Kyōgyōshinshō

work by Shinran

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The Kyōgyōshinshō is a seminal work by Shinran, the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land School) of Japanese Buddhism. This school emphasizes faith and the recitation of Amida Buddha's name as the path to rebirth in the Pure Land. Shinran, an influential religious thinker, believed that in the current age of mappō (the decline of Buddhist law), Amida's "other power" is the sole means to enlightenment, accessible even to the "evil person". This teaching led to the abandonment of clerical celibacy within the Shin school. The Kyōgyōshinshō compiles scriptural quotations and Shinran's interpretations, solidifying his unique understanding of Pure Land Buddhism.12

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Shinran
Life
In addition to completing the Kyōgyōshinshō, he composed doctrinal treatises, commentaries, religious tracts, hymns of praise (wasan), and other works, both to confirm his own understanding of Pure Land Buddhism and to convey his views to others.
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In addition to completing the Kyōgyōshinshō, he composed doctrinal treatises, commentaries, religious tracts, hymns of praise (wasan), and other works, both to confirm his own understanding of Pure Land Buddhism and to convey his views to others.
Read More