04/10/2025
In pursuit of enlightenment, some Japanese Buddhist monks practiced a ritual to mummify their own bodies while they were still alive.
The process, known as sokushinbutsu, began with an arduous 1,000-day diet consisting only of nuts, seeds, roots, and tree bark.
This extreme regimen was designed to strip the body of all fat and moisture, preparing it for natural preservation.
After completing the diet, the monks would drink a special tea made from the toxic sap of the urushi tree, a substance typically used to make lacquerware.
This poisonous tea induced severe vomiting, which rapidly removed the body's remaining fluids. It also made the monk's flesh toxic to the maggots and bacteria that would otherwise cause decay after death.
For the final stage, the monk would be sealed inside a stone tomb just large enough to sit in the lotus position. A small tube provided air, and he had a bell to ring each day to signal he was still alive.
When the bell stopped ringing, the community knew the monk had passed. The air tube was removed, and the tomb was permanently sealed for three years. 🙏
After the three years passed, the tomb was opened. If the body was found perfectly preserved, the monk was believed to have achieved enlightenment and was venerated as a living Buddha. 🏔️
This practice was most prevalent during Japan's Edo period, and only a few dozen monks are thought to have successfully completed the ritual.
