Perfect Memento: Hermits

• Return to Perfect Memento in Strict Sense

---

ちょっと変わった人間	Somewhat Peculiar Humans
仙人	Hermits
主な危険度：　極低	Usual threat level: Extremely low
遭遇頻度：　低	Frequency of encounter: Low
多様性：　普通	Variety: Average
主な遭遇場所：　不明	Main place of activity: Unknown
主な遭遇時間：　不明	Main time of activity: Unknown
特徴	Features
修行を積み、超人的な能力を得た人間。	Gaining according to the principles of "Shuugyou"[1], these persons have acquired superhuman-like capabilities.
だが、完全に欲を捨てる事は無く、俗界は離れているものの幻想郷の中で暮らしている。	However, not all of their worldly desires have been completely cast aside, rather, they are separated from the drudgeries of needing to work, and now reside in Gensokyo.
歳は百歳～数千歳というほど長寿だが、不老不死ではない。	Their age and longevity may be in the hundreds or even thousands, but they do not have eternal youth or eternal life.
修行を怠るとすぐに体は朽ち果て、灰となって消える。	If they become carelessly negligent in the pursuit of Shuugyou, their bodies will immediately rot away to ashes and simply vanish.
妖怪に対して毒である天人と異なり、仙人は妖怪の大好物である。	Unlike celestials who are poisonous to youkai, hermits are the number one favorite food for youkai. [Translators' Note: cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang_(fictional_character)]
仙人を喰らうと妖怪としての格が上がる。	Youkai who consume a hermit may be promoted to a higher rank or ascend to a higher form.
さらに普通の獣でさえ仙人の肉を喰らうと、妖獣に成る事もある。	Furthermore, if an ordinary beast consumes the flesh of a hermit, they will become enchanted with the additional powers of youkai.
つまり、仙人になると数多の妖怪から狙われる様になる。	In other words, to be a hermit is to become one who is the target of countless youkai.
それだけではなく、仙人には常に災難が多く、その最たる物が百年に一度程の間隔で地獄から刺客が来る事である（＊７）。	As if that weren't enough, hermits are always beset by misfortune, the worst of which is that about once every hundred years, an assassin is unleashed from Hell（＊７）.
この間、少しでも修行を怠ったりして、能力が鈍っていれば追い返す事が出来ずに地獄へ堕ちる。	During this time, if they are even a little careless in their pursuit of Shuugyou, and their powers weaken even a little, they will be unable to repel the threat and will be dragged to Hell.
仙人として生き続ける事も難しく、ましてや天人に成る事も難しい。	It's difficult to continue living as a hermit, to say nothing of attempting to live as a celestial.
そんな種族に成る様な人間は、やはりちょっと変わった人間が多い。	That group of human-like beings, as I thought, there many among them who are a little peculiar.
普段から奇行が目立ち、訳の判らない事を呟きながら、人里を離れて暮らす。	Their everyday habits really stand out, and people who don't understand the situation will whisper hostilely among themselves, eventually leading the hermits to leave from places where humans live.
だが、仙人同士の繋がりは深く、新たに仙人候補が現れるとすぐに自分の弟子にし、独り立ち出来るまで面倒を見るという（＊８）。	However, the bonds of fellowship between hermits is profound, as soon as a new candidate for hermitry appears, he is taken in as a disciple, and in a manner of speaking, will be taken care of until he "can stand up for himself"（＊８）.
仙人の生活	Everyday Life of Hermits
生活は極めて質素で、必要最低限の食事しか取らない。	Everday life is extremely modest and frugal, only eating the absolute minimum amount of food needed.
一日、木の実を数個囓る程度で生活出来る（＊９）。	On the first day of the month, they will gnaw on fruits and nuts from various trees and in this way, survive （＊９）.
さらに五百歳を越えると、食事は殆ど不要になり、霞を食べて暮らすという。	Furthermore, upon reacing the age of 500, further eating of any kind will become unnecessary, in other words, simply ingesting fog or haze will be enough.
目が覚めると日の出に向かって真言を何万回も唱え（＊１０）、昼間に少しだけ自由に出歩くと、日の入りにはまた真言を唱える。	From the moment their eyes open, they turn towards the sunrise and will recite sutras countless thousands of times （＊１０）, only briefly during the day will they freely go out, as the sun sets, they will once again be engaged in reciting sutras.
仙人の能力	Abilities of Hermits
妖怪にとって最も魅力的な人間である仙人だが、当然、妖怪に匹敵する力を持っている。	These hermits who are the most alluring and fascinating of humans to youkai naturally possess similar levels of power.
また、妖怪退治を生業とする者がそのまま仙人となる場合も多い。	Also, there are many situations where hermits who simply being what they are, make a living working as youkai exterminators.
肉体は老体の為、非常に脆く見えるが、自前の丹を服用している場合が多く、鋼より硬く出来ると言われる。	To take on the appearance of someone old, they will come off as extremely vulernable, there are many instances of hermits taking medications, even though it could be said that their bodies are tougher than steel.
その上、様々な妖術を身に付けている。	Furthermore, various kinds of sorcery may be applied to the body.
人間に危険が迫っているのを見ると、すぐに助けてくれる親切な面も見せてくれる。	However if they see something dangerous drawing near to a human, they will immediately come to the aid of the person and will display the utmost kindness.
＊７ 生きるだけで罪を負う。長寿であればあるほど罪は大きい為、その分功徳も積まなければいけない。	＊７ To live is to be burdened with sin. If one lives long, then because the list of sins will grow large, it wouldn't be right to not perform pious acts to compensate for them.
＊８ 雑用を任せる為とも言う。	＊８ They are also entrusted with unusual or strange tasks.
＊９ 栗鼠の様に。	＊９ Like squirrels.
＊１０ 転読という方法を使う。	＊１０ They will use the traditional techniques for reciting sutras.

^  Shuugyou (修行) as it is used here refers to a Buddhist prescription for behavior that these "hermits" follow that involves casting away material possessions and worldly appetites to pursue enlightenment.