Buddhism in Japan movement to eradicate Buddhism and bring Shinto to ascendancy arose throughout the country due to the strong connections of Buddhism to the Shōguns. During the Meiji period (1868–1912), after a coup in 1868, Japan abandoned its feudal system and opened up to Western modernism. Shinto became the state religion. Within the Buddhist establishment the Western world was seen as a threat as well as a challenge to stand up to. Buddhist institutions had a simple choice: adapt or perish. Rinzai and Soto Zen chose to adapt, trying to modernize Zen in accord with Western insights, while simultaneously maintaining a Japanese
Buddhism in Japan managed to establish Shingon as a school in its own right. Kūkai received two lineages of teaching—one based on the and the other based on the . The word "Shingon" is the Japanese pronunciation of "Zhēnyán" "True Words", which in turn is the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word "mantra". 1175: Hōnen introduces Pure Land Buddhism to Japan. Jōdo-shū was founded by Hōnen (法然), 1175 Japanese name: 浄土, "Pure Land" Major Influences: Chinese Jingtu Zong (净土宗 "Pure Land school"), Tendai Doctrine: "Nianfo" Primary Text: "Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra" ("Muryōju-kyō" 無量壽経) Jōdo Shinshū was founded by Shinran (親鸞), 1224 Japanese name: 浄土真,