He had since childhood been known for his intelligence, and when his father Mototsune was about to build the Gokuraku-ji Temple Tadahira pointed out a certain spot, saying, 'If you build a Buddhist temple, this is the place.'
幼くして聡明で知られ、父の基経が極楽寺を建てたとき、忠平は「仏閣を建てるならばこの地しかありません」と一所を指さした。