In the Kamakura period, Honen of the Jodo sect and Shinran of the Jodo Shinshu (the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism) called for, based on Mappo shiso, repeating the name of Buddha in order to be able to go to Amidanyorai (Amitabha Tathagata) at Saiho Gokuraku Jodo (The West Pure Land (of Amida Buddha)) after death.
鎌倉時代には、法然の浄土宗や親鸞の浄土真宗などは末法思想に立脚し、念仏により死後に西方極楽浄土の阿弥陀如来の御許への往生を唱えた。