Hōnen’s Interpretation of the Ōjōyōshū in the Ōjōyōshū-giki: The Necessity or Non-necessity of Keeping Precepts

Abstract

Hōnen argues in his Ōjōyōshū-shaku 往生要集釈 that “the essentials for rebirth in the Pure Land” explained in chapter five of Genshin’s 源信 (942–1017) Ōjōyōshū, “Jonen hōhō (助念方法)”, are not the main point of the book. This theory is derived from the phrase that keeping the precepts is unnecessary for rebirth in the Pure Land. But there also appears in the Ōjōyōshū a remark that encourages keeping the precepts. Therefore, Hōnen’s interpretation cannot be said to be sufficiently convinced, and Ryōchū 良忠 (1199–1287), therefore, provides a supplementary explanation for that interpretation in his Ōjōyōshū-giki 往生要集義記.Ryōchū, dealing with these contradictory ideas found in the Ōjōyōshū, explains that keeping the precepts is unnecessary to obtain rebirth in Amida’s Pure Land from the perspective that the purpose of Genshin’s work is to convert those with lower religious capacities.