Japanese monks endure with a vow of patience the new york times. There, tendai monks established the ritual known today. This documentary is about these amazing men, the magic mountain on which they train, and the philosophy of tendai buddhism, which. It started with a mountain priest named ennogyoja, who, in the late 600s, meditated for a thousand days on top of mt. The sacred mountain and its remote yokawa precinct are mentioned in the uji chapters of the tale of genji.
Japanese monks endure with a vow of patience the new. On mount hiei in japan, there can be found a small monastic group of tendai monks who regularly accomplish many remarkable challenges. Here is some information from john stevens book that will help bring the documentary into perspective. What i learned when i met the monk who ran 1,000 marathons video. These monks are known for their physical endurance in running, a form of extreme asceticism called kaihogyo that lasts seven years. Eyes focused about 100 feet ahead while moving in a steady rhythm, keeping the head level, the shoulders relaxed, the back straight, and the nose aligned with the navel.
After the fifth year, the monks begin a nine day confinement without any food, water, rest, or sleep. One of the most extreme forms of dry fasting concerns the practice of the socalled marathon monks gyoja of mt. Japans mount hiei is home to the monastery of the running buddhas or marathon monks who pursue enlightenment via day marathons that must each be completed in a sevenyear training period. These graves are the resting place of those buddhist monks, who couldnt complete a spiritual challenge called the kaihogyo. Mount hiei is located next to kyoto, japan and is a spiritual center of great importance. 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 runwalk kaihogyo around mount hiei, completing the route between 7. Mar 05, 2012 20 minute australian video on the marathon monks english documnetary older film, different monk. Licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of universal records. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. John stevens wrote the book the marathon monks of mount hiei, chronicling the practice of walking long distances. The spiritual athletes path to enlightenment by holly a. What i learned when i met the monk who ran 1,000 marathons. This account of the walking or marathon monks of mount hiei in japan, who. According to tradition, aspiring zen buddhist monks can volunteer to undertake a sevenyear challenge which involves completing marathon and double marathon runs alone on the sacred mountains surrounding the city of kyoto.
The siege of mount hiei, hieizan no tatakai took place in 1571 and was a battle between the warlord oda nobunaga and the sohei warrior monks of the monasteries of mount hiei, north of the capital city kyoto, western japan oda nobunaga led 30,000 men in destroying towns and temples on the mountain and near its base. The marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens goodreads. According to tradition, aspiring zen buddhist monks can volunteer to undertake a sevenyear challenge which involves completing marathon and doublemarathon runs alone on the sacred mountains surrounding the city of kyoto. Lessons from the marathon monks though there are very few of us who will come away from the story of kaihogyo emboldened to run 38400 kilometres, there are some very concrete lessons that we can take from the tendai monks story. The marathon monks of mount hiei 1992 57 minutes documentary available on vhs the narrator opens this 57 minute documentary by saying. Mount hiei hieizan guards the northeastern approach to kyoto. Choosing suicide if they fail to complete the journey, and often dying en route, these monks undertake a perilous journey to enlightenment. Lessons from the extraordinary monks who run 38400 kilometres in a quest for living enlightenment. The participants are more commonly referred to as the marathon monks. Illustrated with superb photographs, the book also contains the first fulllength study in english of mount hiei and tendai buddhism. One of the most extreme versions of this is found with the tendai monks, a sect of buddhism based in the mountains outside of kyoto. Omine, where he lived in caves and huts and survived off the land. Mount hiei hieizan, is a mountain that lies to the northeast of kyoto in the sakamoto region of otsu.
Endurance beyond belief the marathon monks of mount. The documentary is based on a book written by john stevens also titled marathon monks of mt hiei. This mountain had been a main attraction for buddhism since the foundation of the order of marathon monks. Arguably, the greatest athletes in the world reside in the high altitude, forested mount hiei, in kyoto, japan. The gyoja are a sect of tendai buddhists residing on japans mount hiei who have come to be known as the marathon monks for their spiritual athleticism. On the 49th day after yugaos death, genji sponsors a reading of the lotus sutra for her at the hokkedo in the saito, or west precinct. The marathon monks of mount hiei are some of the best runners in the world. The sennichi kaihogyo is the summit of achievement for monks of the tendai buddhist order, the fabled marathon monks, or running buddhas of mt hiei. He will then attend an hourlong service, followed by bathing and the midday. The monks risking death on an extraordinary journey youtube.
