The Five Pure Land Patriarchs

This is the important cultural property of Japan, The Five Pure Land Patriarchs (Jodo Gosozo) of the 13th century, possessed by Nisonin Temple, Kyoto.    It has been said that this is the picture which Chōgen (重源) (1121-1206) brought to Japan from China, being asked by Master Honen (1133-1212).    

According to the Gyojoezu ( The forty eight biographical picture scrolls of Honen Shonin),  Master Honen established the lineage of the Five Pure Land Patriarchs.   This means that it was Master Honen who selected five priests of Pure Land Buddhism in China  to be patriarchs.  Gyojoezu says;

"Though there were many masters who taught the teaching of Pure Land Buddhism,  Honen Shonin selected five high priests among  two "Kosouden" or "Biographies of Eminent Masters" Complied in T'ang Dynasty (China 618- 907) and Sung Dynasty /Southern Song (960-1279).    They were Master T'an-luan曇鸞 (476-542 *Donran),  Master Tao-ch'o道綽 (562-645 *Doshaku),  Master Shan-tao善導(613-681 *Zendo), Master Huai-kan懐感(unknown * Ekan) and  Master Shao-k'ang少康(?-805 *Shoko).   This was the (first)establishment of the Pure Land linage. "   (Gyojoezu, Volume 6, Chapter 8)

Then this establishment needed a proof that Master Honen's selection of lineage was based on the records.  Gyojoezu continued to explaine:

"Master Honen said to Chōgen who was leaving to China, "There must be a picture of the five Pure Land Patriarchs in China.  Make sure to bring it to Japan."    Then Chōgen did search for it everywhere.  When he finally found it, he was deeply impressed by Master's perception (vision)." (Gyojoezu, Volume 6, Chapter 8)

However, historical studies show this lineage cannot be seen nor found in the records of "Kousouden (literally means "biography of high priests") during T'ang and Sung Dynasties.   Names and their explanations were listed but not in a same lineage.  There were many other names, too, listed. 

According to Professor Junji Wakasugi, this Master Honen Shonin's unique selections of five priests are based upon the passage in his Senchakushu.

"Question:  The various schools and sects of the Holy Path each have their own direct line of master-disciple transmission of the Dharma.  (Omission)  Is there any record of such a lineage of successive teachers in the Pure Land school?"

Answer:   The Pure Land school does indeed have its own lineage of transmission just like those of the Holy Path.   However, within this Pure Land school, the lineages differ according to the various masters.   These are the lineages advocated by the Dharma master Hui-yuan  慧遠(334-416)of Lu-shan廬山, by the Tripitaka master Tz'u-min慈愍三蔵(680-748), and by Tao-ch'o 道綽and Shan-tao善導.    Here we will limit ourselves to the lineage advocated by Tao-ch'o and Shan-tao, and discuss its lineage of Dharma transmission.  Concerning it, there are two opinions.   According to one (found in the An-le chi/Anrakushu), the succession is as follows; the Tripitaka master Bodhiruchi　（菩提流支三蔵, the Dharma master Hui-chu'ung慧龍法師, the Dharma master Tao-chang道場法師, the Dharma master Ta'n-luan曇鸞法師, the Dhyana master Ta-hai大海法師, and the Dharma master Fa-shang法上法師.   According to the other, the succession began with the Tripitaka master Bodhiruchi, who was followed by the Dharma master T'an-luan, the Dhyana master Tao-ch'o, the Dhyana master Shan-tao, the Dharma master Huai-kan, and the Dharma master Shao-k'ang (found both in the T'ang kao-seng chuan (Biographies of Eminent Masters Complied in the T'ang Dynasty) and in  the Sung kao-seng-chuan (Biographies of Eminent Masters Complied in the Sung Dynasty)).

Here again, Master Honen said "those lineages were found in the both Biographies of the Eminent Masters Complied in the T'ang and Sung Dynasties" However, none of the biographies of the Eminent priests mentioned these lineages in the Senchakushu.

Therefore the picture of The Five Pure Land Patriarchs (Jodo Gosozo) which Chogen brought back to Japan from China, played an important role to show everybody that Jodo Shu indeed have a lineage.   Originally, five priests in the picture above may not be the Five Pure Land Patriarchs (Jodo Gosozo) .  But by declaring these five were the Five Pure Land Patriarchs (Jodo Gosozo) , Jodo shu was able to establish the basis to spread out.

Based upon the picture above, more pictures of five pure land patriachs were copied as Jodo shu spread out.  The following picture, possessed by Chionji Temple was considered to be imitated from the Nisonin Temple's picture during the 14th century.