Tag Archives: Buddha

Honoring Ancestors in the Buddhist Culture: Japan’s Obon Festival

An annual Japanese Buddhist festival that honors the spirits of beloved family members who have died

Every year, Buddhists in Japan celebrate the custom of the Obon (or Bon) festival as a way to honor the spirits of beloved family members who have died. This Buddhist custom has influences from Confucianism as well. So how do … Continue reading

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Bizarre Death Ritual: 19th Century Buddhist Self-Mummification

This short-lived death ritual was believed to be a road to enlightenment.

In late 1800s Japan, several Buddhist monks called Sokushinbutsu attempted the rare ritual of self-mummification. Driven by the Buddhist quest for enlightenment and the belief that this requires non-attachment from the physical body, these monks prepared to take their own lives … Continue reading

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