Marathon monks of mount hiei is a documentary directed by christopher j. The marathon monks of mount hiei paperback 28 feb 20. The temple was protected by terrible warrior monks who imposed their will in kyoto. Endurance beyond belief the marathon monks of mount hiei. The marathon monks live in a small mountain monastery below the fabled world of enryakuji temple, the tendai sect of esoteric buddhism. There are three things that i have absolutely no power upon, emperor goshirakawa said in 1170s. The worlds greatest athletes may well live on top of a sacred mountain in japan. This challenge, kaihogyo, which has killed several monks on mt. Review john stevens, the marathon monks of mount hiei. Mount hiei is located in the north east of kyoto, away from the ancient capital.
They worship a deity known as fudo myoo the wrathful king of mystic knowledge in shingon buddhism. Nov 17, 2009 mount hieis marathon monks the marathon monks live in a small mountain monastery below the fabled world of enryakuji temple, the tendai sect of esoteric buddhism. Over a sevenyear period, the marathon monks of mount hiei embark on kaihogyoa 1,0000day deadly marathon challenge very few marathon monks have survived kaihogyo. The marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens waterstones. Apr 30, 2012 the marathon monks of mt hiei are a small group of monks within the tendai sect. The kaihogyo is held on mount hiei, a mountain overlooking japans ancient city of kyoto. For hundreds of years all emperors got wary in total silence when it came to the issue of warriormonks. Since many travelers come here from kyoto, they often enter from the town of yase at the base of the mountain on the kyoto side. If you commit to nothing, youll be distracted by everything. Sep 21, 2019 marathon monks of mount hiei is a documentary directed by christopher j.
Author john stevens, in his book, the marathon monks of mount hiei describes the running style which dates back over a thousand years. Mount hiei has been featured in many folk tales over the ages. The marathon monks of japan awesci science everyday. The reader will learn about the monks deathdefying fasts, their vegetarian training diet, their handmade straw running shoes, and feats of endurance such as their ceremonial leap into a waterfall. A reluctant walkers hike up mount hiei, kyoto insidejapan. Jul 16, 2018 fewer than 50 monks have completed the thousand day circumambulation in the last century and a half. The participants are more commonly referred to as the marathon monks of mount hiei. This is an ancient tradition based around the idea of offering your body to the buddha in hope of reaching enlightenment in this life. The ultimate test of human athletic endurance is the marathon. John stevens wrote the book the marathon monks of mount hiei, chronicling the practice of walking long distances up to 52 miles 84 km a day for 100 straight days, in an effort to attain enlightenment. The marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens says that it offers the seeker every type of religious experience sacred scholarship, grand ritual.
Originally, however, the practice was not quite so difficult. It is there that in 788 the monk saicho received permission to found a monastery that was to protect the capital, as the north is the direction from which come bad influences. Those graves mark the final resting place of the tendai buddhist monks who have failed to complete a quest known as the kaihogyo. The practice is called the kaihogyo practice of circling the mountains. The order practices kaihogyo, literally translated as circling the mountain. The marathon monks of mount hiei trail runner magazine. These monks are from the tendai school of buddhism, a denomination brought to japan by the monk saicho in 806 from china. It is famed for the extensive temple complex near the summit. Comparing prices for the marathon monks of mount hiei. The greatest athletes in the world today are neither the olympic champions nor the. Feb 28, 20 the marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens, 9781626549951, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Over a sevenyear training period, these running buddhas figuratively circle the globe on foot. The spiritual athletes path to enlightenment marathon. Marathon madness, the ridiculous story of the marathon of the 1904 olympic games. Podcast the marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens. Dec 21, 2016 the determination and perseverance that is shown by the marathon monks lends inspiration to all martial artists and shows that we can always strive for something greater beyond our present limitations. The story of the marathon monks of mount hiei is the ultimate inspirational story for ultrarunners and that is why it is featured on this page. He was the only one who completed this thousand day circumambulation on omine before the practice migrated to mt. Marathon monks of mount hiei trail runner article the guardian. The first is the extraordinary story of one tendai monk in japan who undertakes one of the most difficult and dangerous austerities i have come across, walking on foot round mount hiei times in a pilgrimage spread out over seven years, and covering a total of some 24,000 miles by completion. Pt 1 pt 2 a slightly wacky page on the marathon monks usa today article the masacre on mt hiei the marathon monks of mt hiei is a book by john stevens wikipedia page enryakuji temple and the yakuza scandal warrior monks.
