How Did Japanese Monks Mummify Themselves? | Legendary Locations

Josh Gates explores Sokushinbutsu, the practice of Buddhist monks observing asceticism to the point of death and entering mummification while alive. How did these religious devotees achieve what they believed to be the highest form of enlightenment?
From Season 2 Episode 2.
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[@vimalcurio]

who is here after mrballen video? Edit : Wow! 104 likes. Thanks for the attendance you guys, I never had that many likes and replies in my comments on KZbin so thanks for showing your love.

[@novastonegaming]

Lol me

[@hillaryhutchins4980]

Me

[@dhrubanarzary4194]

Me too 😁

[@letsgoogaming1398]

FR

[@BRAINDEADNOODLEZ]

😂u funny

[@t_2756]

I appreciate you picked up on this. However, the practice is not limited in Yamagata or small a sect, in fact you can even find one at temple in Inagi city, Tokyo.

[@ThePresentation010]

They're in games as well. Zelda and others. Shrines with mummified being.

[@drjamesallen6012]

Japanese understanding of immortality: YOU WON’T DIE IF YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD 😂

[@glidershower]

"What is the mind and soul but foreign agents of the body? If the body is disposed of in a useful but preserverved state, but without the consciousness aware of its earthlty demise, it can host it virtually forever."

[@drjamesallen6012]

@@glidershower The body is only useful with all the biochemical processes going on. That functionality ceases to be when you marinate yourself like that smart arxx

[@inan-rc4wd]

​@@glidershowershut your Buddhist bullshit, why don't you give a try to shokoshinbutsu .

[@stevengreidinger8295]

This monk was old when he started his process, therefore we should consider a possibility: When he started, he may have had cachexia, the wasting condition that makes it difficult for cancer patients and some heart patients to eat solid food. In that case, eating would've been very unpleasant in the first place. Cachexia patients frequently "starve" because their system can no longer tolerate and process food effectively. Cachexia agrees with the known facts of the scenario. A pathologist might be able to analyze the corpse to know for sure.

[@t_2756]

It is true that many of the monks are old like in their 80s, but some are 30s and 40s. (Yes, we have records of their ages)

[@ThePresentation010]

So he was weak and frail to begin with. And made it worse by starving for 3 yrs. (1000 days) And then drinking poison for 3 months (100 days) Then finally being in an upright coffin where he could sit till he died.

[@davemegpoid2377]

not gonna lie. you gotta respect their dedication and determination.

[@Roy-ts9nv]

There is nothing to respect, this is just self-harm via religious fanaticism. The only difference between this and suicide bombers is the monks are only harming themselves. i.e. we shouldn't necessarily condemn the practice as they are not hurting other people but to say this is worthy of respect makes no sense. Once religion starts to inspire death it ceases to become a tool of self help, Buddhism is no exception. There are far more worthy things in life to put that kind of dedication and determination towards than self-destruction.

[@kitosumi5623]

This is pure stupidity

[@jusrome2037]

@@Roy-ts9nvtypical materialist response 😂 😂 there’s more to existence than corporeal life, and these guys truly believe that. It’s not nonsense to respect these men for this act, and comparing this to suicide bombers is complete nonsense. Apples and oranges.

[@pinkdollangel]

@@jusrome2037thank you ❤❤❤materialists will never understands

[@talkaboutwacky]

That's kinda like saying "I respect the Pain Olympics guy" who cut off his own junk on camera

[@hz9253]

The Middle Way "There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata - producing vision, producing knowledge - leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. - Majjhimāpaṭipadā" - The Buddha

[@DarkKoffee]

Thank you 😊

[@Paul.......]

I don't think encasing yourself is the middle way tbh

[@Roy-ts9nv]

@@Paul....... I think that's the point, i.e. this practice is a distortion of Buddhism principles that comes from obsessing over self-affliction to the point it becomes a meaningless act of self-harm.

[@jusrome2037]

@@Roy-ts9nvit’s meaningless to you. good things you’re not the arbiter of what’s meaningful or meaningless in this world, and it’s clear that you have a personal issue with the practices that these people participate in.

