The term honkyoku originally referred to the pieces that were practiced by adherents to the Fuke sect; however, following the abolition of the Fuke sect in 1871, the scope of meaning of the term expanded to include solo musical compositions unrelated to religion that were played on the shakuhachi, and even compositions consisting of more than one part for the shakuhachi came to be called honkyoku.
もともとの本曲は、普化宗で吹禅に使われた曲を指していたが、1871年の普化宗廃止後は宗教音楽とは無縁な尺八のみの独奏曲や重奏曲も本曲と呼ばれるようになった。