Remember Saint Hakushin from InuYasha?

[sonjajade]

He was the guy who was keeping the barrier up around Mt. Hakurei to hide Naraku's presence from everyone?  And it turned out he was a monk who tortured himself to death to achieve the status of a living god?  I thought that wasn't really real, or at least I didn't think people kept the mummified remains of the guy in a shrine.  Turns out that was real and those mummies are all over Japan.








Here's Hakushin when we first see him in his preserved state


Here he is going into what will be his tomb


And him inside, ringing his bell, waiting for death.

Just thought I'd share since that's really creepy and kinda appropriate for the Halloween season.

Comments

[enemytosleep]

Oh yeah, totally creepy and totally happened. As did Naraku. XD

[sonjajade.livejournal.com]

wait, Naraku happened too??? What rock have I been living under?!?

[enemytosleep]

If you believe hard enough, anything can come true. XD

[sonjajade.livejournal.com]

*squeezes eyes shut* I believe Miroku is real, I believe Miroku is real...

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

very fascinating (for that matter the catholics and several monastic divisions have done this too)

I'm trying to figure out what's giving the first one's calvarium such a wonderfully shiny, dark patina.

[sonjajade.livejournal.com]

You know, I didn't even think about the fact that Christianity has relics like this (DUH! face palm!) I guess the reason this weirds me out is because in InuYasha that saint tells the story of dying to a resurrected Shinto priest. He tells her that while he was in the hole ringing his bell, all he could hear up above him was "Is he dead yet?" because supposedly it was only after the monk died that he was able to have his magical protective powers. He was crying on this priestess' shoulder and telling her all he wanted to do was jump from that hole and live and run away from that village full of people only wished he would hurry up and die. I cried for him at that point, and this was a semi minor character that was only around for this particular arc.

I wonder if the Christian monks did similar torturous things to themselves. I know about the Jesuits and the self flogging, but did any of them knowingly kill themselves like that?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh probably some of the matyrs did no doubt

that is a creepy story

here the santa maria della conception
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jrCBq1k5so

[sonjajade.livejournal.com]

that was awesome! I love history and creepy things like this. Thanks for sharing that!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no problem. there used to be a site with great pics but i couldn't find it