Hōnen founded Jōdo Shū on the principle that Amida's Primal Vow made the nembutsu the sole practice needed for salvation. His exclusive devotion to Amida transformed Japanese Buddhism from an elite institution into a mass movement.
Hōnen devoted his life to teaching the path to Amida's Jōdo, founding Jōdo Shū to make the Pure Land accessible to all through the nembutsu alone.
Shinran was Hōnen's most devoted disciple. Hōnen taught exclusive nembutsu practice; Shinran radicalized this by teaching that even faith itself is Amida's gift, not human effort. Together they founded the two largest Pure Land schools in Japan.
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