His innovative initiatives to establish Daijo kaidan, recognize monks who received Daijokai (the commandment of Mahayana Buddhism) as Tendai Sect monks and train them as Bosatsuso (priests of Mahayana Buddhism) by containing them in Mt. Hiei for 12 years deepened the confrontation between Nara Buddhism, which monopolized, due to vested interests, and Kaidan-in which were authorized to grant Shojokai (commandments of Theravada Buddhism) brought by Ganjin Wajo.
また、鑑真和上が将来した小乗戒を授ける戒壇院を独占する奈良仏教に対して、大乗戒壇を設立し、大乗戒を受戒した者を天台宗の僧侶と認め、菩薩僧として12年間比叡山に籠山して学問・修行を修めるという革新的な最澄の構想は、既得権益となっていた奈良仏教と対立を深めた。