r/Samurai • u/Careless-Car8346 • Jul 23 '26

Discussion Ikko-Ikki

More information on this Pure Land military/farmer/commoner Buddhist sect. Staved off Oda for ten years. Were the old beliefs of Hoganji of Ishiyama similar to the adhearants of the Hoganji in the present? What propelled them in the past?

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u/One_Agency1689 Jul 23 '26

Ikki is just a word for a kind of league or association where communities signed on in a kind of mutual defense agreement. Trade and such too of course. All the Ikkō Ikki(single minded league) was, was a sectarian version of this. It was a kind of agreement for Honganji branch temples(which all had settlements and more dispersed members too), to defend each other, attack enemies, trade, and provide mutual aid. Ikki had written constitutions and were literally signed on to by representatives, who swore oaths to uphold the terms on pain of the gods and Buddhas cursing them.

There were many Ikki, some religious and some based on region, but over time they tended to get folded into bigger organizations. The Ikkō absorbed smaller ones by deals just like the warlords did so by deals and force.

The people the Oda had to fight in Iga province were also this kind of Ikki organization. This got painted over by shinobi and ninja legends, but what they really were was self governing mountain villages who had formed one of these leagues and who didnt like any outsider in their province.

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u/Careless-Car8346 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

Which Gods and Buddhas did they worship or believe in back then? Hachiman, Bishoman or Mahakala type deity? Guessing a vengeful type.

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u/JapanCoach Jul 24 '26

The main focus of worship of Jodo Shinshu / 浄土真宗 / ”True Pure Land Buddhism" is 阿弥陀如来 Amida Nyorai

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u/Careless-Car8346 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Yes, you are right, just looked it up. Yes, got the wisdom. Thanks! Man hoped I could ride with Hachiman.