He studied under a Chinese Ritsu sect monk Ganjin, came to Japan with him in 754, and was ordained as a Buddhist priest by receiving the commandments of Buddhism at the ordination hall of Todaij Temple.
唐の律宗の僧鑑真に師事し、鑑真とともに754年（天平勝宝6年）日本へ来朝し、東大寺戒壇院で受戒している。