Jodo Shinshu - Jodo Shinshu

Japanese: 浄土真宗 - じょうどしんしゅう

A sect of Buddhism founded by Shinran (1173-1262), a disciple of Honen (Genku), who founded the Pure Land sect. It is also abbreviated as Shinshu. In the past, it was also commonly called Ikkoshu or Montoshu. Along with the Jodo sect Chinzeiha, Jodo sect Seizanha, and Jishu, it forms the mainstream of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, and accounts for about 20% of Japan's total population.

[Mitsuyuki Ishida]

history

Shinran first studied at Mount Hiei and converted to Honen's exclusive nembutsu in 1201 (Kennin 1), but when Honen was exiled to Shikoku in 1207 (Shogen 1), he was forced to return to secular life and was exiled to Echigo provincial capital. After about four years of exile, he married Eshinni, and thereafter lived the life of a non-monk, non-layperson, devout nembutsu believer in Echigo, Kanto, and Kyoto, but this attitude, combined with the content of his beliefs, shaped the course of a religious organization in which monks and laypeople were treated equally.

In the last years of Shinran's life, an incident occurred in the Kanto region in which his eldest son Zenran, who claimed to be a heretic, was disowned, but this was resolved with the cooperation of influential disciples such as Shoshin. After Shinran's death in 1262, his youngest daughter Kakushinni (1224-1283), in cooperation with her husband Ononomiya Zennen and disciple Kenchi, built a mausoleum for Shinran in Otani in Higashiyama, Kyoto, and donated the entire mausoleum to Shinran's disciples to be managed jointly by them, with Shinran's descendants acting as caretakers for the mausoleum while he was away. After that, the position of caretaker was succeeded by Kakushinni's eldest son, Kakue (son of her late husband, Hino Hirotsuna, 1239/1249-1307), but incidents occurred when Kakue's half-brother Yuizen (son of Zennen, 1266-1317) seized the Otani mausoleum. However, thanks to the efforts of disciples in the Kanto region, the matter was resolved, and a system was established in which the mausoleum was jointly managed by Shinran's disciples.

Kakue's eldest son, Kakunyo (1270-1351), barely managed to get the consent of the Shinran sect to take up the post of caretaker (rusushiki) and give the temple the name Hongan-ji. However, he made extraordinary efforts to establish the formal and religious structure of the Shin Buddhist sect, and showed a strong tendency to view himself as the legitimate orthodox and sovereign of the legal and lineage of Saint Shinran of Otani Byo Hongan-ji Temple. As a result, he placed his eldest son, Zonkaku (1290-1373), who was highly respected by all his disciples, in a state of shunning for the rest of his life, and he also exiled the Takada sect of Senshu-ji school of Shinbutsu (1209-1258) and Kenchi (1226-1310) in the Kanto region, the Wada sect of that sect in Mikawa (Aichi Prefecture), and Ryogen in Higashiyama, Kyoto. The Bukkoji sect of Nyodo (?-1352) of Echizen (Fukui prefecture) and the Sanmonto sect of Kibe Jiku (?-1351) of Goshu (Shiga prefecture) all showed a tendency to defect from Honganji.

The caretaker of the Otani Shrine Honganji Temple was later succeeded by Zennyo, Shakunyo, Gyonyo and Zonnyo, but compared to the prosperity of the Bukkoji school, their influence only expanded slightly towards the Hokuriku region and they began to decline. However, the 8th head of Honganji, Rennyo (1415-1499), whose simple "Ofumi" (letters) ("Gobunsho") were used to promote the spirit of unity and promote the Nembutsu missionary work, reunited the entire Shinran school, and the Honganji sect flourished. After Rennyo, he was succeeded by Jitsunyo, Shonyo and Kennyo (1543-1592), but the rise of the Ikko Ikki uprising by followers in the Hokuriku region and the battle against Oda Nobunaga at Ishiyama Honganji in Osaka were not peaceful times. The peace issue following the Ishiyama War prompted Kennyo's third son, Junnyo (1577-1650), to inherit Hongan-ji Temple with the approval of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his second son, Kenson (1564-1594), to inherit Kosho-ji Temple, founded by Kyogo (1451-1492), who had converted to Rennyo and split off from the Bukko-ji school, and his eldest son, Kyonyo (1558-1614), who had not immediately agreed to peace with Nobunaga and was living alone, received a donation of temple land from Ieyasu and built Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. After this, Hongan-ji Temple split into two sects, with Junnyo's lineage known as the Hongan-ji school (Nishi Hongan-ji) and Kyonyo's lineage known as the Otani school (Higashi Hongan-ji).

