Born in Ōtori, Kawachi (now Sakai, Osaka). His father's family is said to descend from immigrants from the Korean peninsula.
He became a monk at 14. He is said to have studied under Dōshō, who had learned in Tang China and dug wells and built bridges for the people, an example Gyōki likely followed.
He turned his family home into a temple (Ebara-ji) and began preaching among the people rather than staying in temples. With followers he built bridges, ponds, roads and fuseya rest houses for travelers.
The court banned his activities by name for preaching without permission and gathering crowds. Still, his followers kept growing.
As the ban eased, some of his disciples were allowed to become official monks. Around this time he worked on large reservoirs, such as repairing Sayama Pond (Osaka) and building Koya Pond (Hyōgo).
At Emperor Shōmu's request he joined the Great Buddha project. The once-banned monk now stood at the center of a great national undertaking, for he could rally the people.
He became the first in Japan to be appointed Daisōjō, the highest rank for a monk.
He died at 81 without seeing the Great Buddha completed. He is said to have founded 49 practice halls, and a legend credits him with the early map of Japan called the Gyōki map. Later he was revered as Gyōki Bosatsu.
Ganjin (Jianzhen)Emperor Shōmu
People of the Nara period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.