Kakunyo (è¦Âå¦Â, also written as 覺å¦Â; 1271âÂÂ1351) was a key figure of Jà Âdo Shinshà « Buddhism active from the late Kamakura period through the Nanboku-chà  period. He was the great-grandson of Shinran and served as the third Monshu (head priest) of the influential Hongan-ji Temple in Kyoto. As head priest of the à Âtani Hongan-ji, he played a decisive role in transforming Shinran's mausoleum into a fully institutionalized Buddhist temple. He is thus regarded by modern scholars as the de facto founder of Hongan-ji as a true religious institution with a doctrinal orthodoxy and regular services.
Kakunyo was also the first to write a biography of Shinran. He was a prolific author whose works asserted the doctrinal authority of Shinran and the Hongan-ji orthodoxy over numerous deviant views and practices. Kakunyo's liturgies comprise an important part of Jà Âdo Shinshà « services, and he is considered to have contributed significantly to the Hà Âonkà  ceremony. Furthermore, his biography of Shinran, the is still an important source on Shinran's life today.
Kakunyo was born in Kyoto on February 16, 1271. His childhood name was Kà Âsen. His father Kakue was the son of ShinranâÂÂs youngest daughter, Kakushin-ni, while his mother was the daughter of Nakahara, Governor of Suà  Province. Kakunyo's eldest son was the influential Zonkaku, his second son was Jà «kaku, and his grandson Zennyo later became the fourth head of the Hongan-ji lineage. Kakunyo died at Hongan-ji in Kyoto (present-day Sà Âtai-in) on February 23, 1351.
Kakunyo was initially educated in the Tendai school, studying exoteric and esoteric teachings under Jishinbà  Chà Âkai and Sesshà  Hà Âin Sà Âchà  of Enryaku-ji. He was also ordained a monk and studied Hossà  Buddhism at Kà Âfuku-ji, as well as studying Sanron doctrine with Jishà Âbà  Ryà Ânen.
Beginning in around 1287, Kakunyo was educated in the Pure Land teachings of Hà Ânen and Shinran by Nyoshin, ShinranâÂÂs grandson, who visited Kyoto for ShinranâÂÂs monthly memorial services. He also received teachings from Yuien of Kawawada. Kakunyo's study under these two men impacted him deeply, leading him to become seriously committed to the Pure Land teachings of Shinran. His son Zonkaku was born on 1290, and that same year, Kakunyo traveled with his father Kakue and Jinga Hà Âgen to various Shinran-related sites in the Kantà  region. He also pursued extensive Pure Land doctrinal study under Anichibà  Shà Âkà « of the Seizan's school Higashiyama branch at AnâÂÂyà Â-ji. This figure is possibly the author of the Anjin Ketsujà  Shà Â, which Kakunyo cites. Kakunyo also studied Kà ÂsaiâÂÂs teachings under Shà Âen of the Ichinen-gi branchâÂÂs Jikà Â-ji.
In 1294, Kakunyo composed the Hà Âonkà  shiki, which developed the liturgical form of the Hà Âonkà Â, a memorial rite for Shinran. This remains a key yearly ceremony for Shin Buddhism to this day. In 1301 he wrote the Shà «i Kotoku Den, a work which argues that Shinran was Hà ÂnenâÂÂs legitimate successor.
A major turning point in his career was the conflict with Yuizen over succession to the Rusushiki (custodianship) of the à Âtani mausoleum. The conflict began in 1302 and escalated when, in 1306, Yuizen seized the keys to the mausoleum and occupied it. Kakunyo and Kakue sought refuge in Kyoto. In 1309, the Shà Âren-in monzeki ruled that the custodianship should pass to Kakunyo. Yuizen responded by escaping to Kamakura with a sacred image of Shinran and some of his ashes, while destroying the mausoleum. Although the dispute was resolved in KakunyoâÂÂs favor, many Shin followers in the Kantà  region objected to restricting the custodianship succession to blood descendants of Shinran and so they did not unconditionally accept Kakunyo. Kakunyo therefore drafted a twelve-article petition as a condition for assuming the position. Kakunyo then traveled to the Kantà  region in 1310, securing recognition as the custodian after sustained negotiations with the Kantà  Shin congregations (monto). In 1311, for ShinranâÂÂs 50th memorial, he rebuilt both the sacred image and the Eidà  (Hall of the Portrait).
