In response to this, Saicho called Tokuitsu 'sojikisha' and 'hokuensha' in "Shugo-kokkai-sho" and it was a serious dispute which called into question their raison d'etre as a religious sect, resulting in a smear campaign by both sides.
最澄が『守護国界章』で徳一を「麁食者」「北轅者」と呼んだのはこれに呼応するものであり、互いに自宗派の存在意義をかけた真剣な論争であったがゆえに、ともに中傷めいた表現までもが用いられたともいえる。