[@einienj3281]

Imagine meditating so much you mummify yourself.. I don't have patience for it..

[@hz9253]

This isn't Buddhist teaching, Bhudda tried this before enlightenment and proclaimed it was useless. And taught of the middle way.

[@einienj3281]

@@hz9253 I didn't claim it was..

[@micahamin9392]

It’s not to the brink of death…. It is death.

[@GuardianAngel..]

Now what would really be messed up is after the monks died they woke up in hell and realized that huge sacrifice they made was all for nothing but seeing that none have ever come back to tell what the afterlife is like we just have to assume that they really did achieve a new state of enlightenment.

[@charlene9638]

Literally

[@babesrus674]

​@@GuardianAngel.. they burning in BBQ right now

[@pinkdollangel]

@@GuardianAngel..why would they be in hell

[@ligmaballs2022]

​@@pinkdollangel because catholics and christians believe suicides go to hell?

[@miyoutube6045]

But why do they think he is a living Buda if he is clearly dead? He became a living buda when he died? I dont get it...

[@Roy-ts9nv]

They are religious extremists. Once religion starts to inspire this level of self-harm it is pointless trying to make any kind of sense out of it. The only difference between these people and suicide bombers is they are only killing themselves.

[@bunnybird9342]

It is believed that he is still meditating even as a mummy

[@NJR367]

Its amazing how they know all this

[@charlene9638]

Seems like a good idea when older monks know their time is coming

[@Dennis-nc3vw]

Are you kidding me? Do you know the suffering this procedure involves?

[@beckystarrski]

@@Dennis-nc3vw Ikr? Starving yourself & then poisoning yourself to death. Suicide, but you don’t rot. 🤔 To each their own. And none of them know if they live on or whatever it is reincarnation. Because no one can tell them. Intriguing & very disturbing. ✌️

[@MylezNevison]

Stop trying to be spiritual & REALISE you are the #Spirit... Stop trying to meditate & REALISE you are the #Meditation... Stop trying to chase Enlightenment & REALISE #Enlightenment is you(consciousness) and everything around you. Asceticism is the extreme opposite of Hedonism/Overindulgence...They both try to achieve a Higher state of being by putting their bodies through extreme pain/pleasure. However, if you are persistently doing things to the extreme your days are numbered. Too much food=death, No food at all=death.. Hence, many ascetic monks have died attempting sokushinbutsu & inversely many people have died of drug overdoses attempting to achieve extreme ecstasy/euphoria. Both paths are unconscious(unaware) extreme opposite sides of the same coin and they are both spiritual mirrors of one another's intention☯️. Balance/the middle way is key.

[@AnAdorableWombat1]

Stop trying to sound wise when nothing you said made any sense! Hence why the only person who liked your comment was yourself.

[@jusrome2037]

If you think an enlightened person gives a fuck about death, you’re dead wrong 😂

[@D.Dazile]

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... Ecclesiastes 9: 5

[@v0id_00]

I'm here after reading the book "How to make a mummy talk" and Tetsumonkai was included among other mummies featured in the book. He's a Japanese Buddhist who mummified himself despite still living.

[@rootfish2671]

Wait what? Was he some kind of Lich or undead?

[@v0id_00]

​@@rootfish2671he's very much human just like us.. the process of mummification is not just limited to intended embalming of the dead or the natural aid with nature preservation but also practices where they prepare their own still living bodies for mummification and can only be completed with the help of others too. In the buddhist's case, he prepare himself by slowly starving himself by drying himself out with candles, until he passes away from either dehydration or starvation, be sealed away for some time, brought out and dried by candles one more time.. or at least what I can recall from the book.

[@calummcfadyen6017]

“Still looking good-ish” hahahaha

[@pierreuntel1970]

“Oh no, my village is falling apart, perhaps killing myself is the best way to solve all the problems”

[@lukask.3686]

That's how Christianity Was born....

[@AnAdorableWombat1]

Whatever works

[@Crushie666]

While the world is dying of disease and war, most kids don't ever become adults, man's 96 and lives for over 400 years now

[@babesrus674]

Nah, he been dead.

