Resources
Who was Buddha?
What is Buddhism?
Where on land & net
When did Pure Land develop?
Why Jodo Shu?
How to be a Buddha
Daily Meditation
More Information
Who was Buddha?
What is Buddhism?
Where on land & net
When did Pure Land develop?
Why Jodo Shu?
How to be a Buddha
Daily Meditation
More Information
Please bear with us as we populate this page. In the meantime, check out The Jodo Shu home page that summarizes Honen Shonin's teachings here.
Honen Shonin was the founder of the Jodo Shu school. He studied for many years in the Tendai school at Mt. Hiei. He was trained in both the Sanmai and Sugiu lineages of Tendai. He also was exposed to nembutsu practices, and may have also been taught within the Ohara tradition.
Honen extensively studied Shan-tao's Commentary on the Meditation Sutra, which lead to his development of Nembutsu as the exclusive practice of his Pure Land school.
One of his best known disciples was Shinran Shonin, who considered himself a disciple of Honen until his death. The followers of Shinran later founded the Jodo Shin Shu school of Pure Land Buddhism.