There were two groups in the Soto sect at that time: a group of direct disciples of Dogen after he came back from the Sung (dynasty), and a group of priests who converted to the Soto sect from the Nihon Daruma sect as a group after Dogen established Kosho-ji Temple at Fukakusa, Kyoto.
当時の曹洞宗僧団は、道元の宋(王朝)からの帰朝以来の直弟子達と京都深草に興聖寺を開いた後に日本達磨宗から集団改宗した一派の2流があった。