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Hongan-ji

May 14, 2024

Hongan-ji (本願寺, Temple of the Primal Vow), also archaically romanized as Hongwanji, is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism (which further sub-divides into the Nishi and Higashi branches). 'Hongan-ji' may also refer to any one of several actual temple buildings associated with the sect. Nishi Honganji (西本願寺) and Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) are two major temples in Kyoto.[1][2]

Nishi Honganji, Kyoto
Higashi Hongan-ji, Kyoto

Early history edit

The Hongan-ji was established as a temple in 1321, on the site of the Ōtani Mausoleum, where Shinran, the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū ("True Pure Land") was buried. The mausoleum was attended by Shinran's grandson (through daughter Kakushinni), Kakue.[3] Kakue's own son, Kakunyo, became the first chief priest of the Hongan-ji and third monshu (spiritual leader), and dedicated it to the worship of Amitābha (Amida). The Hongan-ji first gained power and importance in the 15th century, when Rennyo became its eighth monshu. However, the Tendai sect based on Mount Hiei saw this expansion as a threat and attacked the Hongan-ji three times with its army of sōhei. Rennyo fled to Yoshizaki-gobō, where he established a new temple compound.

During the Sengoku period, fearing the power of the monks of the Hongan-ji, Oda Nobunaga tried to destroy it. For ten years, he laid siege to the Ishiyama Hongan-ji in Osaka, one of the two primary temple fortresses of the sect. In 1580, the abbot of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji, Kennyo, surrendered, while his son Kyōnyo refused to surrender, for which he was publicly disowned.[4]

After the death of Nobunaga in 1582 and the ascent of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kennyo was rewarded for his opposition to Nobunaga by being granted land in Kyoto, at the site of modern-day Nishi Hongan-ji (西本願寺, "Western Hongan-ji"; sometimes called the Honpa Hongan-ji 本派本願寺). He was succeeded by his legitimate son, Junnyo, as abbot in 1592. While his brother Kyōnyo re-established the Osaka Hongan-ji in 1596 with local support, owing to his refusal to surrender to Nobunaga earlier. After the death of Hideyoshi in 1598, Kyōnyo openly supported Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became shōgun in 1602. In reward for his loyalty, Kyōnyo was rewarded with land for a temple in Kyoto to the east of Nishi Honganji, which then became known in 1603 as Higashi Honganji (東本願寺 "Eastern Hongan-ji"). In 1619 the government recognized the two entities as separate congregations. It is popularly believed, however mistakenly, that the institution was split in two in order to maintain control of the order.[5][6]

Modern divisions of the Hongan-ji edit

Nishi Hongan-ji edit

Formally known as the Jodo-Shinshu Honganji-ha, it is the largest of all the Jodo Shinshu branches. Compared with the Higashi Hongan-ji, it has a history of institutional stability that accounts for high membership figures, and a larger geographical reach, but fewer well-known modern thinkers. The Nishi Hongan-ji has a sizable number of overseas temples in the United States, South America, Hawai'i, Canada, and Europe which are organized into several kyodan ("districts"). The largest of these is the Buddhist Churches of America.

The Hongwanji International Center, to the east of Nishi Hongan-ji, coordinates dialogue with Jōdo Shinshū organizations around the world and produces translation work.

The Nishi Hongan-ji operates the Hongwanji Publishing Company[7] which produces books, music, films, and anime about Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism. They also publish a bimonthly newspaper, the Hongwanji Journal and their website includes, among other things, a TV channel devoted to explaining Buddhism and Hongan-ji's everyday operations.

Higashi Hongan-ji edit

 
Higashi Honganji - Kaisando Gate (Goeidō Mon), built in 1911, 31 m (103 ft) x height 27 m (90 ft), 59,387 roof files

Higashi Hongan-ji is one of the two dominant subsects of Jōdo Shinshū, the other being the Nishi Honganji.

During the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s, the government set down new guidelines for the management of religious organizations. An organization called Ōtani-ha was put in control of Higashi Hongan-ji. In 1987, this temple was renamed Shinshū Honbyō "Shinshū Mausoleum", although the earlier name is still used. The buildings have not been changed or moved, and of course the historical cultural and religious significance of the place has not changed.

Due to opposition to the creation of the Ōtani-ha, and a number of other controversies and disputes such as the Ohigashi schism, several new Higashi Hongan-ji branches came into existence such as the Higashiyama Hongan-ji, founded in Kyoto in 1996 by Otani Korin, and the Tokyo Higashi Hongan-ji, whose current leader is Otani Koken. Despite, or perhaps even because of, this climate of instability, the Higashi Hongan-ji movement has also produced a significant number of controversial but influential thinkers, such as Soga Ryōjin, Kiyozawa Manshi, Kaneko Daiei and Akegarasu Haya, amongst others.

