There is an anecdote which holds that when Saigyo entered the priesthood, he kicked his child (aged four) who was holding onto his sleeve crying off his verandah and left his house (although whether it was a historical fact is unknown); but some argue that this story was a gross exaggeration used as a Buddhism lecture.
出家の際に衣の裾に取りついて泣く子（４歳）を縁から蹴落として家を捨てたという逸話が残る（史実かどうかは不明だが、どうも仏教説話としてオーバーに表現されているという意見もある。