page_title: Gohonzon
section_title: Non-Nichiren Gohonzon and Honzon
hierarchical_section_title: Gohonzon / Non-Nichiren Gohonzon and Honzon
caption_attribution_description: English: Principal deity of the Genbuzan Shonenji temple
context_page_description: Gohonzon is a generic term for a venerated religious object in Japanese Buddhism. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. In Nichiren Buddhism, it refers to the hanging calligraphic paper mandala inscribed by Nichiren to which devotional chanting is directed.
  Linguistically, the root "honzon" signifies a main object of devotion or worship and "go" is an honorific prefix. Nichiren groups translate "Gohonzon" different ways: "object of devotion", "object of worship", or "Supreme Venerable". It has also been translated as "the Great Mandala".
  Paper scroll Gohonzon are sometimes known as Kakejiku Gohonzon or moji-mandara. Butsuzo Gohonzon are statuary. The Gohonzon is often enshrined within a butsudan.
context_section_description: The terms Honzon and Gohonzon are often used interchangeably and with some confusion. In the Japanese new religion Risshō Kōsei Kai, members receive and practice to a "Daigohonzon" enshrined in their homes; the scroll consists of an image of Gautama Buddha At the Risshō Kōsei Kai headquarters there is a Gohonzon that is a statue of Shakyamuni.
  In the Jōdo Shinshū school of Pure Land Buddhism, under Hōnen and Shinran, the use of "honzon" became more prevalent; they took the form of inscriptions of the sect's mantra Namu Amida Buddha, other phrases, images of the Buddha, statuary, and even representations of the founder. Rennyo thought the written mantra was more appropriate than a statue but did not ascribe particular powers to it as do Nichiren's followers to their Gohonzon.
  In Mikkyō practices such as in Shingon Buddhism, the term "honzon" to refers to the divinity honored in a rite but later came to represent the formal object of worship.  The tutelary figure's role is similar to that of the yidam in Tibetan Buddhism. Tutelary deities in Vajrayana, including Mikkyō, Chinese Esoteric Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, are crucial to many religious practices. In the famous Goma fire ritual ceremony, the fire itself while it is being consumed and animated is also considered a temporary Gohonzon.
caption: An example of Butsuzo Gohonzon in Pure Land Buddhism featuring Amitābha.
exif: {}