He was known as a bright person who could understand everything once he saw or heard it, and in 1198 he played an important role in checking citations, called Kanmon, in compiling Honen's "Senchaku Hongan Nenbutsu-shu" (the holy writings of the Jodo Sect) and in the following year, he gave a lecture on "Senchaku-shu" at Kanezane KUJO's residence in place of Honen.
一度見聞すればすべてを理解してしまった、という秀才ぶりで、そうしたことからか、建久9年（1198年）法然の『選択本願念仏集』の撰述にあたっては、引用文との照らし合わせという勘文の重要な役にあたり、翌年師法然に代わって九条兼実邸で『選択集』を講じた。