He studied as a disciple of Sugawara no Koreyoshi and became a Monjo Tokugosho (Distinguished Scholar of Letters) and in 879, he was appointed to Jidoku (Imperial tutor) of Emperor Yozei and gradually added to his laurels as a scholar.
菅原是善門下で学を修め、文章得業生となり、元慶3年（879年）には陽成天皇の侍読の任に当たるなど、次第に学者としての名声を確立した。