An Illustrated Biography of Shinran, Honganji Shonin
(Honganji Shonin Shinran Denne)
Compiled by Kakunyo
Introduction, translation and notes
by Zuio H. Inagaki

Index and Introduction

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Introduction

This work was originally a scroll containing a biography of Shinran by the third chief abbot of Honganji, Kakunyo (1270-1351), along with illustrations painted by Joga Hogen in the tenth month of the third year of Einin (1295). Kakunyo was motivated to produce this in commemoration of the 33rd memorial year of Shinran's death, which fell in 1294. The original scroll was destroyed by fire in 1336 during the civil war between the southern and northern dynasties, but two scrolls copied soon after Kakunyo produced the original have come down to us: one is preserved at Nishi Honganji (dated 12th day of the 10th month in the 3rd year of Einin and entitled "Zenshin Shonin E," "Illustrations of Zenshin Shonin") and the other preserved at Senjuji in Takada (dated 13th day of 12th month in the 3rd year of Einin and entitled "Zenshin Shonin Shinran Denne," "Illustrated Biography of Shinran, Zenshin Shonin"). It seems most likely that the earlier scrolls were copied and spread among the followers. Kakunyo continued to revise the work, and at the age of 74, produced a new version in the second year of Koei (1342); this time he included illustrations painted by Joga's son, Enbu, and his disciple, Soshun. This scroll, called the Koei text, is now preserved at Higashi Honganji. It is presumed that in the original version there were thirteen chapters, but in the Koei version, which became the standard text for later versions, there are fifteen chapters.

At an earlier date, the biographical portion and the illustrations were compiled separately. The former is called "Godensho" and the illustrations, called "Goeden," were reproduced as hanging scrolls. It was Kakunyo's son, Zonkaku (1290-1373), who is presumed to have made the hanging scroll of illustrations for the first time. Two sets of three hanging scrolls, as well as the single scroll, are also known to exist today. The standard type, however, is a set of four scrolls. In 1663, Nishi Honganji made a set of eight scrolls in order to exhibit them in the Goei-do (the hall housing Shinran's statue) during  Hoonko. After the 15th century, the "Goeden" became widespread, exerting a great influence on the spiritual life of Shinshu members. This pervasive influence was attributed to the policy of Rennyo, the eighth chief abbot (1415-1499); he established the rule of granting duplicates of the "Goeden" in four hanging scrolls to Shinshu temples.

During the annual Hoonko services held for a few days before Shinran's memorial day (i.e., January 16 or November 28), priests of all temples recite the "Godensho" and the scrolls are exhibited for general view in the inner sanctuary of the temple.

The "Godensho" describes main features of Shinran's life in fifteen chapters, and the "Goeden," in popular editions, are grouped into twenty sections. The pictures of the "Goeden," granted to Hontokuji in Himeji City in 1504 by the ninth chief abbot Jitsunyo (1458-1525), have been offered to this website, for which the editor wishes to thank Rev. Prof. Akihito Otani.

In preparing this website, the compiler would like to acknowledge his gratitude to Rev. Jokyo G. Gatenby, Rev. Joko J. Paraskevopoulos, and Mr. George Paraskevopoulos, all from Australia, for their kind help in various ways.

Bibliography:
Reizo Hiramatsu, Shinran Shonin Eden, Honganji Shuppansha, 1997.
Shin'ei Takamatsu & Susumu Noda, Shinran Shonin Denne, Otaniha shumusho shuppanbu, 1999 (8th edition).

Table of Correspondence between "Goeden" and "Godensho"<=>

Overall view of the "Goeden" scrolls <=>

Scroll 2<denne-2>	Section	Scroll 1<denne-1>	Section
	(9) Shinran's portrait  (8) Dispute over faith  (7) Faith or practice  (6) Shinran was allowed fo copy the Senjakushu		(5) Ren'i's vision in a dream  (4) Shinran's vision in a dream  (3) Shinran became Honen's disciple (2) Shinran's ordination  (1) Shinran's visit to Jichin

The four hanging scrolls granted to Takanoi Betsuin, Shiga Prefecture, by Rennyo in 1463;
painted on silk; measurements of each scroll: 142.5x78.5cm.

Scroll 4<denne-4>	Section	Scroll 3<denne-3>	Section
	(20) Construction of Otani Mausoleum (19) Cremation of Shinran's body (18) Shinran's passing (17) Heitaro's visit to Kumano Gongen (16) Shinran's visit to Hakone Gongen and Heitaro's question		(15) Conversion of Bennen (14) Missionary work in the countryside  (13) Shinran's exile  (12) Honen's exile (11) Court nobles' meeting (10) Persecution of the nembutsu teaching

Shinran's Family-tree <=>

[Fujiwara Family] Kamatari --- Uchimaro --- Arikuni
[Hino Family] Arikuni - Sukenari - Sanetsuna - Arinobu - Munemitsu - Tsunemasa

