Ordaining receives an incense stick the acolyte has given him, brings the incense stick up to his head, advances before buddha, and burns incense. He then returns to the haishiki. Everyone together makes three prostrations with him. He sits on the chair.

Ordaining master begins to purify the hall by sprinkling water.

When the ordinand makes three prostrations, the master gasshos.

The ordaining master takes up handled censer, burns incense, and quietly intones the following invocation:
Homage to buddhas of the ten directions.
Homage to dharma of the ten directions.
Homage to sangha of the ten directions.
Homage to our Great Benefactor and Founder of the Teachings, the Original Master Shakamuni Buddha.
Homage to the successive generations of ancestor bodhisattvas.
Homage to the Eminent Ancestor, Great Master Jōyō.
Homage to the Great Ancestor, Great MasterJōsai.
May you all please respond and descend and together bear witness to this rite.

Namu Jippou Butsu
Namu Jippou Hou
Namu Jippou Sou
Namu daionkyousyu honshi shakamuni butsu
Namu rekidai soshi bosatsu
Namu Kouso Jouyoudaishi
Namu Taiso Jousaidaishi
Onajiku kangou wo tare
Tomoni shoumyo wo nashitamae
Next, ordaining master strikes precepts clappers once and intones:
“I humbly invite the great assembly to mindfully recite.”
Thereupon, great assembly chants Ten Buddha Names in unison.

Next, ordaining master strikes precepts clappers three times, intones following the Verse of Worship and Praise, after which monks of great assembly chant the Ten Buddha Names in unison.

When chanting is finished, ordaining master strikes percept clappers twice; ordinand makes one prostration and stands. Acolyte leads ordinand before parental tablets, or parents themselves if they are in attendance, and has him/her make one prostration. Next, make three prostrations before buddha, return to original place and make three prostrations before ordaining master, then kneel upright and gassho. Assistant begins by parting ordinand’s hair in middle and tying it up in two knots, right and left. Ordaining master lifts razor, chants opening line of following verse; monks of Great assembly join in chanting from second line; together they intone verse three times in succession. This same procedure is followed for each of the other verses given below, as well. Verse of Spiritual Aspiration
Splendid, worthy man/worthy woman!
You can comprehend impermanence of the world.
Abandoning the worldly, you are destined to nirvana.
This is something rare and hard to comprehend.
Zen Zai joubu / fujin
No ryo se mu jo
Kizokushu nai on
Keu nan shigi

When this has been chanted three times, ordaining master sprinkles head of ordinand with fragrant decoction, begins shaving, then hands razor to someone else (acolyte) to continue shaving. While that is going on, ordaining master chants following verse joined by monks of great assembly:
Verse of Tonsure
In the round of rebirth in the three realms,
the bonds of love cannot be severed.
To cast off human relations and enter into the unconditioned
is true repayment of blessings.
Ruten sangaityu
Onnai shi funoudan
Kion nyu mui
Shinjitsu houon sha
Ordaining master then chants another verse, as follows, joined by monks of great assembly, continuing chanting until tonsure is finished:

Verse of Seeking the Way
When bodisattvas in the round of birth and death
first give rise to the thought of awakening,
their earnest quest for bodhi
is strong and immovable.

The merit of that single thought
is deep, vast, and without limit.
Were the Tathagata to explain it conceptually
he could not exhaust it to the end of time.

When tonsure is finished, leaving only the tuft (last single clump of hair), ordaining master gives long robe and has ordinand put it on.
Ordinand dons long robe and makes three prostrations.
Seeing ordinand do this, ordaining master keeps his hands together and raises the razor a second time, and questions ordinand as follows:
“The final clump of hair is called the tuft; only a buddha can cut it off. I’m now going to remove it; do you permit this, or not?”
Ordinand replies, “I permit it.”
Question and answer are repeated in this way three times, after which topknot (final topknot of hair) is shaved off.
At this point, ordaining master initiates chanting of Verse of Disfigurement; monks of great assembly join in this:

Ordinand burns incense and makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. Ordaining master reads dharma name certificate on which name given upon going forth from household life is written, then gives it to ordinand.

