Bencho entered the priesthood in 1168 and studied Buddhism on Mt. Hiei, and in 1175, he was given vows to follow jukai (precepts) at the Buddhist ordination platform called Kaidan in the Kanzeon-ji Temple and became a monk in the Tendai Sect.
1168年（仁安(日本)3年）に出家して比叡山で修行、1175年（安元元年）観世音寺の戒壇で受戒して天台系の僧となった。