The Buddha Boy
 

I'm sure many of you have heard about this. Napal teenager, Ram Bahadur, has meditated without food or water for the past 6 months and has been called the Buddha's reincarnate by followers. And is going to carry on for another 6 years until he reaches enlightenment.

Many people believe he is the real reincarnate, as he is recreating a period in the Buddha's life in 543 BC, where the Buddha achieved enlightenment after meditating under a sacred pipal tree for 49 days, a feat of endurance allegedly surpassed by Ram. The boy is sitting under a pipal in the same pose as the Buddha.

Many witnesses believe to have seen a light glow from the 15 year old's forehead. "It looks a bit like when you shine a torch through your hand," said a member of the committee responsible for dealing with the growing number of visitors from India and elsewhere in Nepal.

Yet, at the same time, to give further legitimacy to this astounding story, Ram's mother is called Maya Devi, like the Buddha's mother. Is this a mere coincidence or the verity of all the verities?

Local doctors failed to reach a final conclusion, although they were allowed no closer than five yards from the meditating teen. They were only able to say that Ram is still alive.

Of course there is alot of speculation about fraud. As Ram and his team of followers made £6,311 [US$11,146.53] last year, when the average income in Nepal is £120 [US$211] a year. The committee says that £3,375 is left after the rest of the money was spent on running the site. The authorities want to know in more detail how the cash was spent.

Many people also think that Ram eats and rinks on a night when the shrine is closed.

So now the government has called in a group of scientists and buddhists to perform tests on Ram. "I don't mind people coming to check," said Ram Krishna Tamang, a committee member. "But they can't touch him and break his meditation." Of course the authorities must proceed carefully as the issue is religiously sensitive. But there seems little chance that they will drop the case. Scientists are pressing for tests and 24-hour observations.

A guard outside the office where Ram's file is kept told reporters about the mood of the admin. staff. "He has to eat; he has to drink water," he said. "If we find out that he is lying, he and the rest of them are going to jail."

What do you think about Ram? Do you think he's the real Buddha or just a fraud?

I would love to believe that he is the reincarnate of Buddha, and that we have all now discovered a sure fire way to feel great and that we all know that reincarnation is what's going to happen when we all die. But I don't really think that Ram and his group of followers are being entirely truthful. I think it's a big money making scam.

I don't blame them for trying.

More articles:

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

BBC News :: Scientists to check Nepal Buddha boy

- Rexy

I saw a movie about the subject once. All I remember is that people were looking for Buddha's reincarnate and found him, somewhere in the west, I'm not sure.

I'm not sure what to think about Ram. It might be a scam, but it might be for real. Maybe he has faith in being the reincarnate, and can control his metabolic cycles, so he could survive without food and water for so long. Just a guess.

If he's really Buddha's reincarnate, then he will be a living example for people to have faith in things.

But it's scientifically impossible to last more than a few days without water, a few weeks without food.

- Rexy

I agree with Rexy on her beliefs in the amtter. It would be great if this was the reincarnate of the Bhudda himself. But there are always techicalities that come back to bite me.

I was following this case a month or two back when there were a few media articles on it, when scientists were first starting to become interested in the phenomenon, but then there were no more articles.

The thing that confuses me is that, if the Buddha reached enlightenment he would have broken free from the cycle of rebirth, so he couldn't be reincarnated again.

I thought the Dalai Lama was meant to be the reincarnation of Buddha?

Anyway, whilst I have the greatest of respect for for Buddhism, it does seem to be with scams by people wanting to rip off the ignorant. I saw a story on TV once about a guy who travels around India disproving the feats of alleged Fakirs (eg levitation, lieing on beds of nails). And let's not all forget T. Lobsang Rampa.

