劃破佛法黑暗史2
「坐甕而亡」在中國及日本地區曾經奉為圭臬，
這跟埃及的木乃伊都是類似的思想 ，把死亡的肉體視為另一種神秘的崇高，
雖然是不同的信仰，
但木乃伊至少是在死後製作的，
「坐甕而亡」這類的錯誤殘酷認知，
在被冠上佛法的權威以後一樣崇高無比。
攤開《阿含經》原始教典，很難相信佛法發展到最後，會出現如此的殘酷行為。
半寄
AI資料
在日本佛教史中，「坐甕而亡」通常指涉一種極端的修行實踐 ——肉身菩薩（即身成佛）。這並非一般的死亡儀式，而是一種 結合了極度自律、斷食與禪定的入滅過程。
以下是關於這項歷史傳統的詳細解析：
1. 核心信仰：即身成佛 這種修行主要盛行於山岳信仰與真言宗（空海大師創立）的背景 下。修行者相信，透過特定的肉體磨練與冥想， 可以在現世以肉身之軀直接成就佛果，而不必經過無數次的輪迴。
最著名的精神領袖是空海（弘法大師），傳說他並未真正死去， 而是於高野山奧之院入定，等待彌勒菩薩降生。
2. 嚴酷的「木食修行」 在真正進入甕中之前，僧人必須進行長達數年甚至十年的準備工 作，稱為「木食： • 排除五穀： 停止食用米、麥、豆等主食。 • 攝取樹皮與種子： 僅靠松針、樹皮、堅果維持生命。 • 身體脫脂： 這種飲食的目的是為了消耗掉全身的脂肪與水分， 防止死後屍體腐爛。 • 服用漆樹汁： 在後期，僧人會飲用漆樹汁（用於製作漆器的 漆）。這會引發嚴重的嘔吐與排泄，進一步脫水，且漆的化學成 分具有防腐作用。
3. 坐甕入滅的過程 當僧人感到大限將至，便會進行最後的步驟： 1. 入甕： 僧人盤腿坐入一個特製的石製或木製大甕中。 2. 地下石室： 甕被埋入地下數公尺深的石室內。 3. 通風與聯繫： 石室上方會留有一根細小的竹管通往地面，提 供少量氧氣。 4. 搖鈴止息： 僧人在甕中持續誦經冥想，每天搖動手中的小鈴 鐺。當地面上的弟子聽不到鈴聲時，即代表僧人已經入滅。 5. 封死與掘出： 弟子會移除竹管並完全密封石室。通常在三年 三個月後，才會將甕掘出。
4. 歷史上的分佈與現狀
這項傳統在江戶時代的**山形縣（出羽三山地區）**最為興盛， 因為當地山岳信仰極為強大。 • 現存肉身佛： 日本目前保存完好的「肉身菩薩」約有 17 至 18 尊，多數供奉在山形縣、新潟縣等地的寺院中（例如：圓明院、 南岳寺）。 • 法律禁令： 明治維新後，日本政府為了現代化與防止自殺行 為，於 1872 年頒布了**《墳墓埋葬條例》**，正式禁止了這種極端的入滅方式。
需要釐清的一點： 雖然空海提倡「肉身成就佛果」，但他在世時並未提倡那種將自 己活活製成木乃伊的「即身佛」極端行為。
• 空海的「即身成佛」： 側重於意識與法身的合一，是宗教上的 覺悟與法力的獲得。 • 後世的「木乃伊化修行」： 主要是後來日本東北地區（如出羽 三山）的部分山岳修行者，將空海的理論極端化後的產物，認為 肉身不腐才是成佛的物理證明。 |
Breaking Through the Dark History of Buddhism 2
In the past, a practice called “dying while sitting inside a jar” was respected in some areas of China and Japan.
This idea is somewhat similar to Egyptian mummification,
which treats the dead body as something sacred and mysterious.
Despite the differences in religious belief, ,
mummies are at least made after death.
The practice of “dying inside a jar,” however, shows a cruel misunderstanding.
Once such practices were given the authority of Buddhism,
people began to treat them as extremely sacred.
Yet when we read the early scriptures of the Āgamas,
it is hard to believe that Buddhism could eventually develop into practices that involve such cruelty.
Master Banji
AI Data In the history of Japanese Buddhism, the phrase “dying while seated inside a jar”usually refers to an extreme form of religious practice known as becoming a living Buddha through self-mummification (attaining Buddhahood in one’s own body). This was not an ordinary death ritual. Instead, it was a process of entering death through severe discipline, long periods of fasting, and deep meditation. Below is a detailed explanation of this historical practice. 1. Core Belief: Attaining Buddhahood in This Very Body This type of practice mainly developed within the context of mountain ascetic traditions and Shingon Buddhism, which was founded by Kūkai. Practitioners believed that through intense physical discipline and meditation, it was possible to attain Buddhahood in this very body during one’s lifetime, without going through countless cycles of rebirth. The most famous spiritual figure associated with this idea is Kūkai (also known as Kōbō Daishi).
2. The Harsh “Wood-Eating” Practice Before entering the jar, monks had to undergo years—sometimes even a decade—of preparation known as “mokujiki” (wood-eating practice). • Eliminating grains: They stopped eating staple foods such as rice, wheat, and beans. • Eating bark and seeds: Their diet consisted mainly of pine needles, tree bark, nuts, and wild plants. • Removing body fat: The purpose of this diet was to remove as much body fat and moisture as possible, which would help prevent the body from decaying after death. • Drinking lacquer tree sap: In the final stage, monks sometimes drank the sap of the lacquer tree (the substance used to make lacquerware). This caused severe vomiting and diarrhea, further dehydrating the body. The chemicals in the lacquer also helped preserve the body. 3. The Process of Entering Death in the Jar When the monk felt that the end of life was approaching, the final stage began: 1. Entering the jar: The monk sat cross-legged inside a specially prepared large stone or wooden jar. 2. Underground chamber: The jar was placed inside a stone chamber several meters underground. 3. Air and communication: A thin bamboo tube was left connecting the chamber to the surface, allowing a small amount of air to enter. 4. The bell signal: The monk would continue chanting and meditating inside the jar, ringing a small bell each day. When the disciples on the surface could no longer hear the bell, they knew the monk had died. 5. Sealing and excavation: The bamboo tube was removed and the chamber completely sealed. Usually, after three years and three months, the jar would be opened. 4. Historical Distribution and Current Situation This tradition was especially common during the Edo period in the Yamagata Prefecture area, particularly around the sacred mountains known as Dewa Sanzan, where mountain worship traditions were very strong. • Existing mummified monks: Today, about 17–18 preserved “living Buddhas” remain in Japan. Many are enshrined in temples in Yamagata and Niigata Prefecture, such as Enmyō-in Temple and Nangaku-ji Temple. • Legal prohibition: After the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government sought to modernize society and prevent acts considered to be suicide. In 1872, it issued the Grave and Burial Regulation of 1872, which officially banned this extreme practice. An Important Clarification Although Kūkai taught the idea of attaining Buddhahood in this very body, he did not promote the extreme practice of turning oneself into a mummy while alive. • Kūkai’s concept of “attaining Buddhahood in this body”: It emphasized spiritual awakening—the union of consciousness with the Dharma body and the realization of enlightenment. • Later self-mummification practices: These were mainly developed by later mountain ascetics in northeastern Japan (especially around Dewa Sanzan). They pushed Kūkai’s ideas to an extreme, believing that an incorruptible physical body was physical proof of Buddhahood. |
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