Within Eihei-ji Temple at that time, there was a conflict between conservative priests who stuck to Dogen's old traditions and reformist priests who tried to introduce, for the purpose of educating people, ritual rules that Dogen had insisted unnecessary (most of them belonged to the school of Nihon Daruma Sect) and under such circumstances, Ejo constantly had to strive to mediate and conciliate both groups.
当時の永平寺は、道元の遺風を守ろうとする保守派と、衆生教化のために道元が不要とした法式も取り入れようとする開放派（その多くが日本達磨宗の法系に属していた）が対立し、懐奘は常に双方の調停・融和に努めなければならなかった。