Shinran

Shinran (Japanese亲 鸾; * 1173, † 1263 ), founder of the Amidism ( " Pure Land Buddhism " ) associated with the school Jōdo Shinshu of Japanese Buddhism. Shinran was a member of only the Tendai and the Jōdo shū on which he based his system and of which he demarcated by the rejection of monasticism.

Shinran one of the great innovators of Buddhism and is considered the father of the Buddhist lay movement, which has since as the foundation of Buddhism and essential part of the fourfold community - is considered consisting of monks, nuns, lay students and student nurses. His school, the Jōdo Shinshu, the following is the Nichiren shū largest denomination of Japanese Buddhism deeply rooted in popular belief the country. In this teaching, the Pure Land of Shinran is interpreted to utter a new way in which it is based mainly on the three sutras of the Pure Land: the Great - Pure Land Sutra (Japanese Muryōju - kyō ), the Small - Pure Land Sutra (Japanese Amida - kyō ) and the Meditationssutra (Japanese Kanmuryōju - kyō ).

In German-speaking countries, in particular the religious philosopher Volker Zotz has dealt in different plants with Shinran and his teachings. As religious teachings of Shinran teaching was introduced in Europe in the fifties of the 20th century by Harry Pieper, who based his interpretation on the Japanese text Tannishō, contains the collected sayings of Shinran.