According to the "Inryoken Nichiroku" (Dietary Life of Zen Priests), he was admitted to the priesthood initially and called 'Shugijisha' ("jisha" means "an attendant who serves the chief priest").
初め僧籍にあったらしく「周儀侍者」と呼ばれていた（『蔭凉軒日録』）。