Later, in the Edo period, the policy of national isolation in response to Christianity and other trends established the Honmatsu system and the Danka system in the Shinshu sect, and the number of temples increased, but they were only promoted slightly in teaching and proselytizing, and became extremely ineffective in terms of religion. At the beginning of the Meiji period, when Shimaji Mokurai and Akamatsu Renjo returned from a study tour of Western Europe, they attempted to establish the uniqueness of the Shinshu sect, promote religious freedom, and modernize the sect by reforming the education system, which continues to this day. It consists of ten sects: (1) Honganji, (2) Otani, (3) Takada, (4) Bukkoji, (5) Kosei, (6) Kibe, (7) Sanmonto, (8) Seishoji, (9) Yamamoto, and (10) Izumoji.

As the term "Jodo Shinshu" appears in Shinran's main work, Kyogyoshinsho, East and West Honganji petitioned the shogunate in 1774 (An'ei 3) to adopt it as their sect name, but the Jodo sect's Zojoji temple opposed this, and the matter was fought over for a long time. In 1872 (Meiji 5), the government issued a notice stating that the sect should be called "Shinshu," and the matter was settled, with the sects being called "Shinshu Otaniha" and "Shinshu Honganjiha." Currently, of the 10 Shinshu sects, only the Honganji sect calls itself "Jodo Shinshu," while the other 9 sects call themselves "Shinshu."

[Mitsuyuki Ishida]

Doctrine

It is based on the assertions of Shinran in "Kyogyoshinsho" and other texts. Therefore, it regards the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures "The Sutra of Immeasurable Life", "The Sutra of Contemplation of Immeasurable Life", and "The Sutra of Amitabha" as the fundamental sutras, and places great importance on the sacred texts of the seven patriarchs, Nagarjuna, Tenjin (Vasuppada), Donran, Doshaku, Zendo, Genshin, and Honen, as well as the writings of Kakunyo and Zonkaku, and Rennyo's "Ofumi". In the practice of chanting Namu Amida Butsu, the teachings emphasize that we must deeply reflect on our ego-centered way of life and the light and call of the power of the original vow and the power of others (the power of the 18th vow), which is the driving force behind Amida Buddha's enlightenment in the Pure Land as a manifestation of the truth of selflessness and dependent origination, and that we must cultivate a real life filled with selflessness, equanimity, and great compassion, always hoping to realize a Pure Land.

[Mitsuyuki Ishida]

"The Essentials of Shinshu, compiled and published by Ryukoku University, 3 volumes (1927-1939)" ▽ "The Essentials of Shinshu, compiled and published by Ryukoku University, 1 volume (1953)" ▽ "History of Honganji, compiled and published by the Honganji Historical Materials Research Institute, 3 volumes (1961-1969)" ▽ "The Development of the Doctrine of Shinshu, by Fugen Daien (1963, Nagata Bunshodo)" ▽ "Studies on the History of Shinshu, compiled by the Miyazaki Endo 60th Birthday Memorial Association (1966, Nagata Bunshodo)" ▽ "Studies on the History of the Establishment of Shinshu, by Hosokawa Yukinobu (1977, Hozokan)" ▽ "The Organization and Systems of the Shinshu Sect, by Chiba Noritaka (1978, Dohosha Publishing)"

