Marathon Monks
John Stevens wrote the book The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei, chronicling the practice of running long distances – up to 52 miles (84 km) – in a single day to attain enlightenment in the monk's current life. The practice of running is known as the kaihōgyō.
Read more about this topic: Mount Hiei
Famous quotes containing the words marathon and/or monks:
“The mountains look on Marathon—
And Marathon looks on the sea;
And musing there an hour alone,
I dreamed that Greece might still be free;
For standing on the Persians’ grave,
I could not deem myself a slave.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“If you understand why a monkey in a family is always mocked and harassed, you understand why monks are rejected by all—both old and young.”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)