[@IKilledTheDodo]

"Most kids don't ever become adults" - That's not true. In fact, child mortality rates have been steadily declining since the 90's, thanks to advancements and greater availability of modern medicine all over the world. Check The World Health Organization or other reliable sources if you want to see for yourself or learn more.

[@Glock10357]

Fantasy Island 😂

[@DynamicDave-z8r]

Nuts and seeds for the 1st 1000 days Barks and roots for the 2nd 1000 days Tea of erushi tree sap Mountain stream of arsenic composition

[@ancaryvan4811]

In Ang Hueh Province of China, there's a Monastery dedicated to Kstigahbar Bodhisattva becomes the displaying gallery of mummyfied monk. All of them treated as proper bodhisattva plated with gold paper.

[@xavierpaololedesmamandreza]

Gee, Josh, you really have the talent of being irritatingly exaggerative.

[@evecollins1859]

Now I'm curious did anything change after they passed and did they spirit regret what they did

[@david-jr5fn]

Actually if you leave a body behind you have been unsuccessful. Level 0 you leave a body behind that decays like a normal body, Level 1 you leave a body behind that resists decay, Level 2 you leave a body behind that resists decay and shrinks in size to the size of a small child, Level 3 your body spontaneous bursts into flames and extremities remain like some bones fingers, Level 4 you burst into flames and notthing remains behind, you take your entire body with you

[@MrJeremybowling]

You think this is the most dangerous practice? What about the guys flying planes into towers and blowing up cars?

[@PUPPAWSCO]

How did that help the community?!

[@lutra-lutra]

he left all the food for them🙃

[@sunnyblake1980]

Who's here because they saw the Mr Ballen video? He made it so interesting to me

[@RichardEhlinger]

So this is the inspiration for Senpou temple in mount Kongo from Sekiro.

[@anuragrawat4090]

ma man

[@Shinjitsu_84]

Listening in English and hearing Yudono by this dude I cant not-hear "Mount You Dont Know."

[@GuardianAngel..]

What are you guys trying to do poison me I tried this diet for 5 days and I almost died.

[@asiaticoasis]

No one told u to do that no one

[@AnAdorableWombat1]

@@asiaticoasis😂😂😂😂😂

[@DynamicDave-z8r]

Mystical Monks

[@janetwilbur8459]

You are NOT getting me in that box.. major claustrophobia. That is, if I get that far. 😂🤣

[@zayaan7011]

It's called sokishonbutsu or something like that

[@rebeccahjorleifson3819]

The re enactment and dramatization is to cringe.. gonna find another resource to research this

[@Bargadiel]

It seemed pretty tasteful and historically accurate to me. The only thing that made me laugh a bit was the "whoosh whoosh" sound effect they'd play when zooming in on the mummy.

[@DynamicDave-z8r]

So, 3000 days, right? How many years is that? 3000 ÷ 350 = 8.57 That's almost 9 years, 8 and a half years. Makes you wonder how the participants might feel about removing those bamboo pipes and burying him. It is reasonable that there had been so many athiests lately.

[@agniswar3]

A year is 365 days.

[@hughvera3569]

sokushinbutsu is a kind of interface to dead life

[@AntiIdoloter]

I'm a fan of Sokinatzibutsu 😎

[@bunnybird9342]

???????

[@cherriemay528]

Monks made of wax is less scary😂

[@eldorado1244]

The democrats did this to Ruth Ginsberg

[@spicytrash4981]

You're actually disturbed.

[@myselfidontagreewithyourse6306]

Lol

[@Stephanenakamura]

To joe Biden too, isn’t it ?

[@nealkelly9757]

There is one major difference: instead of arsenic the Dems use adrenochrome

[@Roy-ts9nv]

I hate myself for laughing out loud at this.

[@kvinepin9945]

Clearly tho host and moderator of the Earth server we are all iliving now!

[@MMjr.]

0:12 you forget war crimes, nuke, and h*ntai.

[@manal9514]

The first 2 is what the US is known for

[@Henny.777]

@@manal9514when I think of nuclear disasters the first two places that pop into mind are Japan and Ukraine lol

[@justapersonz5441]

@@manal9514Oh no, The first one aswell, is very much Japan. What they did even concerned Germany.

