In 950 when he was nine years old, he began to learn from Ryogen (912-985, commonly called Gansan Daishi), Chuko no So (father of restoration) of Mt. Hiei, because of the influence of his pious mother, and learned shikan-gyo (Tendai meditation) and Shana-gyo (a study of Mikkyo (esoteric Buddhism).
天暦4年（950年）、信仰心の篤い母の影響により9歳で、比叡山中興の祖良源（912年-985年、通称：元三大師〈がんさんだいし〉）の入門し、止観業、遮那業を学ぶ。