Hakushin

"The people all revered me as a saint, so I was resolved to be one."

- Hakushin

was a high-level Buddhist priest who agreed to sacrifice himself to save his people from a pestilence in the area. He did so, but as he was waiting to die he began to hate his followers who prayed for his death in order that they may be saved. Naraku then manipulated the emotionally damaged Hakushin into erecting a powerful barrier around Mount Hakurei. He then sat in his temple inside the mountain and focused on his barrier. He helped Bankotsu during his fight on Hijiri island and then helped him escape through his dokko. Later he fought Sango and Miroku but fled when Miroku used his Wind Tunnel to destroy his barrier.

He then happened upon Kikyō, who wanted to help him pass peacefully into the afterlife. She told him that she felt no anger or hatred coming from him, only sorrow. She also helped him to remember the real reason he had not found peace in death. It wasn't because he hated the people who prayed for him to die, it was actually because at the last moment, he realized he did not want to die. Kikyo comforted him by saying that there is no shame in wanting more life. He then allowed her to assist him in crossing over.

Powers & Abilities
Saint Hakushin was an incredibly powerful priest. Shintarō and his fellow villagers who lived near Hijiri Island, close to Mt. Hakurei, knew of Hakushin's great power, as he said that when Hakushin was alive, he had immensely strong spiritual power that he used to save countless people. Such was his power that even Naraku enlisted his help, as he was confident that Hakushin could protect him from his demon enemies.


 * Barrier of Purification - Hakushin created a barrier around Mt. Hakurei, which was the strongest barrier seen in the series. It prevented any demon from passing through it, regardless of strength or abilities. It hindered even Sesshōmaru, a daiyōkai, and was able to cancel out the protective properties of the Robe of the Fire-Rat; even the poison Miroku took in from the Saimyōsho was purified, saving him from certain death. The purification abilities were so immense that it forced Inuyasha into his human form as a result of the suppression of his demon blood. The barrier also hindered other, non-demonic entities, as well. As zombies and murderers, the Shichinintai felt more or less ill just from being in its periphery (Bankotsu even coughed and made retching noises when in the Saint's presence). As Kikyō was not completely human, it became increasingly difficult for her to move the closer she came to the mountain. It also made her body weaker to the extent that it couldn't hold onto the souls she absorbed as well as normal, and several (if not all of them) erupted from her body when she suffered strong physical trauma. Her Shinidamachu were incapable of entering the barrier altogether, putting her in extreme danger while she was inside of it. Humans could also be negatively affected by the barrier if they were impure in thought or deed. Indeed, Miroku was almost rendered completely immobile (and quite nauseous) when planning/attempting to grope Sango's rear end.


 * Flight - While inside his personal barrier, Hakushin was able to fly, such as when he escaped from his mountain shrine following his fight with Miroku and Sango.


 * Remote Barriers and Telekinesis - Hakushin erected a barrier over Hijiri Island by channeling his power through his vajra. This barrier was considerably weaker, but it was still strong enough to both put both Shippō and Kirara out of commission and prevent Inuyasha from using the Kaze no Kizu. After the barrier was dispelled by Miroku and Shintarō, Hakushin used telekinesis to launch the vajra at the Tessaiga and forced it to revert to its old, battered sword form.


 * Healing - When his power was being channeled through his vajra, everyone in its vicinity was healed. All of Inuyasha's group, excluding Inuyasha but including Shintarō, were severely wounded by Bankotsu's Dragon Lightning. When light and "sparkles" emanated from the vajra, their wounds faded and they all regained consciousness at the same time. Whether this effect was intended or not is unclear.


 * Teleportation - Hakushin was able to teleport Bankotsu to his mountain shrine before he was felled by Inuyasha's group. He is also capable of teleporting himself.

Weapons
Hakushin also used some mystical weapons to help him.

Dokko (Vajra): This was one of St. Hakushin's "weapons", which he can control remotely as he showed when he was on Mt. Hakurei but was still able to control it while it was on Hijiri Island. With it he can teleport anything, such as objects and people, which he showed when he used it to teleport Bankotsu from Hijiri Island back to his temple on Mount Hakurei. It can also purify demonic energy if it can hit it, similar to a sacred arrow, as seen when it purified Tessaiga's jyaki. The dokko can also create a barrier, though not as strong as the one on Mt. Hakurei.

Shakujō: This was one of St. Hakushin's "weapons", he likely used it in a manner similar to how Miroku uses his. It has been passed down Shintaro's family line for several generations.

Poem
The poem sung as he was buried,

To live is to die and to die is to live, What is Pure is Impure and Impure is Pure, What is Good is Evil and Evil is Good, To live is to die and to die is to live, In the grave of Monk Hakushin, The saint returns to Mt. Hakurei.

To live is to die and to die is to live...

The poem is sung a number of times throughout the Band of Seven Arc and Mt Hakurei Arc and is also sung by Kikyō.