On the other hand, the system was administrated and supervised both centrally by the sogo (an ancient Buddhist ecclesiastical authority) and locally by the kokushi (provincial governor) and kodokushi (購読師), while being regulated by the Soniryo (regulations concerning monks and nuns) in which an individual would receive a formal ordination license from the state upon entering the priesthood to become an official monk or nun (however, sogo could not or limited to supervise jogaku-ji and chokugan-ji which were much independent from government).
その一方で、中央からは僧綱、地方では国司及び購読師によって管理・監督されて、僧侶には得度を経て国家による正式な度牒を受けた官僧が配されて僧尼令によって統制された（ただし私寺性の強い定額寺・勅願寺には僧綱らによる監督が及ばなかったあるいは限定的であったと言われている）。