Elsewhere in the article, it says that the monks believed that their asceticism alone would allow them an incarnation in Tushita Heaven, home of the devas and the bodhisattva, for 1.6 million years.  As there is a time differential of 146097:1 (400y:1d) there, that would be about 11 years of Earth time.<p>They also believe that while in Tushita, they will retain spiritual abilities on Earth for as long as their physical bodies remain preserved.<p>So by the meditation and asceticism, they get off the reincarnation hamster wheel for about 11 years, get a subjective 1.6 million years studying under the next Buddha [0] before then, and if they also elect to self-mummify, they may possibly get to channel positive mojo to their hometowns through their dessicated flesh while they wait for their next turn.<p>Immortality never comes into play, anywhere.<p>[0] Or training with Goku?