Ram Bahadur Bomjon Research Paper Sources Essay Example

Ram Bahadur Bomjon Research Paper Sources Paper Ram Bahadur Bomjon Ram Bahadur Bomjon  (Sanskrit:   ) (born c. 9 April 1990, sometimes spelt  Bomjan,  Banjan, or  Bamjan), also known asPalden Dorje  (his monastic name) and now  Dharma Sangha, is from Ratanapuri village,  Bara district,  Nepal. Some of his supporters have claimed that he is a  reincarnation of the Buddha, but Ram himself has denied this, and many practitioners of Buddhism agree that theBuddha  has entered  nirvana  and cannot be reborn. He drew thousands of visitors and media attention by spending months in  meditation. Nicknamed the  Buddha Boy, he began his meditation on 16 May 2005. He reportedly disappeared from the hollow tree where he had been  meditating  for months on 16 March 2006, but was found by some followers a week later. He told them he had left his meditation place, where large crowds had been watching him, because there is no peace. He then went his own way and reappeared elsewhere in Nepal on 26 December 2006, but left again on 8 March 2007. On 26 March 2007, inspectors from the Area Police Post Nijgadh in Ratanapuri found Bomjon meditating inside a bunker-like ditch seven feet square. On 10 November 2008, Bomjon reappeared in Ratanapuri and spoke to a group of devotees in the remote jungle. Buddhist background Bomjon is a member of the  Tamang  community, of which a majority practices  Vajrayana  Buddhism. [1] Bomjons story gained popularity because it resembled a  legend  from the  Jataka Nidanakatha  about  Gautama Buddhas  enlightenment, so much so that some devotees claimed Ram was the  reincarnation  of a  Buddha. However, on 8 November 2005 Dorje arose and said, Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I dont have the Buddhas energy. We will write a custom essay sample on Ram Bahadur Bomjon Research Paper Sources specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ram Bahadur Bomjon Research Paper Sources specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ram Bahadur Bomjon Research Paper Sources specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I am at the level of arimpoche. Rimpoche (precious jewel) is an honorific used in Tibetan Buddhism for a teacher and adept. He said that he will need six more years of meditation before he can become a Buddha. According to his followers, Bomjon may have been or may be a  bodhisattva,[citation needed]  a person on the path to attaining full enlightenment or Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. According to the historical Buddha,  Gautama Buddha, there were innumerable Buddhas before him and infinite Buddhas to come. Proponents also claim that Bomjon might also be  Maitreya  Bodhisattva, the predicted successor to the historical Buddha. Scholars doubt the claims of his supporters. [2]  Mahiswor Raj Bajracharya, president of the Nepal Buddhist Council, has said, We do not believe he is Buddha. He does not have Buddhas qualities. [2] His mothers name is Maya Devi Tamang, the same first name as  Buddhas mother. It is reported that his mother fainted when she found out that her son intended to meditate for an indefinite period. The claim, made by some, that he is the reincarnation of Buddha has been criticized. Gautama Buddha  taught that after  parinirvana  there is no more rebirth, making it impossible to be a reincarnation of Buddha; but it is possible to be another Buddha, another who has attained, or will attain, enlightenment. [edit]Wandering to Bara district After about ten months of meditation, Bomjon went missing on 11 March 2006. He gave no explanation, and some believed he had been abducted. His followers theorized that he went deeper into the woods to look for a quieter place to meditate. [3]  Police abandoned a search for him after the likelihood of foul play was eliminated. Suspecting money laundering, the authorities froze the  bank account  of the local committee managing the crowds, which had gathered more than Rs. 600,000, but they found no evidence. [4] On 19 March, a group of Bomjons followers met with him about 2 miles (3 kilometers) southwest of his meditation site. They say they spoke to him for thirty minutes, during which Bomjon said, There is no peace here, and that he would return in six years, which would be in 2011 or 2012. He left a message for his parents telling them not to worry. [5][6] On 25 December 2006, villagers in  Bara district  spotted Bomjon meditating. He was carrying a  sword  for protection in the jungle, reminding reporters that Even Gautama Buddha had to protect himself, and claimed to have