[@danialnajmi6301]

3000 days for that process. Famine issue already solved by then 😂😂😂😂

[@shinoiki3443]

Fukuma Mizushi

[@imnolen9628]

If dead serious was a person

[@ff_xo16]

Honestly i feel sorry for these people they starve themselves and make themselves feel extrutiating pain just for them to die and reslise they were in the wrong and worshipped the wrong people ...

[@美由紀-m3e]

For me this culture mentions just being patient, hurt your self. Nothing good for life. Now Japan is no thrives, hard work life style makes depopulation.

[@silbermannsgold1]

immer derselbe Mist: theatralische Musik soll was bewirken??? Das ist keine Dokumentation sondern Event. Nach 2 Minuten habe ich abgeschaltet.

[@raulsanchez9795]

Enlightenment thru suffering, SUFFER You VICTIM OF LIFE, SUFFER!!!!

[@andreelmatacoronavirusquin1322]

“Did”? They still do it lol

[@tiagolyric6117]

Run to Jesus escape hell

[@jayb9113]

But that's still like self-inflicted death because you know what you're doing and going for, a.k.a. a form of suicide which is not enlightenment in the slightest.

[@DynamicDave-z8r]

Hilltop Hermits

[@brayanbaez-yf2lq]

Love it🤍

[@NeverBelieveALie]

And why not!

[@DesertVox]

They live in abodes filled with objects made by an advanced civilization and yet they claim to be abandoning it to experience 'enlightenment'. Pure BS. They're going bareback on the mountain. That's their real 'enlightenment'.

[@einienj3281]

They go up in the mountains to a cave.. their bodies have been brought down to be worshipped...

[@babesrus674]

​@@einienj3281 it's smarter to worship God not a man corpse

[@theawakening2946]

We are all immortal anyway ..silly monks

[@ahmadfauzichannel1989]

Number 3

[@animayqueen2887]

Weird

[@syn4441]

👍

[@holysouls7076]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@jsan4864]

The red beard guy is really annoying! Also, most ppl dont understand this type of lifestyle. Life is pain, a consequence of physics, which is why ppl go to great lengths to find the creator. Mountains are sacred and these guys know how use it for its intended purpose..."drops the mic"😎

[@flyingrover9022]

You really think you did something…

[@bithyahamsegulah4653]

​@@flyingrover9022 thank you yet still YAH has asked us to live righteously repent but no that's to much but this yes

[@Kiranatics]

Well let me correct you The people doing this is trying to achieve nirvana It's not lifestyle and all The red beard guy is doing the best to give us the glimpse of what the process of that So fuck you mic and I'll throw it back to your face

[@damianomarcozaina1201]

This reminds me Sekiro

[@dronevideos913]

First one

[@AssassinG59]

Second one

[@ilcanaledellanatura]

🔝🔝💯💯

[@Che_Guna]

☸️🙏🛐

[@samrowe2889]

Sorry but this is ridiculous how did things turn out did it help his village this world will be so much better off when humanity embraceses the fact that we are on our own just animals on a pale blue dot in space going about our lives there is no god of any religion we can be good to one another protect one another without having to go thru this nonsense or pray to something y that will never answer

[@happyatheists9361]

I thought keanu reeves is the only living buddha

[@talkaboutwacky]

This is wrong and disgusting

[@happyatheists9361]

I think buddhism is a real deal..now i'm scares for karma 😞

[@northerners2828]

Wooah 🙄

[@Ifelovv]

Super hero??? Kinda disrespectful 😒

[@RuckRuRaggie]

Gross...

[@jameswilson1251]

Biden is a living Buddha. 😅

[@AnAdorableWombat1]

Biden must be slowly reaching this point.

[@JuiceWRLD99969]

2nd

[@artwithme8340]

Actually that's not what religion makes u. U have to work and then pray. Those guys were wrong. Many God believers work u know.

[@abdiqadirleejo1148]

Alxadulilah Allah has plessed us Islam ☪️

[@shafiqxxx3232]

yudono 😂