Next, ordaining master picks up sitting cloth, censes it, and gives it. Disciple to intone following words.
Disciple repeats this three times. (Procedure for three censings and three recitations – i.e, giving sitting cloth, robes and bowls is the same in each case). When finished, disciple spreads out sitting cloth and makes three prostrations, again kneels upright and gasshos. Ordaining master intones words Verse of Sitting Cloth; monks of great assembly join in chanting.
Next, ordaining master gives five-panel robe.
Disciple intones following words:
Disciple dons seven-panel robe, makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. (First take off five-panel robe and set it on side stand.) Next, ordaining master gives seven-panel robe. Disciple intones following words:
Disciple dons seven-panel robe, makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. (First take off seven-panel robe and set it on side stand.)

Next, ordaining master gives nine-panel robe. Disciple intones following words:
Disciple takes nine-panel robe, receives it by placing on head, then sets it on side stand, make three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos.

When verse has been recited three times, disciple makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. Next, precept master gives nested bowls (Oryoki). Disciple intones following words:
Ordaining master chants following verse, joined by monks of great assembly:
When chanting of verse is finished, disciple makes three prostrations, stands with sitting cloth still spread on floor.

Next, give bodhisattva precepts. The giving of bodhisattva precepts sometimes takes place at a different time or on following day, but in most cases, it follows immediately after procedure for shaving head and taking precepts.

The acolyte (jisha) leads ordinand before Buddha, has him/her burn incense and make three prostrations.

Next, the acolyte has him/her advance before ordaining master, burn incense, make three prostrations, and then the ordinand kneels upright with hands in gassho.

After the ordaining master quietly intones the invocation, the ordinand chants the Ten Buddha Names together with monks of great assembly.

After the ordaining master quietly intones the Verse of Worship and Praise, the ordinand chants the Ten Buddha Names with monks of great assembly, then the ordinand makes one prostration and stands up.

Acolyte leads ordinand before parental tablets, or parents themselves if they are in attendance, and has him/her make one prostration.
Next, the ordinand makes three prostrations before buddha, returns to original place in front of the ordaining master, and makes three prostrations before ordaining master, then kneels upright with hands in gassho.
Ordaining master lifts razor and chants opening line of following verse;
monks of great assembly join in chanting from second line. Together, they intone verse three times in succession.
This same procedure is followed for each of the other verses given below. (However, the Verse of Spiritual Aspiration is different).
When this has been chanted three times, ordaining master sprinkles head of ordinand with fragrant decoction, begins shaving, then hands razor to someone else (acolyte) to continue shaving.
While that is going on, ordaining master chants following verse joined by monks of great assembly.
Ordaining master then chants another verse, as follows, joined by monks of great assembly, who continue chanting until the tonsure is finished.
* In the case of applying for an ordination certificate, it is necessary to submit a photo in which the applicant is dressed in a white kimono. For this reason, it is suggested that a photo of the ordinand is taken while receiving the tonsure.

When tonsure is finished, leaving only the tuft (last single clump of hair), ordaining master gives long robe and has ordinand put it on.
Ordinand dons long robe and makes three prostrations, and then remains kneeling upright. Ordaining master questions ordinand as follows:
“The final clump of hair is called the tuft; only a buddha can cut it off. I’m now going to remove it; do you permit this, or not?”
Ordinand replies, “I permit it.”
Question and answer are repeated in this way three times, after which topknot (final topknot of hair) is shaved off.
At this point, ordaining master initiates chanting of Verse of Disfigurement; monks of great assembly join in this.

Ordinand burns incense and makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos.
The ordinand receives the certificate on which dharma name given upon going forth from household life is written, then tucks lineage chart under crossing fold of collar, makes three prostrations, then kneels upright and gasshos.

