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 Catalysis
EtherealEngineer
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 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting 
#4965387 - 11/21/05 08:27 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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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."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jht...1/ixportal.html
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 Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 79,901
Loc: underbelly
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4965416 - 11/21/05 08:36 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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Do you have a point to make or is this just FYI? 
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"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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Moonshoe
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4965681 - 11/21/05 10:06 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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very interesting thanks for sharing
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leery11
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Moonshoe]
#4965925 - 11/21/05 11:20 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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hmmm
the word rinpoche has been stuck in my head for some time, i picked it up off a buddhist forum maybe a month ago, but i thought it was someone's name......
ah I guess people do put it in their names, according to google.
that's neat..... 6 years of meditation? 2011?
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Om bhur bhuvaha swaha tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yonah prachodyat.
We meditate upon that supreme light , the source of all creation, may it illumine our intellects and bring us eternal life.
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888
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4967029 - 11/22/05 06:01 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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So do you think people were standing around eating snacks watching the snake slither up to him? It's like you can't just enlighten under a tree without snakes bitting you and people selling snacks?
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a_h_w
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4967085 - 11/22/05 07:29 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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goobler
Reanimated
Registered: 02/24/03
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: a_h_w]
#4967133 - 11/22/05 08:37 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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he is the false prophet, the deceiver
the asp bit him and yet he is unharmed
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Icelander
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: goobler]
#4967255 - 11/22/05 09:59 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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People deceive themselves.
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"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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Organic 
Lloyd
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4967317 - 11/22/05 10:13 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
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.
I stopped reading here.
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]  1
#4967895 - 11/22/05 01:22 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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So this is a true story?
Funny, for me it reads as a sarcastic shot at how most humans tend to ruin the mystical aspects of what they consider holy.. I mean, the once pristine forest this kid was trying to meditate in is now covered with fucking garbage. Bravo, pilgrims. Bravo.
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Moonshoe]
#4968640 - 11/22/05 05:01 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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BTW Moonshoe, that kitty in your avatar is incredibly cute... but I thought it was a rotting pork carcass or something before I clicked on it. 
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dorkus
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Registered: 04/12/04
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#4968662 - 11/22/05 05:07 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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He/she is awesome! So incredibly chilled out. 
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dr0mni
My Own Messiah
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: dorkus]
#4969477 - 11/22/05 08:33 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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yeah, I don't think a truly enlightened person would charge money for a photo of themselves. Either he's a scam artist or people are just exploiting the situation. And medical doctors aren't allowed to get anywhere near him?!
man always kills what he loves...
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leery11
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: dr0mni]
#4969887 - 11/22/05 09:44 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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how can he be selling photos if he's meditaitng? other people are probably taking pictures of him and selling them.
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Om bhur bhuvaha swaha tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yonah prachodyat.
We meditate upon that supreme light , the source of all creation, may it illumine our intellects and bring us eternal life.
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 Ped
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: leery11]
#4971441 - 11/23/05 04:19 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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>> yeah, I don't think a truly enlightened person would charge money for a photo of themselves.
It doesn't say anywhere in the article that he ordered the distribution of photographs.
I'm still skeptical of this. There are lots of Buddhas alive in the world today; they do not allow attention to come upon them in such an unproductive way. Even a rinpoche (I find it interesting that he did not consider himself a Bodhisattva) wouldn't typically allow attention to be drawn to himself like this, unless it served some kind of compassionate aim. There are many discrete areas to carry out an extensive meditation retreat. Why in the public eye?
And how could anyone see light shining from his forehead when he's got such a thick 'fro?
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Edited by Ped (11/23/05 04:25 AM)
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 79,901
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Icelander]
#4971648 - 11/23/05 08:29 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Icelander said:
People deceive themselves.
--------------------
"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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a_h_w
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Icelander]
#4971932 - 11/23/05 11:42 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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he did chose a lovely tree.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: a_h_w]
#4971970 - 11/23/05 11:56 AM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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I used to go to a natural hot springs up above Seattle in the Mountains. It was in a cave that had once been an exploration for gold. They hit hot water and had to leave. Outside the cave was a beautiful river and high waterfall. We would go in the winter and trip and run around naked from river to hot water.
Anyway, nearby was a tree that was very big and had a small opening in the base. It was hollow inside and would fits maybe four or five people comfortably. If you were inside you would be pretty much hidden and private. Now that would be a good tree to meditate in.
--------------------
"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Icelander]
#4971980 - 11/23/05 12:02 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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Dude.. that sounds fuckin' awesome.. heh.
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MAIA
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Re: 15-year-old new Buddha continues fasting [Re: Catalysis]
#4972048 - 11/23/05 12:38 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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Icelander, there's no problem at all with "FYI's".
Catalysis, thanks for sharing, cool info 
MAIA
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Spiritual being, living a human experience ... The Shroomery Mandala
 
Use, do not abuse; neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy.
Voltaire
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