[FN#71] The sect was named after its founder in China, Chi I
(538-597), who lived in the monastery of Tien Tai Shan (Ten-dai-san),
and was called the Great Teacher of Tien Tai. In 804 Den-gyo went
over to China by the Imperial order, and received the transmission of
the doctrine from Tao Sui (Do-sui), a patriarch of the sect. After
his return he erected a monastery on Mount Hi-yei, which became the
centre of Buddhistic learning.

[FN#72] He erected the monastery of Sho-fuku-ji in 1195, which is
still prospering.


This provoked the envy and wrath of the Ten Dai and the Shin
Gon[FN#73] teachers, who presented memorials to the Imperial court to
protest against his propagandism of the new faith. Taking advantage
of the protests, Ei-sai wrote a book entitled Ko-zen-go-koku-ron
('The Protection of the State by the Propagation of Zen'), and not
only explained his own position, but exposed the ignorance[FN#74] of
the protestants. Thus at last his merit was appreciated by the
Emperor Tsuchi-mikado (1199-1210), and he was promoted to So Jo, the
highest rank in the Buddhist priesthood, together with the gift of a
purple robe in 1206. Some time after this he went to the city of
Kama-kura, the political centre, being invited by Sane-tomo, the
Shogun, and laid the foundation of the so-called Kama-kura Zen, still
prospering at the present moment.


[FN#73] The Shin Gon or Mantra Sect is based on
Mahavairocanabhi-sambodhi-sutra, Vajracekhara-sutra, and other
Mantra-sutras. It was established in China by Vajrabodhi and his