Praised as 'the bravest armed monk in Japan,' he played a key role in Kofuku-ji Temple, which had gradually built up military forces to dispute MINAMOTO no Chikaharu of the same clan on the Yamato Province and to make an assault upon some temples on Mt. Kinpusen, leading many warrior monks of Kofuku-ji Temple in 1145.
「日本一悪僧武勇」と称され、大和国内にて同族の源親治と抗争した他、天養2年(1145年)には興福寺の大衆を率いて金峯山を襲撃するなど、武装化傾向を強める興福寺の中にあって中心的な役割を果たした。