Kanshun (桓舜)

Kanshun (978 - October 9, 1057) was a Buddhist monk of the Tendai sect who lived during the mid Heian period. His father was 致遠 MINAMOTO (Montoku-Genji (Minamoto clan)), the Kokushu (governor) of Bingo Province. His pseudonym was 月蔵房 (moon storage).

He learned about the Tendai doctrine from Kyoen, the head priest of the Tendai sect, and was called as one of the four masters of Mt. Hiei along with Teien, Nichijo, and Henkyu. For a period of time he practiced asceticism in Izu Province hating the worldly affairs, but returned to Mt. Hiei. Since he had served as the lecturer at the Thirty Lectures of the Lotus Sutra held by FUJIWARA no Michinaga in 1016, he was active among the Imperial Court aristocrats. In 1035 he got Gon-Risshi (generally in Shingon sect, fifteenth-ranking Buddhist priest, literally, "supernumerary master of discipline"), in 1039 became the zasu (temple's head priest) of Gokuraku-ji Temple, followed by being promoted to the head priest of Hossho-ji Temple, and reached Gon dai sozu (the provisional second highest position, upper grade, of priest) in 1054.

[Original Japanese]