eaten nothing but herbs in the interim. [7]  He reiterated his six year commitment to Buddhist devotion, and said he would allow people to come and observe him, as long as they remained at some distance and did not bother him. When a reporter pointed out that pilgrims to his meditation site would be making donations in his name, he asked for the donations to not be abused or used for commercial purposes. [8]  A new wave of visitors came to see him and pray at his new meditation spot. 9][10]  On 8 March 2007 he left Bara district again to find a quieter place to meditate. [11] [edit]Meditating in pit On 26 March 2007, news spread of Bomjon meditating underground. Inspector Rameshwor Yadav of the Area Police Post Nijgadh, found Bomjon inside a bunker-like ditch seven feet square. His face was clean and hair was combed well, Yadav sai d. According to him, the bunker had been cemented from all sides and fitted with a tiled roof. Indra Lama, a local deployed as Bomjons caretaker since the beginning of his intensive meditation, said the bunker was prepared per Bomjons request. After granting audience a week ago, he expressed his desire to meditate inside the ground; so we built it, he said. [12] [edit]Preaching in Hallori jungle On 2 August 2007, Bomjon addressed a large crowd in Hallori jungle in Bara district of southern Nepal. The Namo Buddha Tapoban Committee, which is devoted to looking after Bomjon, assembled the meeting. A notice about the boys first-ever preaching was broadcast by a local  FM radio  station, and the committee also invited people by  telephone. Around three thousand people athered to listen to Bomjons address. A video was made of the event. [13]  According to Upendra Lamichhane, a  blogger  who wrote an article and took pictures of the meeting, Bomjons message was, The only way we can save this nation is through spirituality. [14]  This was his speech:[15] Murder, violence, greed, anger and temptation have made the human world a desperate place. A terrible storm has descended upon the human world, and this is carrying the world towards destruction. There is only one way to save the world and that is through  dharma. When one doesnt walk the righteous path of spiritual practice, this desperate world will surely be destroyed. Therefore, follow the path of spirituality and spread this message to your fellows. Never put obstacles, anger and disbelief in the way of my meditations mission. I am only showing you the way; you must seek it on your own. What I will be, what I will do, the coming days will reveal. Human salvation, the salvation of all living beings, and peace in the world are my goal and my path. Namo Buddha sangaya, Namo Buddha sangaya, namo sangaya. I am contemplating on the release of this chaotic world from the ocean of emotion, on our detachment from anger and temptation, without straying from the path for even a moment, I am renouncing my own attachment to my life and my home forever. I am working to save all living beings. But in this undisciplined world, my lifes practice is reduced to mere entertainment. The practice and devotion of many Buddhas is directed at the worlds bettermen t and happiness. It is essential, but very difficult, to understand that practice and devotion. But though it is easy to lead this ignorant existence, human beings dont understand that one day we must leave this uncertain world and go with the Lord of Death. Our long attachments with friends and family will dissolve into nothingness. We have to leave behind the wealth and property we have accumulated. Whats the use of my happiness, when those who have loved me from the beginning, my mother, father, brothers, relatives are all unhappy? Therefore, to rescue all sentient beings, I have to be Buddha-mind, and emerge from my underground cave to do  vajra  meditation. To do this I have to realize the right path and knowledge, so do not disturb my practice. My practice detaches me from my body, my soul and this existence. In this situation there will be 72 goddess  Kalis. Different gods will be present, along with the sounds of thunder and of tangur, and all the celestial gods and goddesses will be doing  puja  (worship). So until I have sent a message, do not come here, and please explain this to others. Spread spiritual knowledge and spiritual messages throughout the world. Spread the message of world peace to all. Seek a righteous path and wisdom will be yours. Second speech excerpt: Prayers of Kunchu Suma – message of peace for all living creatures and for the spiritual prosperity of humankind. Salutations to all spiritual seekers, saints, religions and all