The Buddha mummies of north Japan /
At select temples throughout northeastern Japan, the robed bodies of self-mummified Buddhist monks are worshipped as "Living Buddhas." They are thought to heal the sick, protect the living, and continue to inspire monks with the intense dedication of their ascetic discipline centuries befo...
| Other Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Video |
| Language: | English Japanese |
| Language Notes: | In Japanese with one English interview; subtitles in English. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to this streaming video (Kanopy) |
| Summary: | At select temples throughout northeastern Japan, the robed bodies of self-mummified Buddhist monks are worshipped as "Living Buddhas." They are thought to heal the sick, protect the living, and continue to inspire monks with the intense dedication of their ascetic discipline centuries before. This documentary includes interviews with the monks who attend to these "Living Buddhas," descriptions of the dieting regime and austerities required in order to elf-mummify, and a rare redressing ritual in which the robes of the mummies are cut into talismans for devotees. This is the first independent documentary to capture these mummified monks on film, to observe key ceremonies of their 12-year ritual cycle, and to present interviews with leading scholars on this rare form of contemporary Buddhism--from publisher's website |
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| Item Description: | Streaming video. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (1 streaming video 21 min.)) : sound, color |
| Playing Time: | 00:21:09 |
| Production Credits: | Camera, Koichi Sato, Satoshi Watanabe; translator, Stephen Robertson. |