From the early 1310s onwards, Kakunyo worked toward institutional consolidation of Shin Buddhism around the Honganji temple, constructed around the restored mausoleum of Shinran at à Âtani (the à Âtani Byà Âdà Â). In 1312 he briefly adopted the temple name âÂÂSenshà «-jiâ for the mausoleum, withdrawing it after opposition from Mount Hiei. In 1314 he transferred the custodianship to Zonkaku and retired. Kakunyo formally established Hongan-ji temple in 1321, transforming the mausoleum into a temple and converting the custodianship office into the Bettà  Shiki, which incorporated the role of head priest. He also attempted to replace the traditional Jà «ji Myà Âgà  (a scroll with the ten-character nembutsu) as the primary object of veneration (honzon) with a new standing image of Amida, but opposition from Takada sect followers prevented this change.
Doctrinal and administrative disputes with Zonkaku culminated in KakunyoâÂÂs disowning him in 1322 and resuming the role of head priest. The disagreements included disputes over the hereditary succession of the custodianship and over policies for guiding followers in the Kantà  region. The dispute was also partly based on Zonkaku's association with the rival Shin temple of Bukkà Â-ji and its leader Ryà Âgen, which Kakunyo saw as a threat to Honganji influence. This dispute caused serious divisions between Shin Buddhist congregations and various Shin groups withheld their support from Honganji at this time. Despite several attempts by Shin congregations to reconcile the two figures, Kakunyo never trusted Zonkaku again.
In 1331 Kakunyo composed the Kudenshà Â, which articulates the idea of the âÂÂBloodline of Three Generations of Transmissionâ (sandaidenji no kechimyaku) establishing him as the third head of Hongan-ji after Shinran and Nyoshin. The transmission of the teaching is traced through Hà Ânen, Shinran, Nyoshin and Kakunyo, and the bloodline of Shinran is traced through Kakushin-ni, Kakue, Kakunyo. This was an attempt to show that he was the legitimate successor of the Dharma transmitted through the teacher-disciple lineage going back to Hà Ânen and Shinran and to establish the center of the Pure Land community at Honganji.
During the turmoil of the Kenmu era (1334âÂÂ1338), the new Hongan-ji was destroyed by fire in 1336, and the first draft of the Shinran DenâÂÂe was lost. Kakunyo sought refuge at ZonkakuâÂÂs residence in à Âmi. In 1337 he returned to Kyoto, residing at Kuon-ji on Nishiyama and composing the Honganshà  and Gajashà Â. In 1338 Zonkaku was pardoned and restored into office. However, in 1342 Kakunyo again disowned him, resuming authority.
In 1350 Kakunyo pardoned Zonkaku once more, though he arranged for the succession of the head priest office to pass on to Zennyo, the son of his second son Jà «kaku.
Kakunyo died on February 23, 1351. His funeral was held at Ennin-ji. His mausoleum is preserved within the à Âtani Hombyà  (Hongan-ji Nishiyama Betsuin) for the Hongan-ji-ha lineage and the à Âtani Sobyà  for the à Âtani-ha lineage.
Whatever the diversity of Kakunyo's education, he came to develop a strong faith in Shinran's teaching that true faith (shinjin) was the only cause of birth in the Pure Land, while nembutsu was a natural grateful response arising from shinjin. Kakunyo soon became a staunch defender of this view, which differed from the standard Jà Âdo-shà « position that saw the nembutsu itself as the main cause of birth. This also led Kakunyo to see Jà Âdo Shinshà « as being a distinct school of Pure Land Buddhism, one which was different in several respects from the growing Jà Âdo-shà « sect, especially the influential Chinzei branch.
Kakunyo emphasized the importance of the teachings of Shinran, seeking to defend, maintain and promote these teachings as the orthodoxy of Jà Âdo Shinshà « and to stamp out any divergent or heretical teachings that had become widespread at the time. As such he wrote works which attempt to establish and defend the doctrines of Shinran in particular, such as Kudenshà  å£ä¼Âé (Extracts from the oral transmission) and the Gaijashà  æ¹éªé (Extracts correcting heresy).
