Master Honen & His Students (1)

I've made a list of Master Honen and his students. It was so interesting to know many prominent scholars and priests at that time studied and practiced Nenbutsu under the guidance and teachings by Master Honen (1133-1212).  They all loved and respected Honen and they called him true master.   However their understandings of the teachings of Honen started to be different each other, especially after the passing of Honen.  As you know, this caused their students to have new schools later, which include our denomination of Jodo Shu, Jodo Shin Shu which is one of the biggest Japanese Buddhist Sanghas and so on.

I am so impressed by the great presence of our Master Honen again.  The list above looked like a huge river for me.   Yes, because our master is such a huge river, it is naturally to have so many tributaries or branch rivers. This is just like a huge tree has so many branches.   Again, because master Honen was so outstanding, many people were so attracted and followed the master.  

This could mean.....in order to know the entire river of master Honen, it's better to know the other branch rivers of denominations, too.   By knowing more about others, we should know more about ourselves. 

It is my hope through the studying of Honen's students, I can be more flexible to accept others and cultivate humanity.  At the same time, I wish I can offer help to more people through what I am learning from master Honen.  Namu Amida Butsu.