KYOTO - The head temple of one of Japan's largest Buddhist sects in Kyoto held a ceremony Tuesday admitting laypeople into the priesthood, with nearly half of the 100 participants at the minimum age of 9.
The Higashi Honganji temple of the Shinshu Otani sect holds the ceremony, known as tokudo, year-round, but August draws many child participants during their summer break. Of Tuesday's participants, 48 were 9, the age at which founder Shinran (1173-1262) of the Jodo Shinshu school of Buddhism was ordained and hence at which the sect allows entry.
During the event, participants had a razor ceremonially placed on their heads, received a black robe worn by priests, and were given Buddhist names. In Jodo Shinshu tradition, hair is not necessarily shaved, but the gesture of placing a razor retains its symbolic meaning of the renunciation of worldly attachments.
Among the 9-year-old participants was Ryuei Washiyama, a son of Risei Washiyama, chief priest of Zentsuji temple in Misato, Kumamoto Prefecture, which saw its walls cracked and Buddhist fittings toppled in a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that rocked the region on July 28.
"I want to become a priest who can help people," Ryuei said after the ceremony, adding that no one in his family was injured.
