Official priest - Kandousou

...Tokudo means to shave one's head, become a monk, practice Buddhism (indo), and become a monk or nun. During the Ritsuryo period, a system of permission requiring certain procedures was in place by the state. Those who obtained official permission to become a monk were called "officially admitted monks," while those who obtained private permission without official permission were called "privately admitted monks." The Kokonritsu severely punished privately becoming a monk, stating that "Anyone who privately enters the Buddhist priesthood and is punished with a cane." The Souniryo also stipulates that masters and other officials involved in privately becoming a monk or nun must be forced to return to secular life (their status as a monk or nun will be taken away). This was to prevent people from becoming a monk or nun without permission, as they would be exempt from paying taxes.

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "kandoso" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…剃髪･出家して仏道を修行し(入道)，僧尼となることを得度（とくど）というが，律令時代には国家による一定の手続を要する許可制がとられていた。官の許可をえて得度したものを官度僧というのに対して，官の許可をえず私的に得度したものを私度僧という。〈戸婚律（ここんりつ）〉に〈私に入道し及び之を度する者は，杖（じよう）一百〉と私度を厳罰し，また〈僧尼令（そうにりよう）〉に私度にかかわった師主，三綱（さんごう）らを還俗（げんぞく）(僧尼身分の剝奪)に処することを規定しているのは，僧尼となれば課役免除の特典が与えられるので，人民が課役をのがれるため，勝手に得度することを防止しているのである。…

※「官度僧」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報