cold-water purification; ritual bathing in cold water
A Shintō or Buddhist ascetic practice of standing under or pouring cold water over oneself to purify the body and spirit. Often performed at waterfalls, shrines, or before prayer.
There is an ascetic practice of performing cold-water purification under a waterfall.
神社でお参りする前に、水垢離で身を清めた。
Before praying at the shrine, I purified myself with cold-water ablutions.
寒中水泳 is winter swimming for health or sport, not necessarily religious; 水垢離 is a spiritual purification ritual.
Standard kanji spelling for the ritual purification practice.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; may be used when the second kanji is considered difficult or obscure.
Compound of 水 (water) and 垢離 (purification). 垢離 is a Buddhist term derived from Sanskrit, referring to ascetic practices for removing spiritual defilement.