It is said that the service originated from Hongan-ji the third, Kakunyo's compiling "Hoon-ko Shiki" (Buddhist sutra for Hon-ko (a memorial services for Shinran)) at the thirty-third anniversary of the death of Shinran.
本願寺三世覚如が、親鸞の三十三回忌に『報恩講私記（式）』を撰述した事が起源であるとされる。