About the time the “Osaka” temple was constructed, temples were also constructed in Kii Province, Settouchi, Kyushu, and the Shikoku areas, greatly increasing the teaching areas of the Hongwanji.

After the “Osaka” temple was completed, during the 4th lunar month of the 7th year of Meio (1498 AD) when Master Rennyo was 84 years of age, he became aware of how frail his body had become. Until then, he seems to have been extremely vigorous. His 13th son, Jitsuju, was born that year5. Further, he continued writing letters and brushing the written form of “Namo Amida Butsu” (myogo) for his followers until his death.

Truly, Master Rennyo’s life was one in which he worked for the restoration of the Jodo-Shinshu teachings until his very last moments.

What are said to be Master Rennyo’s last words are contained in the work, “Heard and Recorded by Kuzen” (Kuzen Kikigaki), written by Master Rennyo’s disciple, Kuzen:

“These are my last words. Please accept (receive) the single thought of shinjin,” he said to everyone, and especially to his children.

As indicated above, his last words were concerned with urging his children to have “settled shinjin.” This passage continues:

What he said on the 18th day was, “Please listen carefully: After I leave this world, I wish all of you children get along with each other. If you just have the “single taste” (ichimi, i.e., single thought) of shinjin, you will work out any differences and be in accord with our Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching.

As indicated above, on the 18th day of the 3rd lunar month, just seven days before leaving this world for the Pure Land, he spoke of the importance of shinjin to his children. As you can see, Master Rennyo urged “settled shinjin” until the very last.

Master Rennyo ended his life at the Yamashina Hon-gwanji on the 25th day of the 3rd lunar month6 during the 8th year of Meio (1499 AD), at the age of 85.

Article 188 of “Heard and Recorded During Master Rennyo’s Lifetime” contains the following passage:

The most important aspect of the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching of Jodo-Shinshu is the shinjin of single-minded reliance on Amida Buddha.

All the “good and virtuous teachers along the way” since the Venerable Master (Shinran) have urged us to leave everything up to the workings of Amida. Unfortunately, many did not know how to do that.

When Master Rennyo became the leader of the Hongwanji, he wrote in his “Honorable Letters”: “Discard all practices and accept Amida’s vow to cause your birth in the Pure Land without doubt.”

That is why Master Rennyo is referred to as “the Master who restored the Jodo-Shinshu teaching.”

Regarding this matter of “shinjin of single-minded reliance on Amida Buddha,” Master Rennyo has written, “Abandoning all auxiliary-mixed practices and the mind of ‘self-centered effort,’ with single-mindedness I rely on Amida Buddha,” clearly teaching us the essence of the Jodo-Shinshu teaching. That is why he is considered to be the “master who revived (the Hongwanji)” (gosaiko shonin).

Master Rennyo urged us to discard all practices based on “self-centered effort,” and leave it completely up to Amida Buddha who has assured us that he absolutely will bring about our birth in the Pure Land.

Regardless of whether it is “giving up ‘self-centered effort’” or “leaving it completely up to the intent of Amida Buddha,” both attitudes faithfully follow the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching of “shinjin is fundamental” (shinjin ihon). Because he expressed the Venerable Master’s teaching in a way that is easy to understand, Master Rennyo is rightly referred to as the “master who restored (the Hongwanji)” (chuko shonin) and “master who revived (the Hongwanji)” (saiko shonin).

Finally, to repeat what I have said all through this book, I believe those who criticize Master Rennyo and say he distorted the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching are those who have absolutely no understanding of the Venerable Master’s teaching. In other words, they have not experienced the world of salvation based on the Primal Vow. They must be considered to be those described by Master Rennyo in phrases such as, “those whose shinjin is not yet settled” (shinjin miketsujo no hito) Letter 3 of Fascle II; “those lacking in shinjin” (fushinjin no tomogara), Letter 11 of Fascle V; and “in whom anjin is yet to be realized” (mianjin no tomogara), Letter 9 of Fascle III, and Letter 7 of Fascle IV.