Mikyo

[I, Brian]

Interesting references to Mikyo here:
http://www.chronicles-network.net/fo...ead.php?t=3277

The actual Bushi (warrior) were the forerunners of the Samurai (servants) and generally followed a little known branch of buddhism known as the Mikyo.

This rather esoteric form of buddhism deals with more materialistic concerns than mainstream buddhism and is the source of the mythical 'ninja hand magic'.

When Oda Nobunaga ordered the extermination of the Ninja clans it is historically recorded that the samurai were quite stringent in their pogrom and even today there is a lot of academic (and often physical) argument about the lineage and validity of modern ninjitsu.

I'm curious about the background of this branch of buddhism - how does it actually fit into the overall schools of Buddhism (if at all?).

[Hyozan]

I've never encountered any reference to Mikyo as a Buddhist school in my studies of Chinese and Japanese Buddhism. Of course, 4 years at university is only sufficient to skim the surface of this vast subject, but the only references to Mikyo that I am aware of are:

佛說呪魅經 (Bussetsu jumikyō) - The Sūtra of Incantation against Evil Spirits, a Sutra originating in Sung China for which there is no Sanskrit equivalent.

解深密經 (Gejinmikkyō) - Sutra on Understanding Profound and Esoteric Doctrine (Skt. Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra)

Hope this helps,

Bob