As can be determined from this, those who desire to be born in the Pure Land rejoice rather than become discouraged when they become ill.

Further, in Panel 23 of Honen Shonin Gyojo Ezu (Illustrations of Master Honen’s Conduct), - Honen Shonin is quoted as saying:

I have no doubts about the Primal Vow. Nor do I not desire to be born in the Pure Land. But though I consider my birth in the Pure Land to be absolutely determined, it is not good that the desire to be born there immediately does not arise morning and evening. This is like hearing the Pure Land teaching, but not truly listening to it. As expressed in the sutras, this is like transcending the “three evil realms” but still being filled with evil.

As expressed above, Master Honen believed that not wanting to hurry to the Pure Land morning and evening is bad, and proof that our evils have not been eliminated.

The Venerable Master Shinran’s position, however, is that those without the desire to hurry to the Pure Land, and who feel helpless and fearful of dying when they become even slightly ill, are the true object of salvation by the Primal Vow.

I believe this is a clear difference in Master Honen’s and the Venerable Master’s positions.

The above summarizes the sorts of arguments that have recently been raised about the originator of the point of view that, “the evil person is the true object (of Amida’s salvation).”

I believe the statement found in Article Three of the Tannisho, “Since even a good person can be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will an evil person,” was first expressed by Master Honen but I also believe that there is a great deal of difference in the significance of that statement for the Venerable Master and for Master Honen.

The Venerable Master Shinran felt he was absolutely destined for hell, that the Primal Vow was solely for the evil person that he was. Master Honen said something similar to, “the evil person is the true object (of Amida’s salvation),” but this phrase came into wide use as a result of what the Venerable Master was quoted as saying in the Tannisho, “Since even a good person will be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will an evil person.”

From that point of view, I believe the originator of the thought, “the evil person is the true object...” is, after all, the Venerable Master Shinran.