The largest Higashi Hongan-ji grouping, the Ōtani-ha has approximately 5.5 million members, according to statistics.[8]

Joint activities edit

In recent years some members of the Honganji sects have been involved in high-profile protests against the visits of Japanese politicians to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.

Along with the other non-Honganji Jōdo Shinshū subsects, the Honganji issued a statement opposing the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Important Hongan-ji buildings edit

Higashi Hongan-ji edit

The Shinshū Honbyō, the mausoleum of Shinran, is now owned by the Ōtani-ha but is still commonly called Higashi Hongan-ji (東本願寺) by Kyoto visitors and locals. The massive Goei-dō (also known as Mie-dō), or Founder's Hall Gate, is often one of the first things one sees walking north from JR Kyōto Station. Nearly identical to the Nishi Hongan-ji head temple in layout, it too features an Amida-dō, and a larger Mie-dō. The Mie-dō at Higashi Hongan-ji dates from 1895 and vies with a number of other structures for the claim of largest wooden building in the world.

A few blocks from the main grounds of the Higashi Hongan-ji is the Shosei-en garden, owned by the temple. Poet-scholar Ishikawa Jozan and landscape architect Kobori Masakazu are said to have contributed to its design in the 17th century.

Nishi Hongan-ji edit

The Nishi Honganji, like the Higashi Honganji, features a huge Goeidō (御影堂), Kaisando and a smaller Amida-dō (阿弥陀堂) or Amitābha hall housing an image of Amitābha. Nishi Hongan-ji's Kura (倉), or storehouse, houses many National Treasures, most of which are not on view for the public. The shoin (書院), or study hall, is also quite famous; it is split into two sections, the shiro-shoin(白書院), or white study hall, and the kuro-shoin(黒書院), or black study hall.

Nishi Hongan-ji also contains a large shōgun complex from the medieval period, which was largely moved into the temple from elsewhere in Kyoto in the 16th century. This includes Hiunkaku (飛雲閣), a large tea pavilion, four Noh stages, one of which is thought to be the oldest in existence and the other being the largest outdoor Noh stage, and the Kokei no Niwa (虎渓の庭) garden.

Some medieval parts of Nishi Hongan-ji are now independent organizations: Ryukoku University and Kōshō-ji.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Honganji Temples". www.japan-guide.com. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  2. ^ "Exclusive Interview with Kungyokudo: Japan's Oldest Incense Maker - Magnifissance". 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  3. ^
  4. ^ Alicia., Matsunaga (1993). Foundation of Japanese Buddhism. Vol. II, The mass movement (Kamakura & Muromachi periods). Matsunaga, Daigan. Los Angeles: Buddhist Books International. pp. 123–4. ISBN 0914910280. OCLC 137242947.
  5. ^ Digital Daijisen (ed.). "Hompa honganji". Kotobank. Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  6. ^ Alicia., Matsunaga (1993). Foundation of Japanese Buddhism. Vol. II, The mass movement (Kamakura & Muromachi periods). Matsunaga, Daigan. Los Angeles: Buddhist Books International. pp. 124–5. ISBN 0914910280. OCLC 137242947.
  7. ^ Hongwanji Publishing Company
  8. ^ Andreasen, Esben (2014). Popular Buddhism in Japan: Buddhist Religion & Culture. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-134-24929-9., pp. 11, 38-39, 101

Bibliography edit

  • Ducor, Jérôme : Terre Pure, Zen et autorité : La Dispute de l'ère Jôô et la Réfutation du Mémorandum sur des contradictions de la foi par Ryônyo du Honganji, avec une traduction annotée du Ha Anjin-sôi-no-oboegaki (Collège de France, Bibliothèque de l'Institut des Hautes Etudes Japonaises); Paris, De Boccard, 2007 (ISBN 978-2-913217-18-8).
  • Popular Buddhism In Japan: Shin Buddhist Religion & Culture by Esben Andreasen, p. 11 University of Hawaii Press 1998, ISBN 0-8248-2028-2
  • Rogers, Minor L and Ann T. (1990). , Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 17 (1), 3-28

External links edit

  • Homepage for Nishi Hongwanji - English
  • Homepage for Shinshu Otani-ha Higashi Honganji Denomination - English
  • Homepage for Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Hongwanji International Center - English
  • Homepage for Higashi Honganji-ha (Tokyo Honganji) - Japanese

