gade, and while vehemently
attacking the creed of his youth, he had acquired power and influence
that placed the Hongwan-ji almost on a level with the great Hiei-zan.
In the days of Kenju, popularly called Rennyo Shonin (1415-1479),
seventh in descent from the founder, Shinran, the Ikko--by which name
the Shin sect was known--developed conspicuous strength. Kenju
possessed extraordinary eloquence. Extracts from his sermons were
printed on an amulet and distributed among worshippers, who grew so
numerous and so zealous that the wealth of the sect became enormous,
and its leaders did not hesitate to provide themselves with an armed
following. Finally the monks of Hiei-zan swept down on Hongwan-ji,
applied the torch to the great temple, and compelled the abbot,
Kenju, to fly for his life.

It is significant of the time that this outrage received no
punishment. Kenju escaped through Omi to Echizen, where the high
constable, an Asakura, combining with the high constable, a Togashi,
of the neighbouring province of Kaga, erected a temple for the
fugitive abbot, whose favour was well worth courting. The Ikko-shu,
however, had its own internal dissensions. In the province of Kaga, a
sub-sect, the Takata, endeavoured to oust the Hongwan disciples, and
rising in their might, attacked (1488) the high constable; compelled
him to flee; drove out their Takata rivals; invaded Etchu; raided
Noto, routing the forces of the high constable, Hatakeyama Yoshizumi;
seized the three provinces--Kaga, Noto, and Etchu--and attempted to
take possession of Echizen. This wholesale campaign was spoken of as
the Ikko-ikki (revolt of Ikko). A few years later, the Shin believers
in Echizen joined these revolters, and marched through the province,
looting and burning wherever they passed. No measure of secular
warfare had been more ruthless than were the ways of these monks. The
high constable, Asakura Norikage, now took the field, and after
fierce fighting, drove back the fanatics, destroyed their temples,
and expelled their priests.

This was only one of several similar commotions. So turbulent did the
monks show themselves under the influence of Shin-shu teachers that
the Uesugi of Echigo, the Hojo of Izu, and other great daimyo
interdicted the propagandism of that form of Buddhism altogether. The
most presumptuous insurrection of all stands to the credit of the
Osaka priests. A great temple had been erected there to replace the
Hongwan-ji of Kyoto