View source for Benchō

{{JapaneseBuddhism}}
{{Nihongo|'''Benchō'''|弁長||extra=June 20, 1162 &ndash; March 16, 1238}}, was a Japanese Buddhist [[bhikkhu|monk]] and second patriarch of the main [[Chinzei]] branch of the [[Jōdo-shū]] sect of Japanese Buddhism, after [[Hōnen]]. In Jodo Shu Buddhism, he is often called by adherents as {{nihongo|'''Shōkō Shōnin'''|聖光上人||}} or {{nihongo|'''Shōkōbō'''|聖光房||}}. According to biographies, he was first ordained as a priest of the [[Tendai]] sect at the age of fourteen, and entered [[Enryaku-ji]] temple in 1183. He first met Hōnen in 1197. Later, after Hōnen and many of his followers were exiled in 1207, Shōkō was exiled on the island of [[Kyūshū]] and taught the practice of the [[nembutsu]] there, founding the [[Zendō-ji (Kurume)|Zendō-ji]] temple.

Unlike other disciples of Hōnen, Shōkō favored studying the more traditional Buddhist paths along with the [[Pure Land]] path. He also criticized the interpretations by other disciples of Hōnen, particularly [[Kōsai]] and [[Shōkū]], who emphasized the [[nembutsu]] over other practices. However, unlike [[Chōsai]], his teachings still emphasized repeated recitations of the nembutsu as the primary practice in Jōdo-shū. In the spectrum of followers of Hōnen, Benchō balances faith in the [[nembutsu]] with acceptance of other practices leading to rebirth in the [[Pure Land]] of [[Amitābha|Amida]] Buddha.

After Hōnen died, Benchō attempted to counter divergences in Hōnen's teachings among other disciples by writing a treatise titled {{Nihongo|''Matsudai Nenbutsu Jushuin''|末代念仏授手印|"Handprint for the Transmission of the Nembutsu to Future Generations"}}, which contained a full account of the teachings that Benchō heard directly from Hōnen. He also wrote ''The Way of Practice for Birth by the Nembutsu'' (''nembutsu ojo shugyomon'') to counter teachings from other disciples of Hōnen, particularly [[Kōsai]] and the "single-nembutsu" movement.

Benchō died in 1238 and was succeeded by the third patriarch, Ryōchū (良忠, 1199–1287), who formally established [[Chinzei]] branch.

== References ==
* {{cite book | title = Traversing the Pure Land Path : A Lifetime of Encounters with Honen Shonin | publisher = Jodo Shu Press | year = 2005 | isbn = 4-88363-342-X | pages=149}}
* {{cite book | last = Hattori | first = Sho-on | title = A Raft from the Other Shore : Honen and the Way of Pure Land Buddhism | publisher = Jodo Shu Press | year = 2001 | isbn = 4-88363-329-2 | pages=10}}

==External links ==
* [http://www.jsri.jp/English/Jodoshu/disciples/eras/4eras.html The History of Honen's Disciples] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703024558/http://www.jsri.jp/English/Jodoshu/disciples/eras/4eras.html |date=2015-07-03 }}
* [http://www.jodo.org/about_hs/ho_life.html The Jodo Shu official biography of Honen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031030308/http://www.jodo.org/about_hs/ho_life.html |date=2013-10-31 }}

{{Buddhism topics}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bencho}}
[[Category:1162 births]]
[[Category:1238 deaths]]
[[Category:Buddhist patriarchs]]
[[Category:Japanese Buddhist clergy]]
[[Category:Buddhist clergy of the Kamakura period]]
[[Category:Jōdo-shū Buddhist priests]]