Hijiri (聖, but also written as 仙衆 and 非事吏) were semi-independent wandering Buddhist ascetics (also called shōnin, "holy ones") who lived away from the major Buddhist monasteries, wandered the countryside and preached Buddhism to the people. Their religious authority derived from their itinerant practice, ascetic discipline, and reputation for possessing extraordinary spiritual capacities.
Hijiri (聖, but also written as 仙衆 and 非事吏) were semi-independent wandering Buddhist ascetics (also called shōnin, "holy ones") who lived away from the major Buddhist monasteries, wandered the countryside and preached Buddhism to the people. Their religious authority derived from their itinerant practice, ascetic discipline, and reputation for possessing extraordinary spiritual capacities.
Source: Wikipedia "Hijiri (Buddhist)" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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