Monshu

The Monshu (門主 or 門首), or keeper of the gate is a term used to Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism that refers to the spiritual leader of either the Nishi Hongan-ji branch, or the Higashi Hongan-ji branch. Traditionally these monshu were direct descendants of the founder Shinran and thus part of the Ōtani family.

Different kanji are used for the term through pronunciation is the same: 門主 by Nishi Honganji, and 門首 by Higashi Honganji.

Furthermore, in the related Jōdo Shū sect, the head of Chion-in temple is also called 門主, but this is pronounced monsu instead (as well as Jōdomon-su, "head of the Pure Land school").

These terms are derived from an earlier monzeki (門跡) still in use by some other Japanese Buddhist sects.

History

The Monshu in Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism began as the guardian of Shinran's mausoleum, but grew to become the head of the Honganji sect. This position started after the death of the founder Shinran the founder, who had returned to Kyoto from the provinces after the exile of 1207 (i.e. the Jogen Persecution of 1207) was rescinded. Shinran returned with his daughter, Kakushinni (覚信尼, 1224-1281?), who cared for him until his death as well as a few disciples. After death, Kakushinni spearheaded the construction of a mausoleum (which became a temple named Hongan-ji in 1321) to hold Shinran's image and ashes at Ōtani, in Kyoto.

After Shinran's death, his grandson Nyoshin (如信, 1235-1300) was recognized as the heir to Shinran's teachings, but Shinran's daughter Kakushinni later installed her son Kakue (覚恵, 1239–1307), as caretaker of the mausoleum, who then chose his own son Kakunyo (覚如, 1271–1351) as heir to the office of caretaker. Due to Kakunyo's matrilineal descent via grandmother Kakushinni, as opposed to patrilineal descent, Kakunyo relied on his tutelage under Nyoshin to claim right of status as the next monshu over potential rivals. In time the small temple grew into what is now the Hongan-ji temples (both east and west).

Lineage

Nishi Honganji-sect

According to the Nishi-Hongaji sect website, the list of Monshu is as follows:

Higashi-Honganji-sect

The linage for the Higashi Hongaji (or Ōtani) sect is the same as above, but splits after the 11th Monshu, Kennyo, and continues as follows:

References