Monshu
The Monshu (門主 or 門首), or keeper of the gate is a term used to Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism that refers to the spiritual leader of either the Nishi Honganji branch, or the Higashi Honganji branch, both direct descendants of its founder Shinran. However, different kanji are used: 門主 by Nishi Honganji, and 門首 by Higashi Honganji.[1] The pronunciation is the same. In the related Jodo Shu sect, the head of Chion-in temple is also called 門主, but it is pronounced monsu instead. The term is derived from an earlier term, monzeki (門跡) still in use by some other sects.
History
[edit]The Monshu in Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism began as the guardian of Shinran's mausoleum, but grew to become the head of the sect. This position started after Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu, returned to Kyoto from the provinces after the exile of 1207 (i.e. the Jogen Persecution of 1207) was rescinded. Shinran returned with his daughter, Kakushinni (覚信尼, 1224-1281?), who cared for him until his death as well as a few disciples. After death, a mausoleum was constructed (named Hongan-ji in 1321) to hold Shinran's image and ashes at Ōtani, in Kyoto.
After Shinran's death, his grandson Nyoshin (如信, 1235-1300) was recognized as the heir to Shinran's teachings, but Shinran's daughter Kakushinni later installed her son Kakue (覚恵, 1239–1307), as caretaker of the mausoleum, who then chose his own son Kakunyo (覚如, 1271–1351) as heir. Due to Kakunyo's matrilineal descent via grandmother Kakushinni, as opposed to patrilineal descent, Kakunyo relied on his tutelage under Nyoshin to claim right of status as the next monshu over potential rivals.[2] In time the small temple grew into what is now the Hongan-ji temples (both east and west).
Lineage
[edit]Nishi Honganji-sect
[edit]According to the Nishi-Hongaji sect website, the list of Monshu is as follows:[3][4]
| Order | Names | Japanese | Dates Alive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shinran | 親鸞 | 1173-1263 | Founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect, disciple of Honen |
| 2 | Nyoshin | 如信 | 1235-1300 | Grandson of Shinran |
| 3 | Kakunyo | 覚如 | 1270-1351 | Great-grandson of Shinran, Studied under Nyoshin, his father's cousin, and use this to affirm his claim to title despite his matrilineal descent. |
| 4 | Zennyo | 善如 | 1333-1389 | |
| 5 | Shakunyo | 綽如 | 1350-1393 | |
| 6 | Gyonyo | 巧如 | 1376-1440 | |
| 7 | Zonnyo | 存如 | 1396-1457 | |
| 8 | Rennyo | 蓮如 | 1415-1499 | Reformer of Jodo Shinshu-sect, instrumental in strengthening the influence of Honganji sub-sect vis-a-vis other Jodo Shinshu sects. His ofumi letters are still recited as part of liturgy today. |
| 9 | Jitsunyo | 実如 | 1458-1525 | Second son of Rennyo |
| 10 | Shōnyo | 証如 | 1516-1554 | Jitsunyo's grandson |
| 11 | Kennyo | 顕如 | 1543-1592 | Shōnyo's son. Kennyo administered Ishiyama Hongan-ji, cathedral fortress of the Ikkō-ikki during the Sengoku Jidai and one of the most fierce opponents of Oda Nobunaga. For his service, Toyotomi Hideyoshi granted land for the Nishi Honganji temple, while his brother Kyōnyo was later granted another plot of land by Tokugawa Ieyasu forming the Higashi Honganji temple. |
| 12 | Junnyo | 准如 | 1577-1630 | Son of Kennyo, he built the Tsukiji Hongan-ji temple in Tokyo and was recognized by the Tokugawa Shogunate as head of the new Honganji-ha subsect. |
| 13 | Ryōnyo | 良如 | 1612-1662 | |
| 14 | Jakunyo | 寂如 | 1651-1725 | |
| 15 | Jūnyo | 住如 | 1673-1739 | |
| 16 | Tannyo | 湛如 | 1716-1741 | |
| 17 | Hōnyo | 法如 | 1707-1789 | |
| 18 | Monnyo | 文如 | 1744-1799 | |
| 19 | Honnyo | 本如 | 1778-1826 | |
| 20 | Kōnyo | 広如 | 1798-1871 | |
| 21 | Myōnyo | 明如 | 1850-1903 | |
| 22 | Kyōnyo | 鏡如 | 1876-1948 | |
| 23 | Shōnyo | 勝如 | 1911-2002 | noteworthy for his efforts to help spread Jōdo Shinshū teachings abroad. |
| 24 | Sokunyo | 即如 | 1945- | |
| 25 | Sennyo | 専如 | 1977- | Current monshu as of writing. |
Higashi-Honganji-sect
[edit]The linage for the Higashi Hongaji (or Ōtani) sect is the same as above, but splits after the 11th Monshu, Kennyo, and continues as follows:
| Order | Names | Japanese | Dates Alive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Kyōnyo | 敎如 | 1558-1614 | Brother of Kennyo, the 11th monshu. Due to his support for Tokugawa Ieyasu he was granted land for a second Honganji temple: the current Higashi Honganji. |
| 13 | Sennyo | 宣如 | 1604-1658 | |
| 14 | Takunyo | 琢如 | 1625-1671 | |
| 15 | Jōnyo | 常如 | 1641-1694 | |
| 16 | Ichinyo | 一如 | 1649-1700 | |
| 17 | Shinnyo | 真如 | 1682-1744 | |
| 18 | Jūnyo | 従如 | 1720-1760 | |
| 19 | Jōnyo | 乗如 | 1744-1792 | |
| 20 | Tatsunyo | 達如 | 1780-1865 | |
| 21 | Gonnyo | 嚴如 | 1817-1894 | |
| 22 | Gennyo | 現如 | 1852-1923 | |
| 23 | Shōnyo | 彰如 | 1875-1943 | |
| 24 | Sennyo | 闡如 | 1903-1993 | After Sennyo is a gap of 3 years until 1996 when new Monshu is installed. |
| 25 | Ōtani Chōken (Jōnyo) |
大谷 暢顯 (淨如) |
1930- | |
| 26 | Ōtani Chōyū (Shūnyo) |
大谷 暢裕 (修如) |
1951- | Current monshu as of writing.[1] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "門首の紹介" (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ Tsang, Carol R. (2007). War and Faith: Ikko Ikki in Late Muromachi Japan (Harvard East Asian Monographs). Harvard University Asia Center. p. 15-17. ISBN 0674025091.
- ^ "本願寺の歴史" (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ "Lineage of the Hongwanji Head Priests". Retrieved 5 May 2025.
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