The self-mummified Buddhist monks of Japan.
Sokushinbutsu - Wikipedia
"A mountain-dwelling religion called Shugendō emerged in Japan as a syncretism between Vajrayana Buddhism, Shinto and Taoism in the 7th century, which stressed ascetic practices.[10] One of these practices was sokushinbutsu (or sokushin jobutsu), connoting mountain austerities in order to attain Buddha-nature in one's body....
In medieval Japan, this tradition developed a process for sokushinbutsu, which a monk completed over about 3,000 days.[10] It involved a strict diet called mokujiki (literally, 'eating a tree').[12][11] The monk abstained from any cereals and relied on pine needles, resins, and seeds found in the mountains, which would eliminate all fat in the body.[12][5] Increasing rates of fasting and meditation would lead to starvation. The monks would slowly reduce then stop liquid intake, thus dehydrating the body and shrinking all organs.[12] The monks would die in a state of jhana (meditation) while chanting the nenbutsu (a mantra about Buddha), and their body would become naturally preserved as a mummy with skin and teeth intact without decay and without the need of any artificial preservatives.[12][5] Many Buddhist sokushinbutsu mummies have been found in northern Japan and are estimated to be centuries old, while texts suggest that hundreds of these cases are buried in the stupas and mountains of Japan.[11] These mummies have been revered and venerated by the laypeople of Buddhism.[11]"
Have you heard of Sokushinbutsu before? What would you say to a friend or family member desiring to practice such religious austerities?
What are your thoughts on this extreme form of asceticism? Does your religious tradition encourage, require, or firmly denounce asceticism?
Sokushinbutsu - Wikipedia
"A mountain-dwelling religion called Shugendō emerged in Japan as a syncretism between Vajrayana Buddhism, Shinto and Taoism in the 7th century, which stressed ascetic practices.[10] One of these practices was sokushinbutsu (or sokushin jobutsu), connoting mountain austerities in order to attain Buddha-nature in one's body....
In medieval Japan, this tradition developed a process for sokushinbutsu, which a monk completed over about 3,000 days.[10] It involved a strict diet called mokujiki (literally, 'eating a tree').[12][11] The monk abstained from any cereals and relied on pine needles, resins, and seeds found in the mountains, which would eliminate all fat in the body.[12][5] Increasing rates of fasting and meditation would lead to starvation. The monks would slowly reduce then stop liquid intake, thus dehydrating the body and shrinking all organs.[12] The monks would die in a state of jhana (meditation) while chanting the nenbutsu (a mantra about Buddha), and their body would become naturally preserved as a mummy with skin and teeth intact without decay and without the need of any artificial preservatives.[12][5] Many Buddhist sokushinbutsu mummies have been found in northern Japan and are estimated to be centuries old, while texts suggest that hundreds of these cases are buried in the stupas and mountains of Japan.[11] These mummies have been revered and venerated by the laypeople of Buddhism.[11]"
Have you heard of Sokushinbutsu before? What would you say to a friend or family member desiring to practice such religious austerities?
What are your thoughts on this extreme form of asceticism? Does your religious tradition encourage, require, or firmly denounce asceticism?
