Jap., lit. "School of the Pure Land"; school of Japanese Buddhism derived from the Pure Land school of China. The Jodo-shu was brought to Japan, along with other Buddhist teachings, by the monk Ennin (793-864), who studied in China the teachings of the T'ien-t'ai, Mi-tsung, and Pure Land schools. Ennin propagated the practice of reciting the name of Amida (nembutsu). Important representatives of the early period of this school were Kuya (903-72), called the Sage of the Streets, and Genshin (942-1017). In their time recitation of Amida's name was a component of the practice of all Buddhist schools, especially of the Tendai and Shingon schools.

In the 12^th century Honen (1133-1212) founded the actual Jodo school. He wanted in this way to open up an "easy path" for the distressed people of the "last times." He succeeded in assembling a great host of followers around him and forming them into a powerful organization. Since he considered his teaching the supreme one, he alienated the representatives of other Buddhist schools and was condemned to exile in a remote area at the age of seventy-four.

The doctrinal basis of his schoool is provided by the three most important texts of the Pure Land school: Sukhavati-vyuha, Amita-bha-sutra, Amitayurdhyana-sutra. The practice of the Jodo-shu consists exclusively of recit-ing the name of Amida in the formula Namu Amida Butsu ("Veneration to Buddha Amida"). This is essential in order to strengthen faith in Amida, without which rebirth in the Pure Land of Amida (Sukhavatl), the goal of the practice, is impossible. The adherents of the Jodo-shu, unlike those of the Jodo-shin-shu, enter themonastic life.

Kuya was the first adherent of the Amida cult who propagated it publicly. The Sage of the Streets moved through the streets dancing and singing, to a melody invented by himself, the formula for the veneration of Amida, beating rhythm on a bowl. Ryonin, who belonged to the Tendai school, is known particularly for propagating the invocation formula through folk songs. He was strongly influenced by the totalistic philosophy of the Tendai and Kegon schools and developed the "all-pervasive nembutsu": if a person recites the name of Amida, it redounds to the benefit of all men, in this way one can participate in the worship of others. Ryonin's exposition ofthe teaching gained great influence at the imperial coun. After his death the teaching was continued by his students.

Genshin, a monk on Mount Hiei, a center of the Amida school, was persuaded that there must be a means for the liberation of all beings. He expounded such a method in his work on the belief in Amida, in which ten sections described the tortures of the hells (naraka) and the benefits of the Jodo practice. He believed he understood the two essential features of human nature-repulsion and fear of hell and longing for rebirth in the Pure Land. This became one of the most influential works in the history of Japanese Amidism. Genshin, however, was not only a writer; he tried through painting and sculpture to bring his message also to uneducated people. Still, however, the veneration of Amida did not constitute an independent school but was part of the practice of other Buddhist schools.

Only with Honen was this belief institutionalized as the Jodo school. In his work, Senchakushu, on the vows of Amida, Honen presented unequivocally the view that calling upon Amida represented the highest of all religious practices. He distinguished -- following the doctrine of T'ao-ch'o (7^th century), a representative of the Chinese Pure Land school -- between the "sacred" (or "difficult") path of traditional methods, which require strict discipline and effort, and the "path of the Pure Land" (or "easy path"), which requires only faith in Amida and the recitation of his name. Honen was of the opinion that in an age of religious decadence, the majority of humanity is not capable of following the "sacred path"; their only chance is the second path, based on the compassion and help of Amida, on the "power of the other" (tariki).

(excerpted from "The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion", Shambhal a, Boston)