organizations. After I was commanded by the spirit to save and uplift humankind and the creatures of the world, I have abided by the promise to save the ephemeral world from the ocean of emotions and to free the world from the worldly sins. I have been contemplating single-mindedly (Dhyana) to free humankind and all living creatures. All sentient beings want to get freed from worldly sorrows and pains. But by birth, they are not equipped as humankind to seek after spirituality and get freed. They are also praying to God (the source/spirit). They are happy to be in this world. Humankind are creating traditions that will destroy the entire humanity and living creatures. In the name of religion, killings, violence, anger, jealousy and divisions are being promoted. There is only one source; the spirit has one form; the souls of all humans are the same, only the tradition and customs are different. Always embrace the path of mercy, compassion, non-violence, peace; this is the message I want to convey to our society and to all the citizens of the world. True spirituality, the true human spirit, will always search for truth. The search for truth is the only beneficial way of humans. Despite the existence of thousands of paths, chaos, greed, attachment, anger and jealousy have imprisoned our society and humankind. In this way the world is heading towards destruction. So, it is high time that the citizens of the world must think about it. Humans should never forget their ultimate spiritual duty and their society. Refrain from killings, violence, greed, jealousy, attachments and evil character. Shed the tears of mercy and compassion; show to the world the way of salvation. After we die it is extremely difficult to get back a human life. Everyone thinks that we dont reincarnate after death. No, we receive a human life due to our virtuous work. We earn the fruits due to the merits of our work. Now the world is governed by three forms. The first form is greed; the second form is anger; third form is attachment and jealousy that are ruling this world. May all the religious traditions change. All the religious people need to first find the Truth, and by cultivating mercy, compassion, non-violence, and peace in their hearts, they need to beautify the world with the way of salvation. I will continue to contemplate and meditate for the salvation of living beings by being focused in my path of wisdom until I find the ultimate form of enlightenment, the Samyak Sambodhi. Salute to the ultimate form of enlightenment and may peace be with everyone. [edit]Feats of inedia According to the  Guinness Book of Records  the longest time a human has survived without water is 18 days. 16]  Bomjon, on the other hand, does not appear to break his meditation to eat or drink. Skeptics point out that claims of surviving after several month fasting are unsubstantiated  [17]  as a screen was placed in front of him between dusk and dawn; they also claim that, besides the lack of proof, such a feat would be physically impossible. Bomjon was observed remaining at the tree at least during the daytime, though no one was allowed to approach him too closely. Under such circumstances, he could have eaten at night when no one could have witnessed his doing so. Some supporters believe that claims of  inedia  are less relevant than Bomjons undisputed ability to remain nearly motionless in the same position day after day, with no regard for extremes of weather including a cold winter and a monsoon season. For example, American writer  George Saunders  visited Bomjon and observed him through a single night, and was impressed by Bomjons perfectly still stature, even during an evening climate that seemed unbearably cold to the much better clothed journalist. [18] In December 2005, a nine-member government committee led by Gunjaman Lama atched Bomjon carefully for 48 hours and observed him not to take any food or water during that time. A video recording was also made of this test. However, they were unable to approach closer than 3 meters or take readings of his vital signs. [19]  The Nepalese government planned a more careful scientific study, but the study was never carried out. In 2006,  Discovery Channel  showed a 45-minute doc umentary titled  The Boy With Divine Powers. One of the aims was to establish whether Ram was indeed abstaining from all sustenance, water included, by filming him continuously for four days and nights. On their first attempt, in January 2006, the film crew was required to stay outside a guarded barbed-wire fence, and their cameras  infrared  capabilities did not pick up evidence of a body