[References] | Shinran | Hongan-ji Temple | Rennyo

Jodo Shinshu/Abbreviated family tree
©Shogakukan ">

Jodo Shinshu/Abbreviated family tree

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

浄土の一宗を創唱した法然(ほうねん)（源空）の門弟親鸞(しんらん)（1173―1262）によって開かれた仏教の一派。真宗とも略称する。古くは俗に一向宗(いっこうしゅう)、門徒宗ともいわれた。浄土宗鎮西派(ちんぜいは)や浄土宗西山派(せいざんは)、時宗(じしゅう)などとともに日本浄土教の主流を形成し、日本の総人口の約20％を占めている。

［石田充之］

歴史

最初叡山(えいざん)に学び、1201年（建仁1）法然の専修念仏(せんじゅねんぶつ)に帰した親鸞は、1207年（承元1）法然が四国方面へ流罪となったとき還俗(げんぞく)させられて越後(えちご)国府に流罪となる。4年ばかりの配所の生活を送るころに恵信尼(えしんに)と結婚、その後、越後・関東・京都にわたる非僧非俗の在家者(ざいけしゃ)的な念仏教化生活を送るが、その態度は、彼の主張内容と相まって、僧俗一体平等の同朋(どうぼう)教団としての歩みを形成する。

　親鸞の晩年に異端を主張した長子善鸞(ぜんらん)の義絶事件などが関東方面で起こるが、性信(しょうしん)などの有力門弟の協力により収拾され、その末女(すえのこ)覚信尼(かくしんに)（1224―1283）は、親鸞没（1262）後その廟所(びょうしょ)を夫の小野宮禅念(おのみやぜんねん)や門弟顕智(けんち)らと協力して京都東山大谷(おおたに)につくり、廟所全体を親鸞門弟に寄進して、門弟の共同管理とし、留守役をいちおう親鸞の子孫が勤めていくこととする。その後、留守役は、覚信尼より長子覚恵(かくえ)（亡夫日野広綱の子、1239／1249―1307）が継ぐが、覚恵の異父弟唯善(ゆいぜん)（禅念の子、1266―1317）の大谷廟所押領専有事件などが起こる。しかし関東の門弟などの努力により落着し、廟所は親鸞門弟が共同で管理していく体制が確立された。

　覚恵の長子覚如(かくにょ)（1270―1351）は、親鸞門流の同意をかろうじて得て留守役（留守職(るすしき)）につき本願寺の寺号を掲げるが、彼は真宗教団の形態的なまた信仰的な体制の確立に異常な努力を払い、大谷廟本願寺親鸞聖人(しょうにん)を受け継ぐ法統・血統の正統者・主権者であるといった傾向を強く示した。そのため、門弟一同に信望の厚い長子存覚(ぞんかく)（1290―1373）をも一生涯義絶状態に置き、関東の真仏(しんぶつ)（1209―1258）・顕智（1226―1310）の高田門徒専修寺派(せんじゅじは)、その系統の三河(みかわ)（愛知県）の和田門徒(わだもんと)、京都東山の了源(りょうげん)（1295―1352）の仏光寺派(ぶっこうじは)、越前(えちぜん)（福井県）の如道(にょどう)（？―1352ころ）らの三門徒派(さんもんとは)系、江州(ごうしゅう)（滋賀県）の木部（木辺）(きべ)慈空(じくう)（？―1351）の錦織寺派(きんしょくじは)などが、いずれも本願寺離反の傾向を示す。

