One thought and many thoughts - Ichinengi Tanengi

Japanese: 一念義･多念義 - いちねんぎたねんぎ

A debate arose among Honen's disciples regarding rebirth through nembutsu. Ichi-nen-gi states that one can attain rebirth through believing in Amida's original vow and chanting the nembutsu once, while tanen-gi states that one must chant the nembutsu as many times as possible until the moment of death in order to attain rebirth. The former was established by Gyoku and Kosei, while the latter was advocated by Ryukan. Ichi-nen-gi was followed in Kyoto and the Hokuriku region during Honen's lifetime, and placed emphasis on a single thought of faith, belittling the practice of nembutsu through multiple thoughts, eventually coming to be rejected. Some people were so insistent on rebirth through one thought that they engaged in anti-social behavior, breaking the precepts and committing evil, which was one of the factors behind the oppression of exclusive nembutsu.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

法然門下におこった念仏往生に関する論争。弥陀の本願を信じておこす，ひとたびの念仏で往生できるとするのが一念義，往生には臨終までできるだけ多くの念仏を唱える必要があるとするのが多念義。前者は行空，幸西らの立義，後者は隆寛の主唱にかかる。一念義は法然の在世中から京都･北陸方面で信奉され，一念の信心決定（けつじよう）に重きを置き，多念の念仏行を軽視し，やがて否定した。一念往生を主張するあまり，破戒造悪をいとわない反社会的行為にはしるものも出て，専修念仏弾圧の一因となった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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