at the base of the tree where Bomjon sat during their non-stop recording. On a second attempt a few weeks later, however, the film crew was able to film Ram continuously for 96 hours, day and night, during which time he did not change his position and did not drink any fluids or eat any food. As Discovery Channels commentator concluded: After 96 hours of filming, Ram has defied modern science by continuing his meditation and remaining alive. According to scientists on the documentary,  an average person would be expected to die from kidney failure after four days without drinking any fluids  (although cases of inedia lasting for a whole week have been observed and the recorded Guinness World Record of inedia is eighteen days). The boy showed no signs of classical physical deterioration cau sed by dehydration. A close inspection by the film crew of the area around the tree where Ram was sitting revealed no hidden food supply or water pipes. In 2008, Min Bahadur Shakya of the  Nagarjuna  Institute of Exact Methods in Kathmandu, stated that Buddhist priests have yet to investigate Ram. [20] [edit]Reappearance in Ratanpuri jungle On 10 November 2008, Bomjon reappeared and gave blessings to approximately 400,000 pilgrims over a 12-day period in the remote  jungle  of Ratanpuri, 150  km (95 miles) southeast ofKathmandu, near  Nijgadh. His hair was shoulder-length and his body was wrapped in a white cloth. He made two speeches in which he urged people to recognize the compassion in their hearts, and their connection to one another through the all-encompassing soul. 21]  His devotees believe he attained enlightenment at  Bodh Gaya  in  Bihar,  India, which borders Nepal – the place where  Siddartha Gautama  attained enlightenment. [22][23] [edit]Non-appearance in 2009 at the Gadhi Mai Mela Palden Dorje planned to give blessings on 18–23 November 2009 at the site of the  Gadhi Mai Mela, a Hindu vedic religious festival where hundreds of thousands of animals are sacrificed, something he has condemned. However, alleging security reasons, priests were unwilling to allot a space for him. On 30 October 2009 he spoke out in public against the approaching Gadhi Mai killings. edit]Physical assault investigation A Western media outlet quoted a local Nepali newspaper claiming that Bomjon had admitted to slapping some local villagers after being physically assaulted by them on July 22, 2010. According to such claims, the incident took place in the Bara district and police have been involved in the investigation after 17 complaints. Bomjon was quoted to say that the locals were interrupting his meditation by climbing onto his platform, mimicking him, and attempting to manhandle him, and he was therefore forced to beat them. According to the newspaper, he slapped them two or three times, while the attackers allege that they were assaulted more seriously. [24] Buddha Boy found after retreating into jungle By Thomas Bell, Nepal Correspondent 12:01AM GMT 27 Dec 2006 Nepals mysterious Buddha Boy has reappeared nine months after he went missing in the southern jungle. Ram  Bomjon, now 16, became an international celebrity when he meditated beneath a tree for 10 months, supposedly without food or water, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who believed that he was a reincarnation of the Buddha. He was discovered on Christmas Eve by hunters in a forest about 10 miles from the spot where he once meditated. Upendra Lamichane, a journalist, said the boy was brandishing a sword and told him: Even Gautam Buddha [the original Buddha] had to protect himself. Bomjon is apparently concerned about the threat posed by wildlife. He left his original meditation place because he was disturbed by the crowds of worshippers. He told Lamichane he had survived on herbs while in  the jungle. Nepalese Buddha Boy reappears A missing Nepalese teenager popularly known as Buddha Boy reappeared briefly on Sunday, his followers say. The committee managing the meditation site of Ram Bomjan, 16, released video of its members purportedly meeting the boy near his village in southern Nepal. The boys meditation and apparent 10-month fast attracted global attention before he vanished in March. Large numbers of devotees flocked to see him to leave offerings. A massive search operation is still under way. Not to worry The chairman of the Om Namo Buddha Tapaswi Sewa Samiti (ONBTSS), Bed Bahadur Lama, told reporters that he and his colleagues had met Bomjan about 3km (2 miles) south-west of his meditation site in Bara district on Sunday. He said Bomjan had spoken to them for half an hour. He said he would reappear