Jodo Shinshu Patriarchs
Encyclopedia
The Seven Patriarchs of Jodo Shinshu were seven Buddhist monks who helped develop Pure Land Buddhism
. Shinran
, founder of Jodo Shinshu
Buddhism, established a lineage for Pure Land Buddhist
thought that traced to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Between the Buddha and Shinran
, the Seven Patriarchs each contributed to Pure Land Buddhism
at different eras and different regions of the world, as summarized in the Jodo Shinshu
hymn, the Shoshinge
. Shinran quoted the writings and commentaries of the Patriarchs in his major work, the Kyogyoshinsho
.
The Seven Patriarchs, in order are:
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
. Shinran
Shinran
was a Japanese Buddhist monk, who was born in Hino at the turbulent close of the Heian Period and lived during the Kamakura Period...
, founder of Jodo Shinshu
Jodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
Buddhism, established a lineage for Pure Land Buddhist
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
thought that traced to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Between the Buddha and Shinran
Shinran
was a Japanese Buddhist monk, who was born in Hino at the turbulent close of the Heian Period and lived during the Kamakura Period...
, the Seven Patriarchs each contributed to Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
at different eras and different regions of the world, as summarized in the Jodo Shinshu
Jodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
hymn, the Shoshinge
Shoshinge
The Shōshinge or The Hymn of True Faith was written by the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, Shinran. It consists of an outline of the Pure Land teaching according to Shinran's personal interpretation...
. Shinran quoted the writings and commentaries of the Patriarchs in his major work, the Kyogyoshinsho
Kyogyoshinsho
, often abbreviated to , is the magnum opus of Shinran Shonin, the founder of the Japanese Buddhist sect, Jodo Shinshu. The work was written after Shinran's exile, and is believed to have been composed in the year 1224...
.
The Seven Patriarchs, in order are:
- NagarjunaNagarjunaNāgārjuna was an important Buddhist teacher and philosopher. Along with his disciple Āryadeva, he is credited with founding the Mādhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism...
, India - VasubandhuVasubandhuVasubandhu was an Indian Buddhist monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. However, some scholars consider Vasubandhu to be two distinct people. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism...
, India - Tan-luanTan-luanTánluán was a Chinese Buddhist monk. He is credited by Hōnen as the founder of Pure Land Buddhism in China. He is also considered the Third Patriarch in Japanese Jodo Shinshu Buddhism....
, China - Tao-choTao-choTao-cho , who lived 562–645, was a Chinese Buddhist scholar of the Nirvana Sutra, but later became an eminent scholar of the Pure Land school. In Jodo Shinshu, he is considered the fourth Patriarch. According to legend, Tao-cho once visited the temple of Tan-luan, and read an inscription on the...
, China - Shan-taoShan-taoShan-tao was an influential writer for the Pure Land school of Buddhism, prominent in China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan. His writings had a strong influence on later Pure Land masters including Hōnen and Shinran in Japan....
, China - GenshinGenshinGenshin , also known as Eshin Sozu, was the most influential of a number of Tendai scholars active during the tenth and eleventh centuries in Japan...
, Japan - Hōnen, also known as Genku, Japan