Honen Shonin

Honen Shonin was a Japanese Buddhist priest who lived in the late 12th to early 13th centuries. He founded the Pure Land school of Buddhism, which emphasizes devotion to Amitabha Buddha and the practice of reciting the Nembutsu, or "Namu Amida Butsu," as a means to attain enlightenment and spiritual salvation. Honen taught that, in a time when personal merit was difficult to achieve, reliance on Amitabha's compassion and grace was the most effective path for ordinary people to reach the Pure Land, a realm of peace and enlightenment. His teachings significantly shaped Japanese Buddhism.