after six years. He has asked monks to perform prayers in the meditation spot, Mr Lama told reporters. I left because there is no peace here Tell my parents not to worry, Mr Lama quoted Bomjan as saying. The alleged meeting is the first news of the boys possible whereabouts since he disappeared on 11 March. District authorities say they cannot confirm the sighting. Bomjans followers and security personnel have launched a massive search operation in Ratnapuri forest and surrounding areas but have so far failed to locate him. Bomjans followers claim he was an incarnation of Lord Buddha who was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, more than 2,500 years ago. His followers say he has been meditating for 10 months without food or water and is immune to fire and snake bites. But these claims have not been independently verified. Scientists were unable to examine the boy as his followers said it would disturb his meditation. Buddha Boy Update: Ram Bahadur Bomjon Now Meditating in  Pit Posted on  March 28, 2007  by  The Blogger|  51 Comments 8 March:  Ram Bahadur Bomjon, popularly known as the â€Å"Buddha Boy†, who stole the limelight after spending months in meditation, reportedly without food and water, has been found again, meditating inside a pit dug underground at Ratanpuri recently. Bomjon, who had started meditation under a Pipal tree in the village, had gone missing since March 11, 2006, and again reappeared on December 25 the same year. According to Inspector Rameshwor Yadav of the Area Police Post Nijgadh, Bomjon was inside the bunker-like square ditch of seven feet. We call it bunker,† he said, adding, â€Å"Although it’s seven feet deep, there is no lack of oxygen inside,† said Yadav, who claimed to have seen him going inside it from close range Monday (Mar 26). A police team, under the command of Yadav, had gone to the place after word of Bomjon being on underground meditation spread in the area. â€Å"His face was clean and hair was combed well,† Yadav said. According to him, â€Å"the bunker† has been cemented from all sides with roof of tiles. Even as frequent â€Å"hide and seek† were continuing, some locals recently spotted him in the local forest on 9th March. After his mysterious disappearance last year, his â€Å"disciples† had claimed that he had gone in search of a peaceful place for the purpose, as thousands of curious people began visiting him daily then. However, a few others had even termed it a ploy of his followers to earn popularity and money. Indra Lama, a local, who has been deployed as caretaker for him since he began meditation, said the â€Å"bunker† was prepared as per Bomjon’s order. â€Å"After granting audience a week ago, he expressed his desire to meditate inside the ground; so we built it,† he said. By Upendra Lamichhane A Buddhist messiah in Maoist Nepal? By Dhruba Adhikary and Charles McDermid KATHMANDU Like any deeply revered religious prophet worthy of his robes, Nepals Buddha Boy has returned from the wilderness to spread enlightenment to the masses. The long-lost mystic in  question  is Ram Bahadur Bamjan, who many believe is a true-to-life  reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in about 560 BC and later became revered as Lord Buddha, the Enlightened One. In Hindu-majority Nepal, Hinduism and Buddhism frequently overlap. Hindus believe in  reincarnation, and Buddhists ascribe to the notion of rebirth and in Nepal both faiths are often transfixed by religious wonders, miracles and mysteries. Only some 50% of Nepals 25 million population is literate, and illiteracy is widespread in rural areas. So it was that Bamjan, looking every bit like a disheveled teenager, emerged from dense jungle on November 10, and got straight to work preaching at a temple about 150 kilometers south of the capital Kathmandu. He claimed that his soul-searching hiatus began in early 2005, and his first words were grim. Incidents of death and destruction are on the rise because people have become indifferent to religious  teachings, he announced to the 10,000 reported followers who flocked to the site on the day of his return. Bamjan, whose age has been placed between 17 and 20, was raised in Nepals devoutly Buddhist Taamaang  community. He has been worshipped since 2005, when he was discovered meditating in the lotus po sition among the roots of an ancient tree. Local legend has it that he maintained the position for 10 months without food or  water. On his recent return, however, there was no sitting around. Adorned in a shimmering white  cloth  and appearing quite hale for a hermit, Bamjan kicked off his first sermon by narrating