From ordaining master, the ordinand receives sitting cloth. Disciple repeats the following statement three times. (Procedure for three censings and three recitations –i.e, giving sitting cloth, robes and bowls is the same in each case).
O bodhisattvas, great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple , now receive and keep this sitting cloth, made to measure, that it may always protect my robes.
When finished, the disciple spreads out sitting cloth and makes three prostrations, again kneels upright and gasshos.
Ordaining master intones words Verse of Sitting Cloth; monks of great assembly join in chanting. Next, ordaining master gives five-panel robe. Disciple intones following words:
O bodhisattva, great beings, please give your single-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this andae robe, which is a five-panel robe, a pieced robe with one long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel].
Disciple dons five-panel robe, makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. Next, ordaining master gives seven-panel robe. Disciple intones following words: (First take off five-panel robe and set it on side stand.)
O bodhisattva, great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this uttara robe, which is a seven-panel robe, a pieced robe with two long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel]. Next, ordaining master gives nine-panel robe. Disciple intones following words
O bodhisattva, great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this sōgyari robe, which is a nine-panel robe, a pieced robe with two long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel]. Disciple takes nine-panel robe, receives it by placing on head, sets it on side stand, make three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos. When finishing giving three robes, ordaining master intones following verse (Robe Verse), joined by monks of great assembly.
When verse has been recited three times, disciple makes three prostrations, kneels upright and gasshos.

Next, precept master gives nested bowls (Oryoki). Disciple intones following words:
O bodhisattva, great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this these bowls, these vessels of the appropriate amount, that I may always use them. Ordaining master chants following verse, joined by monks of great assembly. When chanting of verse is finished, disciple makes three prostrations, stands with sitting cloth still spread on floor.

The acolyte follows the ordaining master into the ceremonial area and gives him/her an incense stick. After the ordaining master gives the incense stick back to the acolyte, they both walk toward the altar and the acolyte offers the incense stick to the Buddha by sticking it into the incense burner. After burning incense, the ordaining master bows and returns to the center of the ceremonial area. At this time, the acolyte will bow together with the ordaining master and walk back to his/ her designated position to do three prostrations together with everyone.

The acolyte guides the ordinand in front of the Buddha.

The acolyte has the ordinand burn incense, make three prostrations in front of the Buddha, and then go in front of the ordaining master to burn incense and make three prostrations. The ordinand then kneels upright (sitting upright is also acceptable).

Monks of great assembly chant the Ten Buddha Names in unison after the ordaining master finishes reading the Invocation (Hōshō).

Monks of great assembly chant the Ten Buddha Names in unison after the ordaining master finishes reciting the Verse of Worship and Praise (Raisanmon).

Acolyte leads ordinand before his/her parents or in front of the parent’s memorial tablet (ihai) in the case that they are deceased to do one prostration before going in front of the Buddha to do three prostrations.
Next, the acolyte leads the ordinand back to his/her original place in front of the ordaining master to do three prostrations. Then he has the ordinand kneel upright and put hands in gassho. The acolyte then parts the ordinand’s hair in the middle and ties it up into two knots, right and left (if the hair is long enough).
The ordaining master will then begin reciting the Verse of Spiritual Aspiration (Hosshin no Ge), in which the monks of the great assembly join in from the second line of the verse.
After chanting the verse three times, the ordaining master sprinkles a fragrant decoction on the ordinand’s head and then starts shaving the ordinand’s head with a razor. The ordaining master then hands the razor to someone else (acolyte) to continue with the shaving of the ordinand’s head. During the shaving, the ordaining master will begin reciting the Verse of Tonsure (Teihatsu no Ge), joined by monks of great assembly. Then ordaining master chants the Verse of Seeking the Way (Kyudo no Ge) joined by the monks of great assembly, continuing chanting until the tonsure is finished. The acolyte finishes the tonsure by leaving a clump of hair at the very top of the head. Ideally, the tonsure should be completed before the Verse of Tonsure and the Verse of Seeking the Way are recited three times each.
※When applying for the ordination certificate, the applicant (the ordinand) must submit a photo in which he or she is pictured in a white kimono. For this reason, it is suggested that a picture is taken of the ordinand receiving the tonsure.

The acolyte first gives the robe to the ordaining master. Then, the ordaining master presents the robe to the ordinand and from there, the acolyte will help the ordinand put the robe on. After the ordinand puts the robe on, the acolyte has the ordinand make three prostrations and then kneel upright.

