Jump to main content
/

Shinran

A Buddhist monk of the Kamakura period who founded the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism in Japan 1173-1262

Shinran, a Buddhist monk of the Kamakura period, was the founder of the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism in Japan. His posthumous name is Kenshin Daishi. As Buddhist names, he used Han'en, Shakku, and Zenshin in addition to Shinran. He was born in Hino, Kyoto. His father, Hino Arinori, was descended from a branch of the Fujiwara clan.

 

As a child, he entered the Buddhist monastery Shoren-in and under Jien, who later became head of the Tendai Sect of Buddhism, entered the priesthood. He trained for 20 years as a monastic monk at Enryaku Temple on Mount Hiei.

 

In 1201 he left Enryaku Temple. He then retired to the temple Rokkaku-do (built by Prince Shotoku) to pray. Prince Shotoku appeared in Shinran's dreams and converted him to the teachings of Honen, founder of the Pure Land Sect.

 

In 1207 Honen was caught up in the Jogen Persecution of Buddhists and exiled to Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture). Though he was pardoned after five years of exile, he remained in Echigo, but in 1214 he traveled to the eastern Japan to proselytize.

 

For about the next 20 years he proselytized throughout Shinano, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi provinces. During this time he secluded himself at Inada, Hitachi Province, and wrote a draft of Kyo gyo shin sho (The True Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Realization of the Pure Land Way), the basic sacred text of the True Pure Land Sect. Already past 60, he then returned to the capital, Kyoto.

 

While frequently changing his residence, he continued to try and make converts and at the same time wrote Sanjo wasan (Three Eulogies), Koso wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land Masters), Jodo monrui jusho (Passages on the Pure Land Way), and Gutoku sho (Excerpts of Shinran's Teachings).

 

After Shinran's death, his disciples established his teachings as an organized sect of Buddhism. In addition, Shinran's grandson Kakunyo wrote Chinese lyrics about Shinran, and a biographical picture scroll, Zenshin shonin e (Pictures of the Holy Priest Shinran), depicting the events in Shinran's life. Later, many additional biographical picture scrolls of Shinran's life, based on this work, were produced. 

The life of Shinran

京都・日野に誕生
青蓮院で得度
比叡山を下り、六角堂に参篭。聖徳太子の示現を得て法然の門に入る
越後配流
関東に出立
帰京
『教行信証』の初稿ができあがる
『浄土和讃』『高僧和讃』を著す
『正像末和讃』を著す
入寂
京都・日野に誕生
1173年

関連するひと・もの・こと

Books

Related Works

Videos

Past Exhibitions

TitleshusaiPlaceopenclose

Institutions Holding Related Materials

  • 京都市東山区にある天台宗の門跡寺院。親鸞は9歳の時、ここで得度した。

  • 京都市中京区にある天台宗系単立の寺院。比叡山を下りた親鸞はここに100日参籠し、聖徳太子の示現を得た。

  • 新潟県上越市にある天台宗の寺院。越後に配流された親鸞が住した竹之内草庵跡が残る。

  • 関東に移った親鸞が20年近くを過ごした稲田草庵跡にたつ寺院。本堂には妻とされる恵信尼像が安置される。

  • 京都市東山区にある親鸞の墓所。

  • 浄土真宗本願寺派総合研究所が運営するサイト。親鸞の生涯などが解説される。

References

  1. 日立デジタル平凡社,平凡社
  2. 湯原公浩,(株)平凡社,東京都
  3. 宝島社