his quest for the reason of death. It all began, he explained, when he witnessed a human  cremation  at the age of six. Interestingly, his tale parallels the Buddhist stories in which Prince Siddhartha, before he reached enlightenment, is said to have seen deaths, diseases and infirmities associated with old age. Still, some among the congregation grew skeptical when they saw Bamjan, sporting long black hair, halt repeatedly during his 45-minute exegesis. Each time the alleged Buddha paused, an acolyte came forward to whisper in his ear, seemingly prompting him to encourage his audience to pay attention if they intended on receiving happiness. Those who bowed and offered him  khaadaa  (holy scarves ) received blessings as he placed an august hand on their heads. Villagers of Ratanpuri town, Bara district, converged by the thousands at the Halkhoria forest to observe the holy man. The crowd grew larger as a local Buddhist group advertised in newspapers and on radio networks. Instantly, the story captivated the domestic media and drew attention from major international news agencies. No Buddhist organization has endorsed the claims of Ram Bahadur Bamjan, also known as Palden Dorjee, or his followers. Some have sent investigators to the area and are awaiting reports. Remarks from Buddhist scholars thus far indicate divided opinion. Bamjan seems to be someone blessed with divine power, Bekha Ratna Shakya, a devout Buddhist and a former mayor of Lalitpur town, told Asia Times Online. Kedar Shakya, a writer and former Lumbini University associate, also supported Bamjans holiness and argued that Bamjan should be allowed to continue to meditate. The return of Bamjan has prompted many Nepalese to recall an incident several years ago when the nation was fascinated by rumors that stone idols of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god, had begun to drink milk. Syncretism Nepal-style In Nepal, the distinction between Buddhist and Hindu can be nominal. There are also temples in Nepal where the same stone idol is worshipped by Hindu and Buddhist priests. The tradition of Kumari is one striking example: an adolescent girl is selected to be the Hindu goddess, Kumari, but she must be from a Buddhistfamily. Kumari appears in public at least once a year and gives blessings to the reigning king. And, after all, Buddha was born as a prince to a Hindu king. But culture is in an intense transition in Nepal. Since the monarchy was abolished in May, Kumari now offers her blessings to the elected president. Considering Nepals devout and syncretic attitudes, the Bamjan episode is not without irony. The post-monarchy government is currently made up of communists who do not support religion. Maoist leader Prachanda, for example, avoids Hindu ceremonies and festivals. If he attends any religious function at all, it is perceived as a public relations exercise with an eye on votes from a particular community. (Newspapers once pictured him amid Muslims with prayer caps. ) As Nepal transitions from a Hindu monarchy to a secular republic, observers believe it has unwittingly opened itself to proselytizers of several religious groups. Even as many Maoists identify themselves as atheists or agnostics, some of their top leaders are said to be lured by affluent churches such as the Unification Church of the Reverend Moon. Bamboozled by Buddha Boy Many of the devotees now surrounding Bamjan have described the experience in shades of religious adoration. (It was an amazing experience to hear and see him. I have no doubt now he is the reincarnation of Buddha, a woman named Sangeeta Lama told The Associated Press. ) But others are more dubious, including the government. Government officials told Asia Times Online that police were investigating a complaint that a Korean national was orchestrating the entire affair. Meanwhile, a group of local residents has called the hysteria a pretext to grab a large tract of lush  forest  land. They claim that their religion is being taken advantage of. Doubts also persist as to why no  medical  check-up was done to determine if Bamjan did actually abstain from food or water during the past months. Others have asked why members of the audience were warned not to ask any questions regarding Bamjans methods of meditation. One report claimed that a French journalist filmed Bamjan nibbling on fruit while supposedly midway through a fast. According to the Australian, Another correspondent found him asleep while he was supposed to be meditating. Media reports also point out that when Bamjan emerged as a divine presence for the first time three years ago, devotees