The Shoshinge is a verse synopsis of the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho ( "Teaching, Practice, Faith and Attainment" ) written by Shinran Shonin, founder of Jodo Shinshu ( "True Pure Land School" ) Buddhism in Japan.

Shinran Shonin

This work is considered so important that the founding of Jodo Shinshu is dated from when Shinran Shonin finished writing it.

In temples throughout Japan it is chanted daily. I have even heard Tendai monks chanting it, although they use a different tune.

This arrangment can be chanted to any of the tunes used for the sino-japanese text. They can even be done simultaniously.

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The six verses at the end ( Jodo Wasan, or Songs To The Pure Land ) were written by the same author and are performed, interspersed with chanting the name of Amida, at the end of the Verse to True Reliance in a style that is about halfway between chanting and singing. If you get a chance to hear it, go for it!

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Nagarjuna

Shinran listed the seven scholars who contributed the most to the understanding and practice of "Pure-Land" Buddhism. Nagarjuna was the first of these. He is also one of the patriarchs of the Zen school . He lived in India in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. He was a well-known scholar of the Prajnaparamita Sutras and the author of a commentary on them, the Prajnaparamitasastra. He also wrote The Twelve Adorations, another work that is chanted in temples around the world.

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Honen was Shinran's teacher. He is the founder of the Jodo school. almost identical to Jodo Shinshu in all respects except the artistic. Honen founded Honen-in temple in Kyoto.