Marathon monks of mount hiei documentary insight state. In 1571, the warlord oda nobunaga, in order to unify japan, attacked the mountain by burning down its temples and massacring its population. Over the years, the monks commit to walking the word marathon is slightly misleading the monks hike, but dont run either. The japanese monk who hiked a mountain for 1,000 days. The greatest athletes in the world today are not the olympic champions or the stars of professional sports, but the marathon monks of japans sacred mount hiei.
By john stevens the greatest athletes in the world today are not the olympic champions or the stars of professional sports, but the marathon monks of japans sacred mount hiei. Mt hiei and the marathon monks, kyoto trail and mountain. Unfortunately, it is out of print and not available on kindle, either. The marathon monks of mount hiei put olympic athletes to shame duration. Hiei is the first book in english on the kaihogyo, an arduous ascetic practice carried out on mount hiei, the site of the tendai sects headquarter temple of enryakuji. One fascinating aspect of mount hieis history is the socalled marathon monks who take part in an ascetic practice called kaihogyo. Oct 11, 2019 in this episode, erik rostad discusses book 43 of 52 from his 2019 reading list the marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens. Buy the marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens from waterstones today.
Monks of sherabling ricky kej featuring the monks of sherabling monastery youtube. Hiei is an extreme physical challenge that involves an inordinate amount of running and other related endurance activities, which if a monk fails to. Oda nobunaga versus warriormonks of mount hiei, 1571. Unique within their journey of personal enlightenment is the incorporation 100days or 1,000days of consecutive marathon distance 4080km pilgrimages through their mountain homes. The marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens, paperback. The hiei marathon monks are called kaihogyo monks, which literally means practice of circling mountains.
In fact, since 1885, only 46 monks have made it it being perhaps the most demanding feat of endurance ever devised. They became known as the running monks or marathon monks of mt. More amazing is the manner and the conditions in which the monks run. The kaihogyo circling the mountain is a set of the ascetic spiritual training for which the buddhist marathon monks of mt. Legend has it that the monks of mount hiei run 1,000 marathons in 1,000 days in their quest to reach enlightenment. Since 1885, only fortysix marathon monks have completed the challenge. The seven year pilgrimage to enlightenment youtube. Author john stevens, in his book, the marathon monks of mount hiei writes about the running style. Hiei is a documentation of a sect of tendai buddhist monks in the mountains outside kyoto, japan. Hiei is the first book in english on the kaihogyo, an arduous ascetic practice carried out on mount hiei, the site of. Originally it was thought to be the home of gods and demons of shinto lore, although it is predominantly known for the buddhist monks that come from the temple of enryakuji marathon monks. In the northeastern hills outside kyoto, japan there is a mountain known as mount hiei. These are two films having the same subject, but only partly overlapping content. The determination and perseverance that is shown by the marathon monks lends inspiration to all martial artists and shows that we can always strive for something greater beyond our present limitations.
In this episode, erik rostad discusses book 43 of 52 from his 2019 reading list the marathon monks of mount hiei by john stevens. Aug 03, 2015 licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of universal records. Read pdf the marathon monks of mount hiei download online. The practice of kaihogyo has a long history, beginning in the 9th century ce with a boy named soo, who arrived at fifteen years of age to the tendai. Since many travelers come here from kyoto, they often enter from the town of yase.
Jun 10, 2007 japanese monks endure with a vow of patience. Kaihogyo takes place over days, spread over a sevenyear period. The greatest athletes in the world today are neither the olympic champions nor the stars of professional sports, but the marathon monks of japans sacred mount hiei. They are an incredible example of the beauty of endeavor, a vision of what we can do if we can only set. The story of the marathon monk practice, or sadhana daily spiritual practice, began when a. Jan 24, 2018 author john stevens, in his book, the marathon monks of mount hiei writes about the running style. Mount hiei towards the end of my trip to japan, on a bright and sunny day, i stood at the foot of mount hiei having been told that it wasnt going to be impossible for me to reach the summit on a noncalifornian, fullyjapanese hike. May 12, 2011 the marathon monks of mount hiei put olympic athletes to shame duration. The kaihogyo is a set of the ascetic spiritual trainings for which the buddhist marathon monks of mt. This account of the walking or marathon monks of mount hiei in japan, who have been performing an extraordinary mountain pilgrimage for over years, describes their rituals of chanting, meditation and exercise, culminating in walks of over miles and nine days without food or sleep.