or Kōbō Daishi
born July 27, 774, Byōbugaura, Japan
died April 22, 835, Mount Kōya
Japanese Buddhist saint and founder of the Shingon school.
Born into an aristocratic family, Kūkai was given a Buddhism . After studying in China (804–806) with Huiguo (746–805), 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 Kōya, 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.