by The mummy of Sangha Tenzin, a Buddhist monk from Bhutan, stands as a testament to a rare and extraordinary spiritual practice. Sangha Tenzin, who lived in the early 17th century, embarked on the process of mummification while still alive, a practice known as “self-mummification” or “sokushinbutsu.” This process involved extreme ascetic practices, including a strict diet of nuts, seeds, and poisonous tea to induce dehydration and preservation of the body.
Sangha Tenzin’s commitment to this rigorous regimen, undertaken in a remote mountain hermitage, was driven by his spiritual devotion and the belief that achieving mummification would benefit all sentient beings. Upon his death, his fellow monks discovered that Sangha Tenzin had successfully achieved a state of preservation, with his body remarkably intact and mummified.
His mummy, considered a sacred relic, remains venerated by Buddhists in Bhutan, reflecting both his profound dedication to spiritual discipline and the cultural significance of mummification in Tibetan Buddhism. Sangha Tenzin’s story continues to inspire awe and curiosity, offering a glimpse into the lengths individuals have gone to in pursuit of enlightenment and transcendence in the Himalayan region.
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