The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1345 page)

 
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see
NAUJOTE
.

 
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(903–72).
Founder of the Kuya Sect of the Japanese
Tendai
(Chinese,
T'ient'ai
) school of Buddhism. Born in
Ky
to
, he became a novice monk in his infancy. He was also one of the early advocates of
Pure Land
Buddhist teaching and practice in Japan, spending his career as an itinerant teacher urging the common people to place faith in
Amida
Buddha (the Buddha of Infinite Light) through the constant invocation of the Pure Land
nembutsu
mantra
,
namu amida butsu
, ‘I take refuge in the Buddha of Infinite Light.’ For this reason, he was popularly regarded as a
nembutsu-hijiri
(‘nembutsu holy man’). K
ya was also famous for his social work activities, to demonstrate in practice (and to inculcate) Amida Buddha's compassion among the people. In 938, after an extensive period of itinerant teaching in the northern provinces, he settled in Ky
to and began spreading Pure Land teaching and practice there. In Ky
to he was also popularly known as
ichi no sh
nin
(‘first of the saints’),
ichi hijiri
(‘first of the holy men’), and
amida hijiri
(‘Amida holy man’).

 
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