The next Buddha

[Torsten]

Pilgrims flock to see 'Buddha boy' said to have fasted six months

By Thomas Bell in Bara District, Nepal

(Filed: 21/11/2005)

Thousands of pilgrims are pouring into the dense jungle of southern Nepal to worship a 15-year-old boy who has been hailed as a new Buddha.

Devotees claim that Ram Bomjon, who is silently meditating beneath a tree, has not eaten or drunk anything since he sat down at his chosen spot six months ago.

Witnesses say they have seen light emanating from the teenager's forehead.

"It looks a bit like when you shine a torch through your hand," said Tek Bahadur Lama, a member of the committee responsible for dealing with the growing number of visitors from India and elsewhere in Nepal.

Photographs of Ram Bomjon, available for five rupees (4p) from his makeshift shrine, have become ubiquitous across the region. "Far and wide, it's the only topic of conversation," said Upendra Lamichami, a local journalist.

He said no allegation had yet emerged of Ram breaking his fast or moving, even to relieve himself.

Santa Raj Subedi, the chief government official in Bara district, appealed to the capital, Kathmandu, for assistance in dealing with the influx of visitors, and for a team of scients to examine the case.

Local doctors failed to reach a final conclusion, although they were allowed no closer than five yards from the boy mystic, declaring that they could confirm no more than that he was alive.

The popularity of the phenomenon is partly because it resembles an episode in the life of the historical Buddha, who was born 160 miles away around 543 BC. The Buddha achieved enlightenment when he meditated beneath a sacred pipal tree for 49 days.

Ram Bomjon is also sitting beneath a pipal tree, in the same posture as the Buddha is depicted, but his vigil has already taken longer.

Ram's mother, who is called Maya Devi, like the Buddha's mother, admits to anxiety, particularly at meal times. But she tells herself: "God took him to the forest and I have faith that God will feed him."

She said: "He's definitely got thinner. Early in the morning he looks sunken, like there's no blood in him, but as the sun rises he seems to get brighter and brighter."

The fervour increased last week when a snake is said to have bitten Ram, and a curtain was drawn around him.

After five days it was opened and he spoke. "Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I don't have the Buddha's energy. I am at the level of rinpoche [lesser divinity].

"A snake bit me but I do not need treatment. I need six years of deep meditation."

Despite his protestations, "Buddha boy" is famous.

A thriving market has grown in the once pristine forest, supplying pilgrims with everything from chewing tobacco and bicycle repairs to incense and sacred amulets. The ground is covered in litter.

A fence was built around Ram's tree to prevent pilgrims prodding him, then a second, and now a third is planned, as well as a bus park, leaving Ram at the centre of an ever growing circle of rubbish.

Prakash Lamsal, a businessman said: "Some people are selling 2,500 rupees [£20] worth of tea a day.

"These lamas [monks] are going to build mansions out of this. If I wasn't a bit embarrassed I'd take a van down there and set up a stall."

[Auxin]

Once a monk saw his student meditating very adamantly for very long periods.

He asked the student 'what are you doing?'

'I'm meditating to become enlightened master'

The monk they picked up a brick and started rubbing it with a cloth.

'What are you doing master?'

'I'm making a mirror'

'But master no amount of rubbing will make a brick into a mirror!'

'Student, no amount of sitting will make you a buddha'

If the reports are true this kid is on a very honorable quest, but we dont know whats goin on in his mind as he sits- I'll hold out judement until he finishes and begins to teach

[2b]

I wonder how this will affect the world if it is proven he is , the christians for one would be a little upset i would imagine.

[Hagakure]

its a numbers game.

there has to be a new buddha sometime.

just cause one got there in the east through meditation it doesnt mean the next one will.

[woof woof woof]

I have heard of several people that have stopped eating - they only drink water.

There have been reports of this phenomena dating back some time back in history

One was on dutch tv.

I just remembered this dude

http://www.solarhealing.com/about.htm

this freak lives from absorbing solar energy!

[botanika]

A new buddha or neo tourism hero?...people visiting from all over the place, suddenly his family and town have new income and interest... hmmm

Someone should start a pizza oven nearby the tree and really put this kid to the test. I would have been called a flamin idiot if I had mispent my youth under a tree, not a buddha.

[Conan Troutman]

I have heard of several people that have stopped eating - they only drink water.

There have been reports of this phenomena dating back some time back in history

One was on dutch tv.

I just remembered this dude

http://www.solarhealing.com/about.htm

this freak lives from absorbing solar energy!

Looks like we'll all be sitting under a bodi tree staring at the sun.

Solar healing sure sounds a bit of a worry

[simon_marklar]

well, see, at night, a curtain is drawn and no one can see into it. if it was legit, why hide him away at night?

[Rev]

LOl

is there an emoticon for a holy cow doing a whopping great steaming turd?

i still reckon faith and reason are balanced

faith not subject to reason is false

reason that preaches its separation from a form of faith is false (all reason must start with assumptions = faith)

or

you must have reason for faith and faith in reason, to not makes you a fool

so if you claim you can eat the sun or sit under a tree and not eat and live i tell you now you are full of shit

Edited December 21, 2005 by Rev

[mescalito]

I think Siddartha found enlightenment by ending his fast and getting up and walking to the stream to drink.

Enlightenment comes from without for sure....it is registered within and attained through outside interaction not inward isolation.

[Thelema]

you gotta say:

"i don't care who the fuck this kid is, it sounds so theatrical and so STAGED that it's gotta be pandering to all those poor north-indian peasantfolk."

then you gotta correct yourself and say:

"i dont care who MEDIA X say this fucking kid is, blah blah"

then you go ask yourself someone who comes from India about it, and they just shrug their shoulders and say:

"Fuckers like that are a dime a dozen."

[apothecary]

You are putting words in peoples mouths Thelema.

Plenty of his countrymen (who are actually Nepalese) who have seen him have entries in their weblogs about it, but none of them, nor any of the numerous people who have left comments has said that.

mesc, Siddartha did not discover enlightenment by seeking nourishment, rather he discovered the "Middle way", inbetween self mortification and self indulgence. Enlightenment came later.

[Legba]

"Fuckers like that are a dime a dozen."

was that a pun, thelma? Fakirs are too

[mr toodly]

Plenty of his countrymen (who are actually Nepalese) who have seen him have entries in their weblogs about it, but none of them, nor any of the numerous people who have left comments has said that.

Tourist dollars?

[zee_werp]

Anyone got a pic of this kid? Google image search yeilds nothing!

[mescalito]

Apothecary: enlightenment IMHO was the moment of realisation not the act of nourishment.Nourishment was not just about eating food or drinking water but connecting with the rest of 'Him'...'Him' being the outside world.The act of nourishment lead him to BE and then he registered in his mind later that he had reached enlightenment.

Enlightenment is a fleeting moment,the conscious registration of sustaining a biological entity requires nourishment by 'nature'...the nature being 'Him'

[apothecary]

zee, I googled "new buddha" and it came up with a site for .blog.com.np or something, and there is a photo on that one.