The lay Buddhist ordination (Chinese: 受戒; pinyin: shòu jiè, Japanese: Jukai (受戒?), Korean: sugye (수계) refers to the public ordination ceremony wherein a lay student of Buddhism receives certain Buddhist precepts. The particulars of the ceremony differ widely by country and by school of Buddhism.
In Japan, the ritual is called jukai.
In the Sōtō school students take refuge in the Three Jewels (or Three Refuges), the Three Pure Precepts ("to do no evil, to do good, and to do good for others") and the Ten Grave Precepts. Students must undergo a period of study for their Jukai ceremony, which in most Sōtō Zen traditions is at least two years.
In the Rinzai school students take refuge in the Three Jewels (or Three Refuges) and, similarly to the Chinese and Korean practices derived from India, they receive the five precepts for laypersons.
In South Korea, the ritual, called sugye (수계), involves formally taking refuge in The Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and accepting the five precepts. During the ritual, the initiate is touched with a burning incense stick. This is to leave a permanent mark which serves to remind the initiate of their promise to uphold the five precepts. During (or right after) the ceremony, the initiate is given a Buddhist name.