Buddhist Clergy Offices (Sōkan)
The Sōgō (Buddhist Supervisory Council)
The Sōgō (僧綱) was the official clergy council established by the ritsuryō state to oversee and control Buddhism. It was responsible for administering Buddhist monks and nuns across the country. Clergy had both a sōkai (rank grade) and a sōkan (official post).
| Rank Grade (僧階) |
Official Posts (Sōkan) in descending order |
| 法印 | 大僧正 ＞ 権大僧正 ＞ 僧正 ＞ 権僧正 |
| 法眼 | 大僧都 ＞ 権大僧都 ＞ 少僧都 ＞ 権少僧都 |
| 法橋 | 大律師 ＞ 律師 ＞ 権律師 |
In the Heian period, the influence of major temples such as Enryakuji and Kōfukuji grew considerably, and positions in the Sōgō were increasingly filled by monks from these powerful institutions.
Clergy Titles
Clergy in the Heian period had various titles depending on their role in a temple, their form of practice, and their relationship to the court. Many monks remained active throughout the Heian period, and the following titles were in common use.
| Title | Description |
| 座主 | The head of Enryakuji on Mount Hiei and the supreme leader of the Tendai sect. |
| 入道 | A member of the imperial family or nobility who had taken Buddhist orders. Many continued to participate in politics and secular life after taking the tonsure. |
| 法師 | A person deeply versed in the Buddhist teachings and capable of guiding others — a "master of the dharma." |
| 講師 | A monk who lectured on the sutras. |
| 山伏 | A practitioner of Shugendo who underwent ascetic mountain training. |
| 護持僧 | A monk assigned to pray for the protection of the emperor's person and the safety of the imperial family. |