34°59′28″N 135°45′04″E / 34.99111°N 135.75111°E / 34.99111; 135.75111

May 14, 2024
hongan, 本願寺, temple, primal, also, archaically, romanized, hongwanji, collective, name, largest, school, jōdo, shinshū, buddhism, which, further, divides, into, nishi, higashi, branches, also, refer, several, actual, temple, buildings, associated, with, sect, . Hongan ji 本願寺 Temple of the Primal Vow also archaically romanized as Hongwanji is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo Shinshu Buddhism which further sub divides into the Nishi and Higashi branches Hongan ji may also refer to any one of several actual temple buildings associated with the sect Nishi Honganji 西本願寺 and Higashi Honganji 東本願寺 are two major temples in Kyoto 1 2 Nishi Honganji Kyoto Higashi Hongan ji Kyoto Contents 1 Early history 2 Modern divisions of the Hongan ji 2 1 Nishi Hongan ji 2 2 Higashi Hongan ji 2 3 Joint activities 3 Important Hongan ji buildings 3 1 Higashi Hongan ji 3 2 Nishi Hongan ji 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksEarly history editThe Hongan ji was established as a temple in 1321 on the site of the Ōtani Mausoleum where Shinran the founder of the Jōdo Shinshu True Pure Land was buried The mausoleum was attended by Shinran s grandson through daughter Kakushinni Kakue 3 Kakue s own son Kakunyo became the first chief priest of the Hongan ji and third monshu spiritual leader and dedicated it to the worship of Amitabha Amida The Hongan ji first gained power and importance in the 15th century when Rennyo became its eighth monshu However the Tendai sect based on Mount Hiei saw this expansion as a threat and attacked the Hongan ji three times with its army of sōhei Rennyo fled to Yoshizaki gobō where he established a new temple compound During the Sengoku period fearing the power of the monks of the Hongan ji Oda Nobunaga tried to destroy it For ten years he laid siege to the Ishiyama Hongan ji in Osaka one of the two primary temple fortresses of the sect In 1580 the abbot of the Ishiyama Hongan ji Kennyo surrendered while his son Kyōnyo refused to surrender for which he was publicly disowned 4 After the death of Nobunaga in 1582 and the ascent of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Kennyo was rewarded for his opposition to Nobunaga by being granted land in Kyoto at the site of modern day Nishi Hongan ji 西本願寺 Western Hongan ji sometimes called the Honpa Hongan ji 本派本願寺 He was succeeded by his legitimate son Junnyo as abbot in 1592 While his brother Kyōnyo re established the Osaka Hongan ji in 1596 with local support owing to his refusal to surrender to Nobunaga earlier After the death of Hideyoshi in 1598 Kyōnyo openly supported Tokugawa Ieyasu who became shōgun in 1602 In reward for his loyalty Kyōnyo was rewarded with land for a temple in Kyoto to the east of Nishi Honganji which then became known in 1603 as Higashi Honganji 東本願寺 Eastern Hongan ji In 1619 the government recognized the two entities as separate congregations It is popularly believed however mistakenly that the institution was split in two in order to maintain control of the order 5 6 Modern divisions of the Hongan ji editNishi Hongan ji edit Formally known as the Jodo Shinshu Honganji ha it is the largest of all the Jodo Shinshu branches Compared with the Higashi Hongan ji it has a history of institutional stability that accounts for high membership figures and a larger geographical reach but fewer well known modern thinkers The Nishi Hongan ji has a sizable number of overseas temples in the United States South America Hawai i Canada and Europe which are organized into several kyodan districts The largest of these is the Buddhist Churches of America The Hongwanji International Center to the east of Nishi Hongan ji coordinates dialogue with Jōdo Shinshu organizations around the world and produces translation work The Nishi Hongan ji operates the Hongwanji Publishing Company 7 which produces books music films and anime about Jōdo Shinshu Buddhism They also publish a bimonthly newspaper the Hongwanji Journal and their website includes among other things a TV channel devoted to explaining Buddhism and Hongan ji s everyday operations Higashi Hongan ji edit nbsp Higashi Honganji Kaisando Gate Goeidō Mon built in 1911 31 m 103 ft x height 27 m 90 ft 59 387 roof files Higashi Hongan ji is one of the two dominant subsects of Jōdo Shinshu the other being the Nishi Honganji During the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s the government set down new guidelines for the management of religious organizations An organization called Ōtani ha was put in control of Higashi Hongan ji In 1987 this temple was renamed Shinshu Honbyō Shinshu Mausoleum although the earlier name is still used The buildings have not been changed or moved and of course the historical cultural and religious significance of the place has not changed Due to opposition to the creation of the Ōtani ha and a number of other controversies and disputes such as the Ohigashi schism several new Higashi Hongan ji branches came into existence such as the Higashiyama