Dochu (道忠)

Dochu was a Buddhist monk of Ritsu sect from the late Nara period to the early Heian period.

After Ganjin (Jianzhen) came from China (Tang Dynasty) to Japan, Dochu became a disciple of him, took the full precepts, and studied about the Ritsu sect. Afterward, Dochu wandered round the eastern provinces to spread the doctrine, and built Jiko-ji Temple (Tokigawa-machi Town). Because he taught and spread around the Bodhisattva Precepts, people respected and called him Bodhisattva. Because of the fact that, Encho, who later received Bodhisattva Precepts from him, was a disciple of Saicho, there became exchange between the two. It is said that when Saicho called people for transcriptions by handwriting of the Buddhist scriptures in an attempt to popularize Tendai sect, Dochu supported Saicho to develop Buddhism.

There is a theory assuming that Dochu's teaching of Bodhisattva Precepts was a rebellion to his master Ganjin (Jianzhen)'s exclusive teaching of the religious precepts. However, it is groundless folklore.

[Original Japanese]