Rennyo

Rennyo (蓮如)
Portrait of Rennyo, painted during the Muromachi Period
Title	Restorer of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, 8th monshu of the Honganji
Personal
Born	Hoteimaru (布袋丸) 1415 Kyoto, Japan
Died	1499 Osaka, Japan
Religion	Buddhism
Nationality	Japanese
School	Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
Other names	Kenju (兼寿)
Senior posting
Predecessor	Zonnyō

Rennyo (蓮如, 1415–1499) was the 8th Monshu (head priest) of the Hongan-ji Temple of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, and descendant of founder Shinran. Jodo Shinshu Buddhists often referred to him as the restorer of the sect (Chūkō no so (中興の祖) in Japanese). He was also known as Shinshō-in (信証院), and posthumously Etō Daishi (慧灯大師). During the conflict and welter of the Ōnin War and the subsequent warfare (Sengoku era) that spread throughout Japan, Rennyo was able to unite most of the disparate factions of the Jodo Shinshu sect under the Hongan-ji, reform existing liturgy and practices, and broaden support among different classes of society. Through Rennyo's efforts, Jodo Shinshu grew to become the largest, most influential Buddhist sect in Japan.

Rennyo is venerated along with Shinran, and liturgical reforms he implemented are still in use today in Jodo Shinshu temples. Further, Rennyo's letters were compiled and are still recited in Jodo Shinshu liturgy.

Rennyo maintained a complex relationship with the Ikkō-ikki peasant revolts, which were frequently by Shinshu followers, restraining them at times while also teaching and attending to their religious needs.^[1]