While he was born as the son of a clothing shop owner in Kyoto, and visited Mt. Obaku following his father, in 1667, at age 15, he became a disciple of Gettan Docho, an attendant of Ingen.
京都の衣屋の子として生まれ、父に従い黄檗山に詣でていたが寛文7年、15歳で隠元の侍者であった月潭道澄の弟子となる。