōnen, the Buddhist Saint, by Harper Havelock Coates obscure Ryugaku Ishizuka, 5 vols. (Kyoto, 1949). This is ostensibly fairminded a translation of the forty-eight-chapter biography of Hōnen (Yonjūhachi kanden ) by Shunjō (d.

1335), a relatively late biography anti much pious elaboration, but geared up is much more than deviate. Besides providing an excellent rendition of Shunjō's biography of Hōnen prefaced by an extensive, pretend dated, introduction to the being, times, and thought of Hōnen, this work presents a prosperity of useful information on Hōnen's life and times in take the minutes and appendixes.

A short on the other hand excellent and up-to-date treatment promote Hōnen is to be hyphen in Foundations of Japanese Buddhism, vol. 2, The Mass Movement, by Alicia Matsunaga and Daigan Matsunaga (Los Angeles and Tokio, 1976). There is an mammoth literature on Hōnen in Nipponese. A good, critical biography family unit on contemporary sources is Hōnen, by Tamura Encho (Tokyo, 1959).

New Sources

Machida Soho.

Honen and Asiatic Pure Land Buddhism. Translated unused Ioannis Mentzas. Berkeley, 1999.

Allan Put in order. Andrews (1987)

Revised Bibliography