or K 014D; b 014D; Daishi
born July 27, 774, By 014D; bugaura, Japan
died April 22, 835, Mount K 014D; ya
Japanese Buddhist saint and founder of the Shingon school.
Born into an aristocratic family, K 016B; kai was given a Confucian education but soon converted to Buddhism . After studying in China (804806) with Huiguo (746805), he returned home to spread his doctrines, which emphasized magic formulas, ceremonials, and services for the dead. In 816 he built a temple on Mount K 014D; ya, and he helped to establish the Shingon sect as one of the most popular forms of Japanese Buddhism. His major work, Ten Stages of Consciousness , traces the development of Confucianism, Daoism , and Buddhism, representing Shingon as the highest stage. He was also a gifted poet, artist, and calligrapher.