Jōdo Shinshū

Jōdo Shinshū is a Japanese Buddhist school founded by Shinran that centers salvation on entrusting oneself to Amida Buddha’s vow rather than self-powered religious practice.

Amida Buddha: The buddha of the Pure Land whose vow promises birth there to beings who entrust themselves to him. Shinran makes Amida’s vow the source of liberation, not a reward earned through practice.
Shinran: A Japanese Buddhist teacher who founded Jōdo Shinshū and taught reliance on Amida’s Primal Vow. His writings and interpretation of the vow define the school.
Eighteenth Vow: The vow in the Larger Sutra that promises Pure Land birth to beings who entrust themselves to Amida and invoke his name. Shinran treats this vow as the foundation of Amida’s saving action.
Zen Buddhism: A Mahayana Buddhist tradition emphasizing meditation, direct insight, and teacher-guided practice. Its emphasis on disciplined practice contrasts with Shinran’s reliance on Amida’s vow.
Shōshinge: A hymn by Shinran praising the virtues of the Pure Land patriarchs and Amida’s Primal Vow. Its recitation and study give communities a concise expression of Shinran’s teaching.
Primal Vow: The eighteenth vow in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life, promising birth in the Pure Land to those who entrust themselves to Amida. Shinran interprets this vow as the decisive ground of birth in the Pure Land.
Hōnen: A Japanese Buddhist teacher who established an independent Pure Land movement centered on reciting Amida’s name. Shinran studied with Hōnen before developing a distinct account of the nembutsu and salvation.
Amida’s Other-Power: The saving activity attributed to Amida’s vow, which Jōdo Shinshū regards as the source of shinjin and birth in the Pure Land. It describes the agency behind salvation in Shinran’s teaching.
Nichiren Buddhism: A Japanese Buddhist tradition centered on the Lotus Sutra and chanting its title. It offers a distinct Japanese path to liberation, centered on the Lotus Sutra rather than Amida’s vow.
Jōdo Shinshū liturgy: The services, chants, and ritual forms used in Jōdo Shinshū temples and communities. Liturgy makes the school’s gratitude-centered devotion visible in communal practice.

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