tuesday readings

Historical Context of Sengoku Japan (1467-1600)

Poltical Fragmentation and the Age of the Warring States

The collapse of centralized authority

1. The onin war, from 1467-1477, devasted kyoto and marked the decline of the Ashikaga Shonguate effective power

2. poltical decentralized led to more then 250 damiyo ruling indepedent domains

   1. engaged in terrotiral expansion and conflict

   2. damiyo — feudal lords

3. samurai and religious insutitons gained autonomy

Rise of three Unifers

1. Oda Noobunga

   1. from 1534-1582

   2. initiated military campaigns to reunify japan

   3. famously attacked buddhist strongholds

2. Toyotomi Hideyoshi

   1. from 1537-1582

   2. consolidated Nobunaga’s gains

   3. sought to calm the country

3. tokugawa leyasu

   1. from 1543-1616

   2. established the Edo period

      1. existed from 1603-1868

      2. brought an end to Sengoku warfare

social upheavel

the ikkō-Ikki Uprisings

defentions and orgins

meaning of ikkō-Ikki

1. ikkō - refers to true pure land sect; empahszied faith in amida buddha

2. ikki - means a league of confederation; used for peasant and warrior uprising

The role of Honganji Temple

1. the true pure land sect

   1. HQ was in Honganji

   2. played a key role in moblizng peasants, warriors, and monks against in samuari

2. Honganjis patricarchs expanded the influence of sect

   1. integrates military and adminstrative power

Major uprising and battles

The Kaga Rebellion (1488-1578)

1. ikkō-Ikki forces

   1. compased of peasants, jizamurai (which is local samurai), monks

   2. overthrew the daimyō in kaga province

The Oska Campaign

1. Oda Nobunga launched a 10 year campaign agaisnt Honganji and Ikkō-Ikki reistance

2. Nobungas forces

   1. utlized matchlock firearms

   2. besieged the fortied ishiyama Honganji temple

3. 1580

   1. patriarch Kennyo surrendered

   2. marked the end of the Ikkō-Ikki as a major military force

The Daishō Ikki (the big league-little league war, 1531)

1. internal conflict with true pure land buddism

2. rival Honganji parties and local warlords fought for dominance in kaga

organizations and Strategies

Tatics of the Ikkō-Ikki

1. Guriella warfare and peasant militas effectively resisted the samurai armies

2. defensive temple fortress used to withsand seiges

   1. jinaimachi - defensive temple fortress

3. psycholgical warefare: Namu Amida Butsu (Hail Amida Butsu) battle chants to reinforce relgious zeal

   1. zeal: great energy or enthusiam

Economic and Social Policies

1. Ikkō controlled territories abolished heavy taxes and land rent and attracted peasant support

2. communal governance emphasized buddhist egalitarian ideas

   1. egalitarian — relating to or believing in the idea that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunties

True Pure Land Buddhism And Role of Amida Faith

Theological Foundations

Orgins of Pure Land Buddhism

1. stemming from Mahayanna Buddhism

2. pure land doctorine

   1. emphasized salvation through faith in amida buddha

3. Hōnnen

   1. from 1133-1212

   2. rejected self powered enlightment

   3. advocated for exclusive nembetsu chanting

      1. the exclusive chant is Namu Amida Buddha

Shinrans Innvoations and True Land Buddhism

1. Shinran

   1. developed Jodo Shinshu empahsized comlete reliace on amidas other power known as tariki

      1. different from other buddhist sectors

      2. premitted clergy marriage

      3. discoruages ascetism

         1. asceticism — severe self discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence; normally for religious reason

social and poltical influence

expansion under reyno

1. rennyos leadership transfoemed true pure land buddhism into a big movement

2. his writings (Gobusho) simpified doctorine; making it accesbile to commoners

3. established Honganjis vast network temples

   1. solidified relgious polical power

opposition from other buddhist sectors and samuari lords

1. rival tendai monks from mount hiei viewed Ikko-ikke as heritcal waged conflicts

2. samuari lords feared the sects growing autonomy and military strength