One-Sheet Document
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The is a document written by the founder of the Japanese Pure Land
Buddhism school, Hōnen, two days before his death. The document is meant to summarize Hōnen's teachings for future generations, and serves as his final testament. The document was written on January 23rd, during the second year of Kenryaku (1212) and contains less than 300 words.
The document affirms Hōnen's belief that ultimately sentient beings are deluded and ignorant, but that through the entrusting of Amida
Buddha, and through the recitation of the nembutsu, one can be reborn in the Pure Land
. Of note is the statement:
This emphasized Hōnen's belief in an egalitarian form of Buddhism
which contrasted with medieval Japanese Buddhism that emphasized many years of monastic study, and difficult esoteric practices not accessible to the majority of the population.
The full text of the One-Sheet document originally posted at the Jodo Shu English website is as follows:
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
Buddhism school, Hōnen, two days before his death. The document is meant to summarize Hōnen's teachings for future generations, and serves as his final testament. The document was written on January 23rd, during the second year of Kenryaku (1212) and contains less than 300 words.
The document affirms Hōnen's belief that ultimately sentient beings are deluded and ignorant, but that through the entrusting of Amida
Amitabha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
Buddha, and through the recitation of the nembutsu, one can be reborn in the Pure Land
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
. Of note is the statement:
This emphasized Hōnen's belief in an egalitarian form of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
which contrasted with medieval Japanese Buddhism that emphasized many years of monastic study, and difficult esoteric practices not accessible to the majority of the population.
The full text of the One-Sheet document originally posted at the Jodo Shu English website is as follows: