Gasho (賀静)
Gasho (887 - February 20, 967) was a monk of the Tendai Sect who was active in the middle of the Heian period.
It is said that he hailed from Sakyo, Heiankyo and belonged to the Abe clan. He became a disciple of Ninkan of Enryaku-ji Temple and inherited Gonen-in Temple after Ninkan's death.
As he achieved many results while he served as naigubu (a special monk who holds a position in the Imperial court) for a long time, such as the restoration of Bishamonten Statue after Dairi Palace was destroyed by fire in 960, he was appointed in 965 to Gon-risshi (generally in Shingon sect, fifteenth-ranking Buddhist priest, literally, "supernumerary master of discipline"), head priest of Hossho-ji Temple and risshi (the third rank of priest following Sojo and Sozu) in the following year and therefore, he was also called 'Gonen-in risshi.'
However, he was defeated by Ryogen, who was younger than him by 25 years, when the two monks competed with each other for the position of Tendai Zasu (Head Priest of Enryaku-ji Temple) and due to the subsequent shock, he fell ill and, according to the records of Sogo, died on February 25, 967 at the age of 81.
After his death, therefore, it was believed that he damned the Kujo school of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan as a vengeful spirit and in the clause of May 27, 1015 (old lunar calendar) of "Shoyu-ki Diary," it is recorded that the eye disease of the then Sanjo Emperor (a grandchild born of a daughter of Kujo school FUJIWARA no Kaneie) was caused by vengeful spirits of FUJIWARA no Motokata and Gasho.
The Imperial court took it seriously and Gasho was given the posthumous title of Sojo Hoin Daiwajo on July 7 of the same year ("Hyakuren sho" (History book from the Kamakura period) etc.)
Incidentally, it is said that he was the model for Kansan who, according to "Okagami" (the Great Mirror) etc., damned many persons.