During the week after Saichō submitted the Rokujōshiki, he wrote two more memorials, adding details about the training program for those who aspired to be yearly ordinands. He proposed a rigorous training course for candidates (called intermediate students or tokugō gakushō) for the examinations which would qualify them to become government-sponsored yearly ordinands. Saichō was thus both providing his school with able candidates for ordination and responding to the court’s attempts to improve the quality of yearly ordinands.

Regulations For Intermediate Students
Of The Tendai-Lotus Hall On Mount Hiei
(Heizan Tendai Hokkein tokugō gakushōshiki)

How difficult it is to reside in conditioned existence, in the cycles of life and death. Without wisdom, how can we wake from the slumber that is ignorance? (I hear) the faint sound of spring thunder; it is time to be resolute. (I see) the glimmer of summer lightning; time is short. The roots of great compassion may begin to grow this morning. The aspiration to attain enlightenment may arise this very day.

Thus we must permanently establish regulations for our halls which are in this dream-like world. By forever establishing these regulations, we shall open the sources of the Dharma. Above, we shall serve all the generations of emperors. In the middle, we shall protect all the people of the world. Below, we shall save all sentient beings. Thus we would like to install nine intermediate shikangō (Meditation Course) students who will lecture and turn the Lotus Sūtra, Chin kuang ming Ching, Jen wang Ching and other sūtras daily. They will not miss even one day. We would also like to install nine intermediate Esoteric Course students who will turn and meditate on the (Ta p’i lu) che na(ching), (Fo mu ta) k’ung ch’iao (ming wang Ching), Shou hu (kuo chieh chu t’o lo ni ching) and other sūtras everyday.

Youths who are fifteen years or older, and believers who are twenty-five years or younger should take their identification documents to be verified. Next they should have their names added to the register, be assigned positions, and thus become intermediate students. Those who are able to read three works will form the highest rank. Those who are able to read two will form the middle rank. And those who are able to read only one will form the lowest rank. The top rank shall consist of those with minds of the Middle Way. Among the students, they are the resolute ones, excelling in both ability and achievements.

The students will be tested after nine years and all those who fail the test will be expelled (from the monastery). Those who pass shall reside on Mount Hiei continuously in both body and mind for twelve years. They shall follow the monastery’s rules and advance in their studies. (By becoming a) treasure of the nation, a teacher of the nation, or an asset of the nation, they will benefit both themselves and others. They will rapidly advance through the six stages (roku soku) and long reside in the three virtues.

From now on, those who reside in my halls shall purge themselves forever of the three poisons. They shall follow the rules of the Lotus Sūtra and not rely on the sheep or elephant vehicles; rather, they shall board the latter three vehicles.

The fifteenth day of the fifth month of the ninth year of the Konin era (818).

Written by Saichō, Head of the Tendai School.