Teach­ing
Jodo Shin­shu (The True Essence of Pure Land Bud­dhist Teaching)

Founder
Shin­ran Shonin

Date of birth
May 21, 1173

Date of death
Jan­u­ary 16, 1263

Name of School
Jodo Shin­shu Hongwanji-ha

Head Tem­ple
Ryukoku-zan Hong­wanji (Nishi Hongwanji, Kyoto, Japan)

Object of Rev­er­ence
Amida Tatha­gata (Namo Amida Butsu)

Scrip­tures
The Three Pure Land Sutras deliv­ered by Shakya­muni Buddha
• Bus­setsu Mury­oju Kyo [The Sutra of the Bud­dha of Immea­sur­able Life]
• Bus­setsu Kam­mury­oju Kyo [The Sutra of Con­tem­pla­tion of the Bud­dha of Immea­sur­able Life]
• Bus­setsu Amida Kyo [The Sutra on Amida Buddha]

Shin­ran Shonin’s writ­ings
• Shoshin Nem­but­suge [Hymn of True Entrust­ing Heart and the Nem­butsu], excerpt from the “Chap­ter on Prac­tice” ofKyo­gyoshin­sho
• Jodo Wasan [Hymns of the Pure Land]
• Koso Wasan [Hymns of the Pure Land Mas­ters]
• Shozomatsu Wasan [Hymns of the Dharma-Ages]

Ren­nyo Shonin’s Gob­un­sho Let­ters
Teach­ing: Attain­ing the “entrust­ing heart”—awakening to the com­pas­sion of Amida Tatha­gata (Bud­dha) through the work­ing of the Pri­mal Vow—we shall walk the path of life recit­ing Amida’s Name (Nem­butsu).  At the end of life, we will be born in the Pure Land and attain Bud­dha­hood, return­ing at once to this delu­sional world to guide peo­ple to awakening.

Way of Life
Guided by the teach­ing of Shin­ran Shonin, we shall lis­ten to the com­pas­sion­ate call­ing of Amida Tatha­gata and recite the Nem­butsu.  While always reflect­ing on our­selves, amidst our feel­ings of regret and joy, we shall live express­ing our grat­i­tude with­out depend­ing on peti­tionary prayer and superstition.

Pur­pose
The Hong­wanji is a com­mu­nity of peo­ple joined together in rever­ing the teach­ing of Shin­ran Shonin and say­ing the Nem­butsu.  We seek to share with oth­ers the wis­dom and com­pas­sion of Amida Tatha­gata.  By doing so, we shall work toward the real­iza­tion of a soci­ety in which every­one is able to live a life of spir­i­tual fulfillment.