Jōdo Shinshū, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Mahayana Buddhism which has become the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan. The sect was founded by 13th century Japanese monk Shinran, who believed that the degenerate age in which he lived was one in which beings could not extricate themselves from the reincarnation cycle, as he believed that human efforts to achieve nirvana were contrived and rooted in selfish ignorance. Shinran believed that the only way to achieve nirvana was through the power of Amitabha, and that Shin Buddhism was therefore a practiceless practice which required little work. Also key to the faith are nembutsu (practicing chanting to show devotion to Amitabha), the belief that the Pure Land was settled in the midst of life (relying on the power of Amitabha instead of relying on self-power to reach the Pure Land after death), and shinjin (renouncing self effort in attaining enlightenment).