Kūya

Kūya (空也; 903-972) was an itinerant Japanese Buddhist monk, or hijiri (聖), later ordained in the Tendai Buddhist sect, who was an early proselytizer of the practice of the nembutsu amongst the populace. Kūya's efforts helped promote the Pure Land teaching of Buddhism to the capital at a time when the movement was first gaining traction in Japan. For his efforts, Kūya earned the name ichi hijiri (holy man of the marketplace) and Amida hijiri. Kūya was known for taking images with him on his travels and added musical rhythm and dance to his prayers, known as odori nembutsu. Like Gyōki, he is said to have performed works for the public benefit such as building roads and bridges, digging wells, and burying abandoned corpses.