Buddhism IMO is an intresting religion. You die, you reincarnate, you forget everything of your past life, who you were in your old life affects your new life. Alas I fail to believe in it (Trying to avoid any form of extreme religion conversations by the way). For I believe in the heaven stuffs. Also I think the kid (He is a kid right? I mean a teen depending on age could still be a kid.) is eating when no one is looking. If not. He's just a corpse. This is my opinion though. In conclusion:


Scamzored

This is why religions fail as secular institutions. Everything's fine as long as it's purely a matter of faith, but then you get scam artists like this guy trying to gain money (and attention) from people's beliefs, and you have conflicts between science and religion, and everything goes straight to hell (no pun intended). Of course this guy is a scam artist. Of course he's sneaking food and water. Like Rexy says, it's physically impossible to survive more than a few days without water and a few weeks without food-- no matter the amount of training or degree of control. No one was meant to try to emulate Gautama Buddha to the point of starving him or herself to death. In fact, the Buddha himself didn't advocate such extreme bodily punishment-- the Middle Path is all about not going to such extremes. But I guess this is one of the fundamental problems with so many religions. People don't know how to differentiate between religious allegory and historical fact. And this guy is a prime example of how that weakness can be exploited.

According to Wikipedia, the Dalai Lama is actually the reincarnation of a bodhisattva (a highly enlightened being that resists Nirvana in order to help others ascend) called Avalokitesvara.

Funnily enough, the only Buddhist I've ever talked to on the subject, who worked in a temple, refused to believe that anyone could prevent themselves from breaking free of Samsara (that cycle of rebirth).

I do want to know why scientists never report back from these kinds of events. As I say, it was a very popular story several weeks ago, and they never announced any kind of findings whatsoever.

It is physically immpossible to survive a few days without food or water. But it is not spiritually impossible, but those are just my beliefs.

So he's been there for 6 months without food or water? I'd say he's either dead (he does look dead in that first picture) or sneaking food and drink at nights. It's not even possbile to survive for that long. Surely if he hasn't been eating or drinking for that long he would be all skinny and fragile. But in that second picture he just looks like he had not eaten long ago. Unless that's a picture from when he started... I dunno.

I have no idea about any of this. I am not prepared to make a claim one way or the other without seeing or feeling this phenomenon myself. Just can't say.

Then he is an incorruptable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111111111111111111111oneoneoneoneoneone.

So does that mean he pisses and shits himself? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yep, I'd definately say he's dead.

OMG he haxxed teh servah!!!!1!!1!!1! Well Godless just quoted something that is enough proof. Like I said: Scamzored.

Even if he is sneaking food and water at night; I still find it impressive that a teenager could spend every day meditating and not even getting up to stretch his legs and take a whiz.

Well, being a religious person--although not Buddhist--I can't say it's impossible. Seems like saying that would be rather arrogant. The miracles of my religion can happen but his can't?

But of course, I have my doubts. I don't think he's dead though... His corpse would be decomposing. No one would be able to come near for the smell of rotting flesh. =S

Couldn't have said it better.

The Christian incorruptables and this mini Buddha seem pretty similar (I wasn't joking entirely in my last post).

I say its a scam. He must be sneaking in water and food at night. No human being can live that long without food and water.

But he isn't dead.

I agree with Ambi, that we shouldn't say it's impossible, because [if you believe in Jesus] Jesus performed many miracles, as have many other prophets [etc.].

I just don't think that if I were meditating to reach enloghtenment, I would be requesting money from believers. Especially as buddhism is so anti-materialistic.

- Rexy

From the way I read it, they're not requesting money, it's just donations. So people are just coming up and donating. I'm not sure what they're donating for though, from the way I see it people don't need any money to just sit there and meditate.

Maybe he's been embalmed? Like Lenin? As far as I know (having only seen pictures) Lenin looks like he could just be sleeping. Having not actually been to Russia and been to 'The Mausoleum' I can't say for sure but as far as I know he doesn't smell.

Now.
4 months without food or water? That's insane. I don't believe it.
I bet when he breaks out of a trans, he'll be dead.
I really think it's a scam. Who couldn't live without water 'r food fer 4 months? That's preposterous!
But, I'm not going against the religious ways of the Buddah boy. I jist think it's crazy ter not go on with such crucial things you need to live.