Sokushinbutsu: When Buddhist Monks Became Living Mummies

Between the 11th and 19th centuries, hundreds of Japanese Buddhist monks attempted one of the most extreme religious practices ever conceived - self-mummification while still alive. The process took over 3,000 days (nearly 9 years) of escalating self-torture, and only 24 monks are confirmed to have succeeded. Their perfectly preserved bodies sit in lotus position in Japanese temples today, revered as "living Buddhas" who transcended death.

The process was methodical and horrifying. For the first 1,000 days, monks ate only nuts, seeds, fruits, and berries while maintaining intense physical training to eliminate all body fat. For the next 1,000 days, they ate only bark and roots, their bodies withering to skin and bone. During this phase, they began drinkin ...