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15 year old seen as new Buddha.

CraigCraig
edited March 2006 in Buddhism Today
from
United Press International

Kathmandu, Nepal, Nov 21 - A 15-year-old boy in the Hindu kingdom of Nepal, who reportedly has been fasting for six months while meditating beneath a tree, is seen as the new Buddha.

Thousands of pilgrims have been flocking to the dense forests of Bara district in the southern part of the Himalayan kingdom to get a glimpse of Ram Bomjon, who began meditating silently six months ago, Britain's Daily Telegraph reports.

A local journalist said there has been no report so far of Ram breaking his fast or moving, even to relieve himself.

It was in Nepal, not far from where Ram is meditating, that the original Buddha was born more than 2,500 years ago, later gaining enlightenment while meditating beneath a similar pipal tree.

Says Ram's mother: "God took him to the forest and I have faith that God will feed him."

Recently a snake bit Ram. After five days, Ram told those around him: "Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I don't have the Buddha's energy ... A snake bit me but I do not need treatment. I need six years of deep meditation."


what do you guys think, and is this a repost?

Comments

  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited January 2006
    My local news had this a few months ago. But left out the part about God(last two paragraphs) Well he sounds like more of a Hindu mystic to me than a Buddha....

    Another point I'd like to ask. Are Hindus able to achieve enlightenment contrary to what the Buddha taught?
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited January 2006
    He is certainly no Buddhist and it'll turn out to have all been done for money in the near future.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    He is certainly no Buddhist and it'll turn out to have all been done for money in the near future.
    Yeah, I'm pretty suspicious that it was a wide report, if he was a real Buddha, would anyone know?
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    ajani_mgo wrote:
    Are Hindus able to achieve enlightenment contrary to what the Buddha taught?

    Enlightenment is available to anyone, regardless of religion. I would think.
    If you're asking if Hindus can seek enlightenment through Hindu practise, who are we to say how they do it? Who knows?
    And when they achieve it, they won't care what they are, will they?
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Hmm...
  • bushinokibushinoki Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Has there been any recent word? The longer we go without him being denounced as a fraud, the more likely it is that he is in some way the real deal (not a buddha, but someone to keep an eye on).
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited January 2006
    federica wrote:
    Enlightenment is available to anyone, regardless of religion. I would think.
    If you're asking if Hindus can seek enlightenment through Hindu practise, who are we to say how they do it? Who knows?
    And when they achieve it, they won't care what they are, will they?

    After reading the article about the 15-year-old, I am not sure if he is the real deal or not and I figure the truth will come out one way or another. :scratch: I figure it is not up to me to decide if he is or not. As to your comment about enlightenment being available to anyone regardless of religion, I absolutely agree. Regarding Hinduism, I don't know enough about Hinduism to comment on their religion one way or the other. I do respect their right to practice it, though.

    Adiana:thumbsup: :wavey:
  • HermanHesseHermanHesse
    edited January 2006
    I had a old girlfriend who used to drink snakebite every friday and saturday night. For a while I thought she was the messiah. That was until she ran off with the bass player from a one hit wonder late 80's band.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    Herman Hesse wrote:
    I had a old girlfriend who used to drink snakebite every friday and saturday night. For a while I thought she was the messiah. That was until she ran off with the bass player from a one hit wonder late 80's band.
    that sucks.
  • HermanHesseHermanHesse
    edited January 2006
    Yep, sad really because they had a terrible time together and the guy ended up ODing with Heroine.
    Life is a crazy thing.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited January 2006
    bushinoki wrote:
    Has there been any recent word? The longer we go without him being denounced as a fraud, the more likely it is that he is in some way the real deal (not a buddha, but someone to keep an eye on).


    Not at all, length of time is pretty meaningless, especially since his family are careful to keep anyone who might ask the wrong questions away and nobody can see what happens at night, which is of course that the kid moves, eats and does all the normal things that he's supposedly not doing. It's a con by a poor family trying to make money.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    Not at all, length of time is pretty meaningless, especially since his family are careful to keep anyone who might ask the wrong questions away and nobody can see what happens at night, which is of course that the kid moves, eats and does all the normal things that he's supposedly not doing. It's a con by a poor family trying to make money.
    but how do you know this?
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    Herman Hesse wrote:
    Yep, sad really because they had a terrible time together and the guy ended up ODing with Heroine.
    Life is a crazy thing.
    wow that sucks.
    sorry to hear that.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    Who was it who said..
    We are all manufacturers: some of us make good, some of us make a hash of things, some of us make whoopee, some of us make things up and some of us make excuses...
    Everybody's on the make! :D
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited January 2006
    Craig wrote:
    but how do you know this?


    Whatever I say, the proof is in the pudding as it were. Wait and see for yourself. You'll find that once they're exposed, they'll simply disappear from the news.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    Whatever I say, the proof is in the pudding as it were. Wait and see for yourself. You'll find that once they're exposed, they'll simply disappear from the news.
    I'm not saying I agree with the story, or that it's real, but what if you turn out to be wrong?
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited January 2006
    I'm sure if zenmonk turns out to be wrong - then this new enlightened being will of course recognize that we, as humans, have seen far too many farces in our lives.

    I'm sure compassion and understanding will be some of the few abilities this newly enlightened person will have.

