When he lost his father at the age of 12, he entered priesthood in Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto by his father's will around that time, then became a disciple of Tenyu Joka and a priest, changed his name to Gisen, and called himself "Retsudo Osho (High Priest Retsudo)."
12歳のとき父を亡くすが、その前後に父の意志により京都の大徳寺で出家、天祐紹果に入門して僧となり名を義仙と改め、列堂和尚と称した。