The estimated 200-year-old remains of a Buddhist monk were unearthed in Mongolia, fully mummified and sitting in the lotus position.
This stunning discovery revealed the man, who was ash-colored and covered in cattle skin, with almost no decay. The remains were taken for further study to the Ulaanbataar National Centre of Forensic Expertise.
Though the identity of the man is unknown, it has been suggested that he was a teacher of the famed Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov. Itigilov’s body was found in 2002 in the same position and preserved in the same way. It is thought that both men, as well as dozens of others, self-mummified themselves in a practice known as sokushinbutsu.
Considered the ultimate act of dedication and discipline, those who practiced sokushinbutsu slowly poisoned themselves until they died, ensuring that they would remain in the lotus position for eternity.
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