* 1212 – Hōnen, Japanese religious reformer ( b. 1133 )

* Hōnen, founder of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism or Jōdo shū.

Nichiren, Hōnen, Shinran, and Dōgen — all famous thinkers in non-Tendai schools of Japanese Buddhism — were all initially trained as Tendai monks.

This period saw the introduction of the two schools that had perhaps the greatest impact on the country: ( 1 ) the Amidist Pure Land schools, promulgated by evangelists such as Genshin and articulated by monks such as Hōnen, which emphasize salvation through faith in Amitabha and remain the largest Buddhist sect in Japan ( and throughout Asia ); and ( 2 ) the more philosophical Zen schools, promulgated by monks such as Eisai and Dogen, which emphasize liberation through the insight of meditation, which were equally rapidly adopted by the upper classes and had a profound impact on Japanese culture.

, also known as Jōdo Buddhism, is a branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the Japanese ex-Tendai monk Hōnen.

* Hōnen Shōnin ( Genkū ), religious founder

* Hōnen, founder of Jodo Shu, a branch of Pure Land Buddhism ( b. 1133 )

* Shinran, disciple of Hōnen and founder of Jōdo Shinshū sect.

Hōnen, founder of the Jōdo-shū Pure Land sect, likewise sought advice from Hossō scholars of his time as a novice monk, and later debated with them after establishing his sect.

Shinran was a pupil of Hōnen and the founder of what ultimately became the Jōdo Shinshū sect in Japan.

From that time on, Shinran considered himself, even after exile, a devout disciple of Hōnen rather than a founder establishing his own, distinct Pure Land school.

Hōnen ( the founder of the Pure Land Buddhism in Japan ) concisely outlines the essential doctrines ( reciting Amida ’ s name, repentance, deep faith guarantee rebirth in the Pure Land ).

* 1175: Hōnen Shōnin ( Genkū ) founds the Jōdo shū ( Pure Land ) sect of Buddhism.

Hōnen ( 1133 – 1212 ) established Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan, known as Jōdo Shu.

* 1133 – 1212: Hōnen establishes Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan.

Another Hossō scholar, Jōkei was among Hōnen's toughest critics, and frequently sought to refute his teachings, while simultaneously striving to make Buddhism more accessible to a wider audience as Hōnen by reviving devotion to Maitreya Bodhisattva and teaching followers the benefits of rebirth in the Tusita Heaven, rather than the Pure Land of Amitabha.

While in exile, Shinran sought to continue the work of Hōnen and spread the doctrine of salvation through Amida Buddha's compassion, as expressed through the nembutsu practice, however in time his teachings diverged from Hōnen enough that later followers would use the term Jōdo Shinshū or " True of the Pure Land Sect ", as opposed to Jōdo-shū or " Pure Land Sect ".

Hōnen ( 1133 – 1212 ) another ex-Tendai monk, left the tradition in 1175 to found his own sect, Jōdo shū (" Pure Land School ").

1175: Hōnen introduces the Jōdō ( Pure Land ) school to Japan.

Another disciple, Shinran founded the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, which diverges somewhat doctrinally, but otherwise is heavily influenced by Hōnen and his teachings.

* Hōnen and his followers are exiled to remote parts of Japan, while a few are executed, for what the government considers heretical Buddhist teachings.

* 1207: Hōnen and his followers are exiled from Kyoto or executed.

There, while engaged in intense practice, he experienced a vision in which Avalokitesvara appeared to him as Prince Shōtoku, directing Shinran to another disillusioned Tendai monk named Hōnen.

In 1201, Shinran met Hōnen and became his disciple.

Though the two only knew each other for a few years, Hōnen entrusted Shinran with a copy of his secret work, the Senchakushū.

Hōnen would die later in Kyoto in 1212.

* 1201 Shinran becomes a disciple of Hōnen and leaves Mt.

Continuous chanting of the nembutsu ( namu amida butsu ), is not necessary, as Hōnen, his mentor, had believed.

Following the retreat, in 1201, Shinran left Mount Hiei to study under Hōnen for the next six years.

During this period, Hōnen taught the new nembutsu-only practice to many people in Kyoto society and amassed a substantial following, but also increasingly came under criticism by the Buddhist establishment in Kyoto.

The latter continued to criticize Hōnen and his followers, even after they pledged to behave with good conduct, and to not slander other Buddhists.

* 1212 Hōnen passes away in Kyoto & Shinran goes to Kantō

* January 12, 1212 ( Kenryaku 1, 20th day of the 12th month ): The Buddhist priest Hōnen died at age 80, mere days after drafted a brief, written summary of his life teachings.

Eventually, Hōnen was pardoned and returned to Kyoto in 1211, but died soon after in 1212, just two days after writing his famous One-Sheet Document.

* 1989 – Konosuke Matsushita, Japanese industrialist, founder of the Panasonic Corporation ( b. 1894 )

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* 1222 – Nichiren Daishonin, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism ( d. 1282 )

File: Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses. jpg | Kanō Masanobu, 15th-century founder of the Kanō school, Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses, Japanese

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Its stated goal was for unity with China under the Three Principles of the People, created by KMT founder Dr. Sun and opposition to Japanese and French Imperialists.

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* 1279 – Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon.

The founder of Japanese Tendai decided to reduce the number of rules down to about 60 ( Enkai ).

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* April 23 – Georges Ohsawa, Japanese diet founder ( b. 1893 )

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* Nichiren, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism -( October 13 )

* Saichō, Japanese Buddhist monk, founder of the Tendai school

* Shinran, Japanese founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism ( d. 1263 )

* February 16 – Nichiren, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism ( d. 1282 )

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* January 19 – Dogen, Japanese founder of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism