Nagayoshi was deeply devoted to Soto DAIRIN; he frequently said 'I am not afraid of large armies of a million soldiers, but there is nothing as frightening as a reprimand from Soto DAIRIN,' and it is believed that he always dismounted from his horse to walk around Nanshu-ji Temple.
長慶は常に「百万の大軍は怖くないが、大林宗套の一喝ほど恐ろしいものはない」と常々語っていたほどに大林宗套に深く帰依しており、南宗寺の廻りは必ず下馬して歩いたといわれている。