The Study of Honen's Doctrine on Akunin-Syoki

The varied stages and the issues in the study of HOnen During the last 25 years we have seen interesting developments in the studies of HOnen.One of the causes for this is that not only the normative study based on the faith in the area of the sect's theology was adopted, but also the descriptive studies based on historical and bibliographical materials were used.By adopting such methodologies as these, problems which were before confined only to the study of the sect's theology have been unveiled for a deeper viewing.Generally speaking, the study of Honen has come into the area of religious study.When we suggest the methodology for religious study, regardless of doing so consciously or not, the methodology which Jachm Wach and Kishimoto Hideo used, for example, can also be adopted for Honen's study.In such a methodology as this, more attention is paid to descriptive objectivity than to the situation as filtered by the subjective sect-consciousness.As an example, we can mention what Nakano Masaaki pointed out in his main work, "A basic study of Honen's works", HozOkan, Kyoto, 1994; Shinran's "SaihO-shinan-sho" examplifies the actual value of Honen's works.a.With such a tendency concerning Honen's study as this, as a typical instance we can present the problems around "Honen's doctorine of evil men as the object of salvation <Akunin ShOki>."Now,I shall explain this