　大谷廟本願寺の留守職は、のち善如(ぜんにょ)―綽如(しゃくにょ)―巧如(ぎょうにょ)―存如(ぞんにょ)と継がれるが、その勢力は仏光寺派の繁栄に比しわずかに北陸方面に教線を伸ばすのみで衰退に赴く。しかし本願寺第8代蓮如(れんにょ)（1415―1499）の平易な『御文(おふみ)』（『御文章(ごぶんしょう)』）による同朋精神高揚の念仏伝道は親鸞門流全体を再結集し、本願寺教団の隆盛をみる。蓮如以後、実如―証如(しょうにょ)―顕如(けんにょ)（1543―1592）と継がれるが、北陸門徒による一向一揆(いっこういっき)の勃興(ぼっこう)、大坂石山本願寺(いしやまほんがんじ)の織田信長との戦いなど安泰ではなかった。石山合戦での和睦(わぼく)問題を契機として顕如の三男准如(じゅんにょ)（1577―1650）が豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)の裁可により本願寺を継ぎ、次男顕尊(けんそん)（1564―1594）は蓮如に帰依(きえ)し仏光寺派より分かれた経豪(きょうごう)（1451―1492）がおこした興正寺(こうしょうじ)を継ぎ、信長との和睦にただちに応ぜず部屋住みとなっていた長子教如(きょうにょ)（1558―1614）は家康より寺地の寄進を得て東本願寺を建てた。以後本願寺は2派に分かれ、准如の系統を本願寺派（西本願寺）、教如の系統を大谷派（東本願寺）と称する。

　その後、江戸時代のキリスト教などに対応する鎖国政策は、本末制(ほんまつせい)、檀家制度(だんかせいど)などを真宗教団にも確立し寺院の増加をみるが、わずかにその教学、布教などを振興するのみで、宗教的にはきわめて無力化される。明治時代の初め、島地黙雷(しまじもくらい)、赤松連城(あかまつれんじょう)らが西欧の視察留学より帰るや、真宗教団の独自性の確立、信仰の自由を図り、学制の改革などによる教団の近代化を企て現在に至る。(1)本願寺派、(2)大谷派、(3)高田派、(4)仏光寺派、(5)興正派、(6)木辺派(きべは)、(7)三門徒派、(8)誠照寺派(じょうしょうじは)、(9)山元派(やまもとは)、(10)出雲路派(いずもじは)の10派よりなる。

　なお、「浄土真宗」の語は親鸞の主著『教行信証(きょうぎょうしんしょう)』にみえるところから、東・西本願寺は1774年（安永3）これを宗名とすることを幕府に願いいでたが、浄土宗増上寺がこれに反対し、いわゆる宗名問題として長く争われた。1872年（明治5）政府より「真宗」と称すべき旨の通達が出されて決着、「真宗大谷派」「真宗本願寺派」と称した。現在、真宗10派のうち本願寺派のみは「浄土真宗」を、他の9派は「真宗」を称している。

［石田充之］

教義

親鸞の『教行信証』などの主張をその根幹とする。したがって、大乗仏教経典なる『無量寿経(むりょうじゅきょう)』『観無量寿経(かんむりょうじゅきょう)』『阿弥陀経(あみだきょう)』を正依(しょうえ)の経とし、龍樹(りゅうじゅ)、天親(てんじん)（世親(せしん)）、曇鸞(どんらん)、道綽(どうしゃく)、善導(ぜんどう)、源信(げんしん)、法然の七祖の聖典、覚如・存覚の諸著、蓮如の『御文(おふみ)』などが重視される。南無阿弥陀仏と称(とな)える称名念仏の実践において、人間の自我欲中心的な生き方を、無我・縁起因縁生(えんぎいんねんしょう)の真理の現れとしての阿弥陀仏の浄土の悟りの躍動力なる本願力他力(ほんがんりきたりき)（第十八願力）の光・呼声(よびごえ)のなかに、心底深く内省せしめられ、つねに清浄土(しょうじょうど)の実現を願いつつ無我・平等・大慈悲心のあふれる現実生活を開拓することを力説する教えである。

［石田充之］

『龍谷大学編・刊『真宗要義』全3巻（1927～1939）』▽『龍谷大学編・刊『真宗要論』全1巻（1953）』▽『本願寺史料研究所編・刊『本願寺史』3巻（1961～1969）』▽『普賢大円著『真宗教義の発達』（1963・永田文昌堂）』▽『宮崎円導還暦記念会編『真宗史の研究』（1966・永田文昌堂）』▽『細川行信著『真宗成立史の研究』（1977・法蔵館）』▽『千葉乗隆著『真宗教団の組織と制度』（1978・同朋舎出版）』

[参照項目] | 親鸞 | 本願寺 | 蓮如

浄土真宗／略系図

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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