Rennyo and His Mother

Rennyo played a crucial role in reviving Shin Buddhism, especially the Honganji branch, during its decline in the medieval period. As the story goes, when he was six years old, his mother called him aside and told him it was his duty to restore the Honganji school, as he was next in line to lead it. After that, she vanished without a trace from the temple. Inspired by her words, he overcame a life of poverty and struggle and, at sixteen, began traveling across the country to spread the teachings.