Kakucho (覚超)

Kakucho (960 - February 21, 1034), a Buddhist priest of the Tendai sect, lived in the mid-Heian period. His secular surname was Kose. He was born in Izumi Province. He also called "Tosotsu Sentoku."

He studied Tendai doctrine under the priests Ryogen and Genshin of the temple on Mt. Hiei, and he studied Esoteric Buddhism under Keien (Tendai sect). During the period in which he dwelled at Tosotsu-in Temple, and also after he moved to Shuryogon-in Temple at Yokawa, he devoted himself to writing. He also lectured at the Saishoko (the annual five days of lectures on the Konkomyo-saishoo Sutra), and audited the Hokke hakko (ceremonial series of eight lectures on the eight scrolls of the Lotus Sutra) for the Higashi Sanjo-in memorial. In 1029, he was appointed as the Gon no Shosozu (a provisional junior rank of the second-highest priest). He was an expert on the theory of Esoteric Buddhism and wrote many literary works on the subject; later he became the originator of a school called "Taimitsu kawaryu."

[Original Japanese]