HONEN

born May 13, 1133, Inaoka, Mimasaka province, Japan died Feb. 29, 1212, Kyoto original name Seishimaru, later Genku, also called Honen Shonin, Enko Daishi, or Ganso Buddhist priest, founder of the Pure Land (Jodo) Buddhist sect of Japan. He was seminal in establishing Pure Land pietism as one of the central forms of Buddhism in Japan. Introduced as a student monk to Pure Land doctrines brought from China by Tendai priests, he stressed nembutsu (recitation of the name of Amida Buddha) as the one practice necessary for salvation.