10k in a hundred days full#

10k in a hundred days full#

Two monks completed two full terms another died by suicide on his 2,500th day, trying to complete three terms. Since 1885, 46 marathon monks have completed the 1,000-day journey-an ordeal that is an option for the gyoja who passes the 100-day test. Kaihogyo, as the rituals are known today, evolved from 1310 to present. It is not clear exactly how these spiritual mountain marathons began, but records show that Chinese and Indian Buddhist texts of the eighth century stated that, “Mountain pilgrimages on sacred peaks is the best of practices.” From about 830 to 1130, pilgrimages took place to mounts Hira, Kimpu and Hiei. Temple on Mount Hiei, Kyoto, Japan Photo by L’oeil étranger/ Creative Commons 2.0 As rugged as it appears, however, this test is merely a warmup in the ultimate spiritual quest of the Marathon Monks-the complete process entails seven more years and becomes progressively and unfathomably more difficult. Kakudo hopes to achieve a state of Enlightenment-the pure spiritual joy of feeling one with the universe. His spiritual goal is to become completely absorbed in the mountain and its surroundings, so that the pain and discomfort of the physical ritual will not be noticed, or at least be ignored. He will continually chant mantras to the god Fudo Myo-o. By the 70th day he is run/walking with a smooth gait, head and shoulders erect, back straight, nose and navel aligned. But by about the 30th day, according to the predecessors’ accounts, his discomfort will lessen as his body adapts to the pain and strain. He may run a fever, experience back and hip pain, develop hemorrhoids and diarrhea, suffer from frostbite dehydration and hunger. He may suffer cuts, sprains, stone bruises and punctures to his feet and ankles. After a first run with a master, Kakudo will be on his own. The only variation in the 100-day ordeal will be a special 33-mile run through Kyoto, robbing him of one night’s sleep altogether.ĭuring the route, Kakudo will sit down only once-beneath a giant sacred cedar for two minutes-to pray for the protection of the imperial family. The last meal is taken around 6 p.m., and Kakudo gets to sleep around 8 or 9. After lunch, Kakudo will rest, then attend to temple chores. He will then attend an hour-long service, followed by bathing and the midday meal. Kakudo is one of the Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei, and this will be only the first of 100 successive nights that he will get up at midnight, attend the service and start his marathon run/walk ( kaihogyo) around Mount Hiei, completing the route between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. In stormy weather, the rain destroys the sandals in a couple of hours, extinguishes the lanterns, washes out the routes and soaks the spiritual trail runner to the bone. Kakudo puts a pair of handmade straw sandals on his bare feet, and carries a straw raincoat and paper lantern. The mountain is a wildlife preserve full of forest animals - fox, rabbit, deer, badger, bear, boar and the famous Hiei monkey.

The mountain is located in temperate western Japan, but the combination of relatively high altitude, trees that block out the sunlight and frigid air masses that move in from Siberia turns Mount Hiei into the “frozen peak” during the cold months. It is a lush landscape of rain, high humidity and winter snows. Mount Hiei has five main peaks, the highest being O-bie-dake at 2769 feet. Kakudo also carries candles, matches, a small bag of food offerings to the deities, and a rosary. Some of those stops will be to honor monks of the past who did not make it and died by suicide. He also carries a small bag that holds his secret holy book, which will guide him on his journey and help him remember the 250 prayer stops to make along his 18-mile trip around Mount Hiei. Tendai Buddhist tradition dictates that if Kakudo does not complete his prescribed marathon runs and walks, and all the accompanying tasks, he must take his own life by either hanging or disemboweling himself. He wraps a white “cord of death,” around his waist with a sheathed knife tucked inside. It is cotton and consists of a short kimono undershirt, pants, hand and leg covers, a long outer robe and a priest’s outer vestment.

His outfit is pure white-the color of death-the same thins he would be dressed in at his own funeral. He sips a bowl of miso soup and chews on a couple of rice balls. Kakudo Suzuki, an aspiring Japanese Buddhist spiritual athlete or gyoja, attends an hour-long service in the Buddha Hall. Snow still covers the trails of Mount Hiei, which lies just northeast of the ancient city of Kyoto, in central Japan. These spiritual athletes redefine the term “ultrarunner” Get access to everything we publish when you