    Are you afraid that zenmonk will go to hell for not believing or something? :)

    -bf
  • bushinokibushinoki Veteran
    edited January 2006
    I'm still withholding judgement on the matter. Like Rev. Genryu said, they do conceal his actions at night, but if he is moving from the spot, he will eventually be caught. That's why time is of the essence here, because eventually he'll be proven either way. I do agree with Rev. Genryu on one point, this boy is not another Buddha. He's just no different than the Flagellents of Christianity who inflict pain upon themselves as an act of worship. I think the most this boy could be is another Lama, about equal to His Holiness, if he is for real and truly meditating in search of enlightenment.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Of course this child has BuddhaNature but whether he will manifest it for the benefit of all beings will take time to realise.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    buddhafoot wrote:
    I'm sure if zenmonk turns out to be wrong - then this new enlightened being will of course recognize that we, as humans, have seen far too many farces in our lives.

    I'm sure compassion and understanding will be some of the few abilities this newly enlightened person will have.

    Are you afraid that zenmonk will go to hell for not believing or something? :)

    -bf
    no I don't believe in a hell.

    It just seemed kind of pretentious that he would say the he was absolutely not doing for a good reason.
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Well, I don't think that zenmonk was saying he was doing it for no good reason. A good reason could be to put food on the family table.

    -bf
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    buddhafoot wrote:
    Well, I don't think that zenmonk was saying he was doing it for no good reason. A good reason could be to put food on the family table.

    -bf
    yes that is a good reason.

    but he also said it was a sham, the only way we could find that out would be to wait and see instead of jumping to conclusions.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited January 2006
    Craig wrote:
    I'm not saying I agree with the story, or that it's real, but what if you turn out to be wrong?


    If I turn out to be wrong, I'll go and tell the kid to stop being so pretentious and making a spectacle of himself.
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    If I turn out to be wrong, I'll go and tell the kid to stop being so pretentious and making a spectacle of himself.
    LOL good point.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Why go looking under Nepalese trees for Buddha when he's sitting in your own chair?

    Palzang
  • bushinokibushinoki Veteran
    edited January 2006
    I think I figured out why we've heard nothing, the Nepalese gov't has debunked him and doesn't want to face international shame over the incident.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    So why hasn't America done the same with Bush.?








    OwmyGawsh....Did I say that out loud....??!!??
  • CraigCraig
    edited January 2006
    federica wrote:
    So why hasn't America done the same with Bush.?








    OwmyGawsh....Did I say that out loud....??!!??
    LMAO
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited January 2006
    federica wrote:
    So why hasn't America done the same with Bush.?








    OwmyGawsh....Did I say that out loud....??!!??

    Fed,

    I have oftentimes wondered that myself. My friends also know that I have no qualms about saying it out loud, either. LOL! I noticed you changed your avatar; it's cute but I still like Audrey Hepburn the best. :winkc:

    Adiana:wow: :thumbsup: :D :wavey: :usflag:
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    bushinoki wrote:
    I think I figured out why we've heard nothing, the Nepalese gov't has debunked him and doesn't want to face international shame over the incident.
    federica wrote:
    So why hasn't America done the same with Bush.?








    OwmyGawsh....Did I say that out loud....??!!??


    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    If I turn out to be wrong, I'll go and tell the kid to stop being so pretentious and making a spectacle of himself.

    Zenmonk, You Can't Call Our Beloved President a Kid. It's bad enough to publish the fact that he's a joke.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited January 2006
    LOL, fair point, children after all are innocent. :winkc:
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Yeah, calling Bush a kid is an insult to kids everywhere! ;)

    Palzang
  • agsteragster
    edited January 2006
    There's an easy way to solve the question of whether he is a fake or not. Someone in possession of a thermal imaging camera should covertly film him at night for a couple of days. I'm sure we'll soon get to the bottom of the story.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Why bother?
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Simonthepilgrim wrote:
    Why bother?

    Heh, heh... true, Simon.

    Do we need to test the viper to see if it truly bites?

    And after all the testing and checking and documenting and verifiying...

    What has it done for our own enlightenment?

    -bf
  • bushinokibushinoki Veteran
    edited January 2006
    I say bother because if he is a fraud, it will prevent alot of people from wasting resources and time to go see him.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    Actually, in the chapter for Right Effort, TNH states that to sit for days, solid as a rock, deep in meditation, is not conducive to reaching Enlightenment.

    So there.
  • HermanHesseHermanHesse
    edited January 2006
    Nevermind about the kid. Wait til the press get hold of the enlightened cat. That reminds me.....Buddhafoot I need your address to sent you the intellectual property and representation agreements.
    I can see the endorsement requests poping throw your cat flap in no time.

    Forget about Nike Jorden's, think Puma Buddhafoot. And man ( I mean Cat ) think about all that P***y you're going to get. Meooooooow.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited March 2006
    Just surfing and I found this: an update!

    http://www.beliefnet.com/story/187/story_18749_1.html

    Obviously he disappeared from his life...
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited March 2006
    How weird!! I have just posted the same news snippet in the Lotus Lounge... In a thread you started ajani..... !!

    What a creepy thing!! :lol::lol:
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited March 2006
    Woah... Great monks think alike!!! :rockon: LOL.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    That's because there is only the One Mind. :smilec:
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited March 2006
    I had a brilliant keyring once which bore the legend:

    "of all the things I've lost, I miss my Mind the most."





    I lost it. :(

    And I miss it more..... :lol:
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    LMAO!
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited March 2006
    federica wrote:
    I had a brilliant keyring once which bore the legend:

    "of all the things I've lost, I miss my Mind the most."





    I lost it. :(

    And I miss it more..... :lol:

    Did you know that it was Ozzie Osbourne who originally said that? It was in response to a question about his drug and alcohol abuse and what he had lost as a result and he said it in all earnestness.

    Brigid
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