Is The Buddha Back In Town?
File under: Satscams or The Siddhi of PR
All of Nepal is a' twitter over the existence of a 15-year-old boy who meditates all day long and then does who-knows-what all night. Ram Bahadur Banja has been performing for up to 10,000 people a day by sitting among the roots of a tree in a jungle with his eyes closed. Billed as the reincarnation of Gautama Buddha, Buddhism's original home boy, Bahadur's six month stand as the next savior of the world is beginning to generate its own economy, which is the most likely goal of his promoters.
While 12-hour days of constant sitting are no small feat, such could just as easily be accomplished by a person in a vegetative state as it might be by a seasoned meditator. This would explain the fact that pilgrims are not allowed to be closer than 80 feet to the buddha boy wonder, as well as the fact that a screen goes up at nightfall–with nobody but his handlers knowing what happens behind it.
Whatever the case may be, the buzz is building for yet another divine money magnet in Asia. We imagine the Kracki and his South Indian cohorts are having a conniption over this potential shunt from their own fortune fountains. We suggest a brand new X-Box 360 be delivered to the young man. If he's not a vegetable, he'll surely jump at the chance to play a few rounds of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas–the Hot Coffee episode.
posted by guruphiliac @ 9:40 PM
6 Comments:
While I am always hesitant to believe any of these kinds of reports and certainly the part about this boy being a reincarnation of Buddha, as you said it is quite amazing that he could sit for such long hours. The hoopla around him may not for his benefit. This has happened before, as in the case of Shivabalayogi. Why prejudge this boy. Why not leave him alone and hope others will as well. Of course, the detail about no food and water is nonsense.
Why prejudge this boy?
There's no judgment of the boy here, just a somewhat cynical evaluation of the socio-cultural phenomenon that has sprung up around him.
The bottom line is this: his ability to meditate all day long means only that he can meditate all day long, if he is indeed meditating. We are all the Self, equally, regardless of how much meditating we are doing. His meditation may be bringing more sattvas to his mind, but the Self shines equally in all beings, despite the seeming turbulence some of us experience.
"Ram Bahadur Banja has been performing for up to 10,000 people a day by sitting among the roots of a tree..."
I would consider this statement a judgement, not based in personal knowledge. You would have to be this boy to know. Your statement that "We are all the Self equally..." is accepted as being true by me but it's basically just a belief for both of us, unless you are saying that you yourself are aware of the Self at all times. I know that many people don't see the need for meditation, but it seems to help over a long period of time to help the mind settle enough to glimpse this ever shining Self.
I do not like all the cultural noise that surrounds saints, but this boy could be immersed in Self knowledge and the people around him could be greedy or just plain hungry.
"Ram Bahadur Banja has been performing for up to 10,000 people a day by sitting among the roots of a tree..."
I would consider this statement a judgement, not based in personal knowledge.
I simply stated a fact. The kid is sitting in the roots of a tree. That's exactly what he is doing.
You would have to be this boy to know.
That he's sitting in the roots of a tree? All I need to know is that the article said he sits in the roots of a tree.
Your statement that "We are all the Self equally..." is accepted as being true by me but it's basically just a belief for both of us, unless you are saying that you yourself are aware of the Self at all times.
Whether I, or you or anyone else know it experientially or just believe it to be true, it remains the deepest truth we can express, nonetheless.
I know that many people don't see the need for meditation, but it seems to help over a long period of time to help the mind settle enough to glimpse this ever shining Self.
I didn't say there's no need for meditation, I said that meditation has no effect on our being the Self.
I do not like all the cultural noise that surrounds saints, but this boy could be immersed in Self knowledge and the people around him could be greedy or just plain hungry.
His being immersed in Self knowledge doesn't make him any more the Self than anyone else, including my dog.
Hi Jody,
Re judgement, you used the word “performing”, which gives the impression of an act, especially when added to the tone of the rest of your words.
"Whether I, or you or anyone else know it experientially or just believe it to be true, it remains the deepest truth we can express, nonetheless."
That is your opinion and I agree that it is the “deepest truth we can express” but if this truth isn’t directly known and lived, it’s just sound and feeling, like a leaf blowing in the street. It’s of no more value than any other religious conviction. When I was a boy in the Church, I was told and believed that Jesus would literally ride down the sky on a white horse to save us. That was my highest truth then.
“I didn't say there's no need for meditation, I said that meditation has no effect on our being the Self. His being immersed in Self knowledge doesn't make him any more the Self than anyone else, including my dog.”
I understand your meaning here. What is, is. A millionaire who has lost his memory and lives on the street, eating out of garbage dumps, is still a millionaire. So if this boy has been told that he can realize his identity with the Self, and that meditation is a key, or if his individual awareness has been overwhelmed by the Self, he should get the benefit of the doubt, even if scoundrels are trying to make money off his efforts. That's all I'm saying.
Well, the 'buddha boy' has emerged from his 6 years of meditating in the jungle. well over a year has past and SEE, the world is still the same old thing. so, what was his purpose of meditation for world peace? there is no world peace so he has failed, completely. His father died and he didn't even know he was sick. there goes his Divine powers out the window. if he can't enlighten his own father, what can he do for the world? just another dumb guru with lofty ideas that lead nowhere. how sad.
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