Great.Hohnen
Honen was the direct mentor of Shinran, and one of the Seven Spiritual Ancestors whose lives, works and understanding of the Nembutsu Way were formative to Shinran's spiritual solution to life. Honen was the first of the masters of the New Buddhism of the Kamakura period. Honen was a Dharma student of the master Eiku in Kurodani. Of particular importance to his understanding was the "Kangyosho&quot (Commentary on the Sutra of Contemplating Amida) of Zendo (Shandao), the sixth century giant of Chinese Jodomon Buddhism. Tendai illuminati Genshin's "Ojoyoshu" ,also assisted enabling him to reach attainment of Other-Power (tariki) understanding of the Absolute Grace of Awakening. Building a hermitage in Yoshimizu, he taught the singular way of Nembutsu (Heart Understanding of Buddhism) through invocation of the name and title (myogo) of Amida Buddha. So popular was Honen's practical and effective teaching of spiritual awakening that he was persecuted by the dominant Buddhist establishment. Initially sentenced to be exiled to Tosa, his sentence was lessened in severity by efforts of Kanazane Fujiwara, resulting in banishment to Shikoku. Shinran was banished to Echigo for a longer period, resulting in he and hist master never meeting again.