The issue of the main cause of rebirth being shinjin also became a major point of dispute between Kakunyo and his son Zonkaku, who seemed to be closer or at least more conciliatory to Jà Âdo-shà « doctrines. According to Dobbins, Zonkaku did not consider Shin Buddhism to be a Pure Land school that was completely separate from Jà Âdo-shà «. Zonkaku's teachings also drew from that of other Pure Land schools, such as Seizan. Because of this, Kakunyo saw him as deviating from the true Shin Buddhism of Shinran.
Kakunyo's main efforts revolved around the institutionalization of the Honganji temple tradition and the promotion of the teachings of Shinran. Callahan writes that in order to accomplish this,<blockquote>Kakunyo instituted regular memorial services at the memorial chapel and produced ritual, doctrinal, and illustrated biographies in order to foster a cult of founder worship, transmit and define ShinranâÂÂs teachings, and envision a distinct community in ShinranâÂÂs name. In this context of competing foci of devotion and authority, rival lineages and sacred sites, KakunyoâÂÂs hagiographic vision provided not only a record of ShinranâÂÂs life, but also constructed Shinran as a new source of authority, produced the narrative and ritual structures of remembrance, and located the memory of Shinran and the community in a specific place, the memorial site and later temple, Honganji. Through the Hà Âon kà Âshiki, Kakunyo restructured the memorial services around the virtues of ShinranâÂÂs life, teaching, and community, and reformulated the memorial services as a means through which to establish a karmic connection with Shinran. Similar to the Chion kà Âshiki written by Ryà «kan for Hà Ânen, KakunyoâÂÂs Hà Âon kà Âshiki recognizes Shinran as the âÂÂoriginal teacherâ of the true import for the Pure Land teachings and a manifestation of Amida Buddha. </blockquote>According to Callahan, Kakunyo's efforts also extended towards the promotion of the worship of Shinran himself, now considered to be a manifestation body of Amida and this can be seen in his Hà Âon kà Âshiki and the Shinran denâÂÂe, which he sought to legitimize as sacred texts for the new community.
Callahan also argues that through the Hà Âon kà Âshiki (The Rite for the Repaying of Gratitude), a "ritual biography" of Shinran, Kakunyo introduced a ritual practice that sought to establish karmic relationships or kechien between the devotees and Amida Buddha, manifest as Shinran. The central aspect of this (most clearly expressed in the yearly Hà Âonkà  ceremony) was developing the quality of "responding to benevolence" (hà Âon) which is often translated as "gratitude". According to Callahan, Kakunyo "redefined Shin Buddhist piety and the practice of the nembutsu" as hà Âon, which was now seen as "the essential religious practice fundamental for birth in the Pure Land". Thus, while the focus on gratitude is often said to have been a feature of Rennyo's teaching, for Callahan, "it can be said that Kakunyo reconceived all ritual and religious practice in terms of gratitude".
Kakunyo's writings also stress the importance of himself as the heir and main transmitter of Shinran's legacy. In his Kudenshà  (Notes of Oral Transmissions), he establishes a master-disciple transmission lineage going back to Shinran through Kakunyo's teacher Nyoshin. As Dobbins writes, "Kakunyo's description of his face-to-face association with Nyoshin echoes the master-disciple relationships of the traditional schools of Buddhism, on which doctrinal transmission and religious authority were based. Although Shinran himself disavowed the position of religious master, the lineage that Kakunyo claimed through Nyoshin in effect cast Shinran in that very role. Through this lineage Kakunyo invested himself with doctrinal authority and effectively united it with his hereditary right of Honganji caretakership, thereby making the office not only administrative but ecclesiastical."
Kakunyo was also concerned with defining what was the orthodox Shin Buddhist doctrine against wrong beliefs. To this end, he wrote the Gaijashà  (Notes Rectifying Heresy) to establish the "proper" Shin doctrine. This polemical work contains a list of around twenty topics and critiques the wrong or heretical practices and views one by one. Examples of these heresies include the usage of salvation registers (myà Âchà Â), a register of names of people who had said the nembutsu and were considered to be sure to attain birth in the Pure Land and the use of portrait lineages (ekeizu). He also rejected the worship of religious teachers as being embodiments of Amida.
KakunyoâÂÂs corpus is extensive and foundational for the doctrinal and institutional identity of Hongan-ji. His major works include:
Related texts by disciples and associates include the Boki Ekotoba (10 vols.) by Jà «kaku and the Saishukyà Âjà « Ekotoba (7 vols.) by Jà Âsen.