Tsunesama	Noritsuna
	Munenari
	Arinori

Arinori | (Kikkonyo)	Shinran
	Jinnu
	Ken'u
	Yui
	Gyoken

Shinran | Eshinni (Tamahi)	Hanni (Inshin)
	Oguro nyobo (Eshin)
	Zenran (Jishin-bo)
	Myoshin (Shinren-bo)
	Arifusa (Dosho)
	Koya zenni
	Kakushinni (Ogozen)

Sources:
"Sonpi bunmyaku" (Lineages of Noble Families)
"Hino ichiryu keizu" (Lineage of the Hino Family) by Jitsugo, the tenth son of Rennyo.
"Kohon Honganji keizu" (Older version of Honganji Lineage)
"Meireki Honganji keizu" (Meireki version of Honganji Lineage)

[Explanation]

Hino Tsunemasa: a descendant of the Fujiwara clan: Shinran's grandfather; vice-governor of Awa Province; notorious for his licentious behavor.
Hino Noritsuna: a court official attending the Ex-emperor Goshirakawa, later appointed Lord of Wakasa Province; the elder brother of Shinran's father who became his foster father after his father left his family when Shinran was very young. When the Ex-Emperor Goshirakawa died in 1192, he renounced the world to become a Buddhist recluse. He accompanied Shinran to the Shoren-in when Shinran was 9 years old.
Hino Munerari: Shinran's uncle; appointed a doctor of literature, and later the vice-minister of the Ceremonial Office.
Hino Arinori: the father of Shinran and his four younger brothers. He is said to have died when Shinran was four years old, but it is more likely that after he retired from his post at the Empress Dowager's office, he lived in seclusion until an older age.
Kikkyonyo: Said to be Arinori's wife and Shinran's mother, but the first record of her appeared about two hundred years later; so her record is considered unreliable.
Shinran: 1173-1262; called Matsuwakamaro and Tsurumitsumaro when he was a child; named Hannen when he received ordination; named Shakku after he became Honen's disciple, which was later changed to Zenshin; finally, he used the name Shinran.
Jinnu: Shinran's brother; ordained at an early age; became the abbot of Zenbo-in and dwelled at its branch temple in Kyoto; Shinran stayed with him in his last years and died at his abode.
Ken'u: Shinran's brother; became a monk and dwelled at Shogo-in.
Eshinni: Believed to be a daughter of Miyoshi Tamenori, a middle-class nobleman who lived in Kyoto (according to other source, he was a man of power in Echigo Province); he was, by family tradition, a follower of Pure Land Buddhism. She is identified with Tamahi, a daughter of Kujo Kanezane, mentioned in the Shinran Shonin Go-innen; she married Shinran in Kyoto and accompanied him to Echigo; she returned to Kyoto with him from Kanto, but went to Echigo alone after she passed 70 years of age; her 11 letters addressed to her daughter Kakushinni are preserved at Nishi Honganji.
Hanni: Said to be Shinran's first son; according to the Kohon Honganji keizu, his mother was Tamahi, Kujo Kanezane's daughter; he became Jien's disciple and was named Daini Ajari, which was later changed to Inshin; he is said to have died at the age of 82.
Oguro nyobo: Shinran's daughter; she attended to Shinran with Eshinni and returned to Kyoto with him; later she went to Echigo, where she married a man. After her death, Eshinni looked after her son and daughter.
Zenran: Shinran's third child; according to theMeireki Honganji keizu , his mother was Tamahi; ordained at an early age and given the name Jishin-bo. When a dispute arose in Kanto after Shinran returned to Kyoto, Zenran was sent there but he taught heretical views and made false remarks about the teaching which he said he had received from Shinran, thereby confusing members of the Shin community in Kanto area. Because of his intolerable behavior, Shinran disowned him in 1256 when he was 84. The Honganji and Kibe schools of Jodoshinshu do not recognize Zenran as Shinran's successor, i.e., the second chief abbot, but the Izumoji and Yamamoto schools accept him as such.
Myoshin: Also Shinren-bo; Shinran's son born in Echigo; he became a Buddhist recluse and remained single all his life; he is said to have performed fudan nembutsu, (uninterrupted recitation of the nembutsu for a fixed period); he died in 1274 at the age of 64.
Arifusa: His Buddhist name was Dosho; Eshinni used to call him 'Masukata' because he lived in Masukata Village in Echigo; he remained a layman, and became a local manor lord. He often visited Kyoto; when Shinran died, he was at his deathbed.
Koya zenni (Ogozen)
Kakushinni: Shinran's youngest daughter, also known as Ogozen; after she came to Kyoto with Shinran, she married Hino Hirotsuna; after the husband's death, she lived with Shinran, looking after him until he died; after Shinran's death, she remarried Onomiya Zennen and gave birth to Yuizen. She built Shinran's mausoleum in the land owned by Zennen and became its first rusushiki (administrator), thereby consolidating the foundation of the Honganji institution.

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