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Monk goes nine days without food, water or sleep

22 Comments

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22 Comments
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Was Japan Inc. HR taking notes?

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

'The 41-year-old Kogen Kamahori’s endurance test made him a living form of the Buddha'

Of course it did. At least this religious nutcase wasn't putting anyone else at risk.

Moderator: You do not have the right to call him a religious nutcase. That is not nice.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Such a silly endeavor. Chant over and over and, bing! You're enlightened!!!

Walk to a bunch of temples and, ka-pow! You're enlightened!!!

So selfish.

How about, oh, I donnow, trying to help someone other than yousrelf.

-6 ( +9 / -14 )

So what, I kinda did that in Ibiza many moons ago. Actually there was plenty of liquid involved, so I will give him that.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

i find this feat impossible to believe and impossible to verify since he's in that cave alone. nine days without eating is believable. but you can't go without liquids and sleeping for nine days.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Anyway, liquids....he is in a humid cave, not a desert. Its makes a big difference. Plus it says nothing about what he did with his urine.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

I don't believe this. The man is highly unlikely to survive nine days without water. In the event that he did survive he would have to go straight to the emergency ward of the nearest hospital, not parade in front of the media.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Religion again!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

These kinds of stories never hold up as time goes by and the truth comes out. For now it's yarase and free publicity.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I tried to 2 days without sleep just to see if I could. I almost lost my mind. I was delirious and dizzy and almost fell down the stairs 3 times.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why am I not allowed to criticize the foolishness of depriving one's body of water, food and sleep for nine days? No one should be pandering to this stupidity without enduring some scathing criticism. In fact, I even question whether its all true and real. This whole stunt is so devoid of reason, and so full of hype and garbage mysticism, we don't even hard proof of its veracity.

Is this is comment site or Japanese Buddhism promotional site?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I don't know about 9 days but I have been awake for 4 days and never done training so don't see that as being impossible for someone who has trained for years. As for food and water, people have done that around the world much longer during hunger strikes. The article also said the monk needed help walking.

Why you would do all these things is beyond me as it's a huge hit on your health as the body starts wasting away.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Monk goes nine days without food, water or sleep"

And without bathing!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I you limit your movement and don't exert yourself you could do it too...

I will not say it is easy but I have done several extended periods of no sleep normally 4 to 6 days, but I was busy and working so I was eating and drinking.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I wonder if it is a prelude to Sokushinbutsu?

Sokushinbutsu (即身仏?) refers to a practice of Buddhist monks observing austerity to the point of death and mummification. This process of self-mummification was mainly practiced in Yamagata in Northern Japan between the 11th and 19th century, by members of the Japanese Vajrayana school of Buddhism called Shingon ("True Word"). The practitioners of sokushinbutsu did not view this practice as an act of suicide, but rather as a form of further enlightenment. Those who succeeded were revered, while those who failed were nevertheless respected for the effort. Now banned in Japan.

More about this on the interwebs. Fasting, eating resins to preserve the body, then living entombment...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How is this possible? I thought the general rule of survival is 3 weeks without food or 3 days without water. Add in to that 9 days of sleep deprivation, which can be fatal after 4 days.. If this is true, he surely has permanently damaged his body in some way, just like those hunger strikes can cause brain damage, etc.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Now this monk knows how it feels to be a graduate student.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Easy enough to hide a stack of Kit Kats & CC Lemon under those flowing robes

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Educator 60

It is incorrect of you to assume I have not.

I have.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Food...maybe, sleep...OK, but without water?? I'd like to believe it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Maybe on his next grueling ritual he'll knock himself out.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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