Hongan ji founded in Kyoto in 1996 by Otani Korin and the Tokyo Higashi Hongan ji whose current leader is Otani Koken Despite or perhaps even because of this climate of instability the Higashi Hongan ji movement has also produced a significant number of controversial but influential thinkers such as Soga Ryōjin Kiyozawa Manshi Kaneko Daiei and Akegarasu Haya amongst others The largest Higashi Hongan ji grouping the Ōtani ha has approximately 5 5 million members according to statistics 8 Joint activities edit In recent years some members of the Honganji sects have been involved in high profile protests against the visits of Japanese politicians to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine Along with the other non Honganji Jōdo Shinshu subsects the Honganji issued a statement opposing the 2003 invasion of Iraq Important Hongan ji buildings editHigashi Hongan ji edit The Shinshu Honbyō the mausoleum of Shinran is now owned by the Ōtani ha but is still commonly called Higashi Hongan ji 東本願寺 by Kyoto visitors and locals The massive Goei dō also known as Mie dō or Founder s Hall Gate is often one of the first things one sees walking north from JR Kyōto Station Nearly identical to the Nishi Hongan ji head temple in layout it too features an Amida dō and a larger Mie dō The Mie dō at Higashi Hongan ji dates from 1895 and vies with a number of other structures for the claim of largest wooden building in the world A few blocks from the main grounds of the Higashi Hongan ji is the Shosei en garden owned by the temple Poet scholar Ishikawa Jozan and landscape architect Kobori Masakazu are said to have contributed to its design in the 17th century Nishi Hongan ji edit The Nishi Honganji like the Higashi Honganji features a huge Goeidō 御影堂 Kaisando and a smaller Amida dō 阿弥陀堂 or Amitabha hall housing an image of Amitabha Nishi Hongan ji s Kura 倉 or storehouse houses many National Treasures most of which are not on view for the public The shoin 書院 or study hall is also quite famous it is split into two sections the shiro shoin 白書院 or white study hall and the kuro shoin 黒書院 or black study hall Nishi Hongan ji also contains a large shōgun complex from the medieval period which was largely moved into the temple from elsewhere in Kyoto in the 16th century This includes Hiunkaku 飛雲閣 a large tea pavilion four Noh stages one of which is thought to be the oldest in existence and the other being the largest outdoor Noh stage and the Kokei no Niwa 虎渓の庭 garden Some medieval parts of Nishi Hongan ji are now independent organizations Ryukoku University and Kōshō ji See also editList of Special Places of Scenic Beauty Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments Ikkō shu Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto Kyoto Uji and Otsu Cities Tsukiji Hongan ji Tokyo Ishiyama Hongan ji destroyed 1580 now the site of Osaka Castle Yamashina Hongan ji For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism Japanese Buddhist art and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism Hongwanji Mission SchoolReferences edit Honganji Temples www japan guide com Retrieved 2023 02 11 Exclusive Interview with Kungyokudo Japan s Oldest Incense Maker Magnifissance 2021 07 02 Retrieved 2023 02 11 History of the Hongwanji Alicia Matsunaga 1993 Foundation of Japanese Buddhism Vol II The mass movement Kamakura amp Muromachi periods Matsunaga Daigan Los Angeles Buddhist Books International pp 123 4 ISBN 0914910280 OCLC 137242947 Digital Daijisen ed Hompa honganji Kotobank Asahi Shimbun Retrieved 2017 10 12 Alicia Matsunaga 1993 Foundation of Japanese Buddhism Vol II The mass movement Kamakura amp Muromachi periods Matsunaga Daigan Los Angeles Buddhist Books International pp 124 5 ISBN 0914910280 OCLC 137242947 Hongwanji Publishing Company Andreasen Esben 2014 Popular Buddhism in Japan Buddhist Religion amp Culture Taylor amp Francis ISBN 978 1 134 24929 9 pp 11 38 39 101Bibliography editDucor Jerome Terre Pure Zen et autorite La Dispute de l ere Joo et la Refutation du Memorandum sur des contradictions de la foi par Ryonyo du Honganji avec une traduction annotee du Ha Anjin soi no oboegaki College de France Bibliotheque de l Institut des Hautes Etudes Japonaises Paris De Boccard 2007 ISBN 978 2 913217 18 8 Popular Buddhism In Japan Shin Buddhist Religion amp Culture by Esben Andreasen p 11 University of Hawaii Press 1998 ISBN 0 8248 2028 2 Rogers Minor L and Ann T 1990 The Honganji Guardian of the state 1868 1945 Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 17 1 3 28External links editHomepage for Nishi Hongwanji English Homepage for Shinshu Otani ha Higashi Honganji Denomination English Homepage for Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji ha Hongwanji International Center English Homepage for Higashi Honganji ha Tokyo Honganji Japanese 34 59 28 N 135 45 04 E 34 99111 N 135 75111 E 34 99111 135 75111 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hongan ji amp oldid 1219215142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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