The Obscure of the World 1: Sokushinbutsu (Self-Mummified Buddhist Priests)

One of the greatest testaments to how far humans are willing to go for personal enlightenment comes from a small prefecture in the northern section of Japan called Yamagata.  The testaments in question are the self-mummified Buddhist priest of Yamagata known as the Sokushinbutsu.  

 Kind of peaceful looking for a mummy

 Though who exactly were the Sukushinbutsu and how did these Buddhist priest ever manage such a feat as self-mummification?  Well, look no farther as I’m here to explain that and much more. 

  Not creepy in the slightest....

The Sukushinbutsu were, as mentioned above, Buddhist monks whom studied a syncretic, Buddhic religion known as Shugendo in which combined esoteric Buddhism, old Shinto beliefs, animism, and even Taoism.  If you want to know more about Shugendo, check out this site here for more information. 

 Enno Gyōja:  The Father of Shugendo

Though, the Sukushinbutsu differed themselves from the typical Shugendo follower through one extreme practice of reaching enlightenment, the practice of self-mummification.  The priests that pursued the path to Sukushinbutsu were believed to be able to obtain the status of a Buddha as well as ultimate enlightenment through the physically and mentally tormenting process that lasted nearly ten years.  In the end if was believed that the priest's incorporeal bodies would be ultimately detached from the illusions of life itself and become venerated.   How does one then begin the journey of enlightenment via self-mummification?   The answer is far from simple.

The priest for 1,000 days would maintain a special diet consisting of eating only nuts and seeds along with a regiment of rigorous physical exercise that would nearly strip their bodies of fat.  Just to stress the fact of how difficult this would have been, remember that 1,000 days is a little less than three years.   

 and I get sick of eating the same type of cereal for more than a week....

After the first 1,000 days, the priest would change their diet to one that consisted of eating bark and roots of various trees and plants for another 1,000 days.  The only liquid nourishment outside of water the priest would be allowed was Urushi tea, a poisonous tea made from the sap of the Urushi tree.  The sap traditionally was used for creating lacquer for bowls and furniture.  The resulting diet would effectively cause the body’s flesh to become poisonous to any animals or insects that may attempt to eat the priest’s remains as well as to the microbes that cause decay.  However, this tea would cause the priest to suffer bouts of vomiting and other unpleasant physical issues.  During this time as well the priest undergoing this would experience hallucinations and other psychological anomalies due to the body’s continued deterioration by the poison and malnutrition.

 and they say weight watchers is a tough program...

Finally, the priest would be moved to a small, stone tomb large enough to house the priest while in the lotus position (a position in Buddhism believed to help in meditation).  An air tube along with a bell would be attached to the priest so that he could ring the bell to alert other priests to him being alive.

Hopefully none of them were claustrophobic.

Once the jingling of the bell stopped, the air tub was removed and the tomb completely sealed for another 1,000 days.  Upon the last day, the other priests would open the tomb to see if the mummification was complete.  

 adorned in relics

Two things may have happened upon opening the tomb.  Most often the only thing within the tomb would be a decomposing body that quickly rotted away.  While these priests failed to reach self-mummification and instant status as a Buddha, they were revered for their stalwart attempt and honored.  However, out of the hundreds that attempted to become Sukushinbutsu, it is estimated that only 16 to 28 actual Sukushinbutsus exist to this day.

As one could imagine, this strange and obscure feat by the Sukushinbutsu priests become a testament to the lengths in which these seekers of enlightenment would go for their beliefs.  Comparatively to some of the more destructive beliefs of other religions around the world, one can admire the display of willpower these individuals exhibited for their beliefs in which are strictly self-inflicted. 

Not for the weary.

While the practice was banned in Japan in the 19^th century, there have been cases of priests attempting the practice up into the 20^th century.  The majority of the bodies of those priests successful in becoming Sukushinbutsus are located in a temple on a mountain called Yudono in the Yamagata prefecture. 

Scientist believe that the arsenic levels within a natural spring beside the temple would have aided in the success of the priest attempting self-mummification as the high levels of arsenic were able to kill and ward off any microscopic organisms that may have otherwise feasted on the monk’s flesh.   Currently, none of the sects of Buddhism in Japan actively practice self-mummification.  Debates on whether the practice of Sukushinbutsu was indeed suicide or instead an acceptable practice to enlightenment have been and still are in debate amongst the different sects of Buddhism to this day

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