Seizan

Seizan (西山; West Mountain) is a branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism (Jōdo-shū) that was founded by Hōnen's disciple, Shōkū (1177–1247), who often went by the name Seizan. The name derives from the western mountains of Kyoto where Shōkū often dwelt. Seizan Jōdo-shū emphasizes the single-minded recitation of the nembutsu (念仏, "Namu Amida Butsu") as the actualization of the non-duality of Amida Buddha and sentient beings, while also incorporating some influence of Tendai and Shingon Buddhism. There currently three main sub-branches of the Seizan school, each with its own head temple: Seizan Jōdo-shū (Kōmyō-ji temple), Seizan Zenrin-ji-ha (Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji temple), and Seizan Fukakusa-ha (Seigan-ji temple). Seizan teaching also influenced the Jōdo Shinshū school (through the Anjin Ketsujō Shō) and the Ji-shu sect (since Ippen studied with Seizan teachers and adopted their theory of non-duality).