National Treasure
Sanjō Wasan
Kamakura period
3 volumes
Ink on paper
27.3 × 20 cm
This article can be read in about 2 minutes.
Prayer comes alive
between the lines of the text
The Sanjō Wasan, literally the “three books of Japanese Buddhist Hymns,” were written by Shinran in the middle of the thirteenth century. The three volumes include general verses of praise, tributes to historic masters of Buddhism, and verses regarding Buddhism throughout time. Each entry is quite brief, and they are still sung today. For example, the following verse describes Amida Nyorai, the Buddha of Infinite Life and Light.
The light is more luminous than the heavenly bodies;
Thus Amida is called “Light that Surpasses the Sun and Moon.”
Even Shakyamuni's praise cannot exhaust its virtues,
So take refuge in the one without equal.
The Three Volumes
The Jōdo Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land) consists of 118 verses and was written around 1248. The Kōso Wasan (Hymns of the Masters of the Pure Land), consists of 119 verses and is also thought to have been written around 1248. The Shōzōmappō Wasan (Hymns of the Dharma Ages) was written around 1257 and consists of 116 verses.
Shinbutsu Shōnin
Shinbutsu (1209–1258) was the second head priest of Senjuji Temple, the head temple of the Jōdo Shinshū Takada school. He was a direct disciple of Shinran Shōnin (1173–1263) and inherited the sacred teachings of his master. Shinbutsu solidified the foundation of the sect’s doctrine and strengthened the Takada school’s presence in the Kanto region.
Shinran Shōnin
Shinran Shōnin (1173–1263), also known as Kenshin, was the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land) Buddhist sect. After undergoing ascetic training on Mt. Hiei, he studied senju nenbutsu, or the exclusive invocation of the name of the Buddha, under Hōnen (1133–1212). In 1207, he was exiled with other disciples of Hōnen by the imperial court, who feared Hōnen’s influence. Shinran performed missionary work in the Echigo and Kanto regions and expounded on faith in the buddha Amida in his magnum opus, the Kyōgyō Shinshō (Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment). He preached salvation through faith and brought about reform to Japanese Buddhism.
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Estimated length: 30 seconds