Seeing ordinand do this, ordaining master keep his hands together, raises the razor a second time, and questions ordinand as follows: “The final clump of hair is called the tuft; only a buddha can cut it off. I’m now going to remove it; do you permit this, or not?” Ordinand replies, “I permit it.” Question and answer are repeated in this way three times, after which topknot (final topknot of hair) is shaved off. At this point, ordaining master initiates chanting of Verse of Disfigurement. Monks of the great assembly join in chanting this verse.

The acolyte gives the sitting cloth to the ordaining master. After the ordinand receives and holds the sitting cloth up, the acolyte has the ordinand chant the following verse three times, helping him/her as necessary.
“O bodhisattvas, great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and keep this sitting cloth, made to measure, that it may always protect my robes.”
After recitation is over, the acolyte has the ordinand spread the sitting cloth, make three prostrations, and then kneel upright and gassho. Ordaining master then intones the Sitting Cloth Verse (Zagu no Ge) and the monks of the great assembly join in the chanting.

Next, the acolyte gives the five-panel robe to the ordaining master. After the ordinand receives and holds the five-panel robe up, the acolyte has the ordinand chant the following verse three times, helping him/her as necessary.
“O bodhisattva great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this andae robe, which is a five-panel robe, a pieced robe with one long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel].
Right after reciting the verse, the acolyte has the disciple don the five-panel robe, make three prostrations, kneel upright and gassho.

Next, the acolyte gives the seven-panel robe to the ordaining master. After the ordinand receives and holds the seven-panel robe up, the acolyte has the ordinand chant the following verse three times, helping him/her as necessary.
“O bodhisattva great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this uttara robe, which is a seven-panel robe, a pieced robe with two long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel].”
After reciting the verse, the acolyte has the disciple don the seven-panel robe, make three prostrations, kneel upright and gassho (after first taking off the five-panel robe and placing it on the side stand).
Next, the acolyte gives the nine-panel robe to the ordaining master. After the ordinand receives and holds the nine-panel robe up, the acolyte has the ordinand chant the following verse three times, helping him/her as necessary.
“O bodhisattva great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold this sōgyari robe, which is a nine-panel robe, a pieced robe with two long and one short [piece of cloth in each panel].”
After reciting the verse, the acolyte has the disciple don the nine-panel robe, make three prostrations, kneel upright and gassho (after first taking off the seven-panel robe and placing it on the side stand). When finished giving the three robes, the ordaining master intones the Robe Verse (Takkesa no Ge), joined by the monks of the great assembly.

When verse has been recited three times, the acolyte has the disciple make three prostrations, kneel upright, and gassho.

Next, the acolyte gives the ōryōki (“nested bowls”) to the ordaining master. After the ordinand receives and holds the ōryōki up, the acolyte has the ordinand chant the following verse three times, helping him/her as necessary.
“O bodhisattva great beings, please give your singled-minded attention, I, the disciple, now receive and hold these bowls, these vessels of the appropriate amount, that I may always use them.”
The ordaining master then chants the Verse of Nested Bowls, joined by the monks of the great assembly. When chanting of verse is finished, the acolyte has the disciple make three prostrations and then stand with sitting cloth still spread on the floor.

When set time arrives, ring three sequences on hall bell.
First, bell officer strikes the bell like this: Medium – Medium – Small – Big.

First Sequence
When the preparation for the ceremony is finished, responsible person (Chiden) gives a sign for the bell officer to ring the hall bell gradually faster.
End the ringing of the first sequence with one ‘Big’ strike.

Second Sequence
During this sequence, monks of great assembly enter the hall. The bell officer gradually rings the hall bell faster.
When the last monk has arrived at his position, the bell officer finishes this sequence with one small strike and one big strike on the hall bell.

Third Sequence
After seeing the acolyte have ordinand’s parent(s) sit at their assigned seats, the bell officer gradually rings the hall bell faster and finishes this sequence by striking the hall bell with one Medium, one Small, and one Big strike.

The ordaining master enters the hall.
When the ordaining master arrives in front of buddha, the seventh sound is rung.

When ordaining master burns incense and Dōan sees him bow, Dōan starts to ring his hand-bell.

※The Ten Buddha Names with the precepts clappers

※The Ten Buddha Names with the precepts clappers