gave donations to the tune of 700,000 rupees (US$9,022). At that time, authorities discovered that Maoist elements were cashing in on the superstition prevalent in the region. Police later seized the alms. But Bamjans emergence be he holy man or charlatan is an important cultural event for a transforming Nepal. The hype and hyperbole he inspires must be considered along with the happiness he has brought to true believers. With democratic atheists in government, and a cautious eye on religious conflicts in neighboring countries, it is still unclear what role religion will have in the new Nepal. A teenager named Ram Bahadur Bamjan may bring some kind of enlightenment after all. Thousands flock to see Nepals mystery Buddha boy (Reuters) Thousands of people flocked to a remote jungle in southeast Nepal to see a boy, some believe is a reincarnation of Lord Buddha, who reappeared after missing for more than a year, police said on Tuesday. Seventeen-year-old Ram Bahadur Bamjon spoke to devotees from nearby villages on Monday in the remote forest in Ratanpuri, 150 km (95 miles) southeast of Kathmandu, Prakash Sen, a police constable said. Bamjon made international headlines in 2005 when tens of thousands of people turned up to see him sitting cross-legged under a tree in a dense forest for nearly ten months. reportedly without food and water. Hundreds of devotees, including many from neighboring India are trekking the five-km (mile) site to see him on Tuesday, Sen said. He spoke to the devotees standing near a temple in the forest, Prakash Sen said after a visit to the site. He had shoulder-length hair and had his body wrapped in a white cloth. Since many people are walking to see him, I think he has some of the qualities Lord Buddha had, he said. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born a prince in Lumbini, a sleepy town in Nepals rice-growing plains about 350 km (220 miles) southwest of Kathmandu more than 2,600 yea rs ago. He is believed to have attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, which borders Nepal. Buddha boy in Nepal re-emerges after a year KATMANDU, Nepal A teenage boy who many believe is the reincarnation of Buddha has re-emerged from  the jungle  in southern Nepal, attracting thousands of devotees, officials said Tuesday. After retreating into the jungle for more than a year, Ram Bahadur Bamjan, 18, re-emerged Monday near Nijgadh town, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the capital, Katmandu. Upon hearing the news, thousands of Bamjans followers, some from as far away as India, traveled to the site Tuesday to see him, police official Abhaya Joshi said over the telephone. Joshi said Bamjan plans to talk to his followers for a few hours every day for a week before returning to the jungle to  meditate. The long-haired Bamjan, dressed in a white cloth, appeared to be in good health as he spoke to his followers about peace and ending discrimination, according to the Rajdhani newspaper. It was an amazing  experience  to hear and see him. I have no doubt now he is the reincarnation of Buddha, said Sangeeta Lama, a woman who met Bamjan for the first time. Buddhist priests have been divided on whether the boy is truly the reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in southwestern Nepal around 500 B. C. and later became revered as the Buddha, which means Enlightened One. Buddhists strongly believe in reincarnation, the doctrine that every soul reappears after death in another bodily form. There has been no formal declaration by Buddhist authorities that Bamjan is the reincarnation of the Buddha. But people have worshipped the teenager since he was first seen in 2005 meditating in the jungle, where he sat for months, motionless with his eyes closed among the roots of a tree. Min Bahadur Shakya of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods in Katmandu said Buddhist priests have not reached a conclusion about Bamjan because they have not been able to fully investigate the boy. Meditating without food does not prove that he is reincarnation of Buddha. There is much study needed to be done, Shakya said. Buddhism is practiced by about 325 million followers, mostly in Asia. AP Nepals Buddha boy investigated for attacking group By Olivia LangBBC News A Nepalese man popularly known as Buddha boy is being investigated by police amid reports he beat a group of locals for disturbing his meditation. Ram Bahadur Bomjan has admitted to assaulting some of the local villagers in Bara district on Thursday, according to local media. Mr Bomjan is famed for spending months in the forest without  eating. His devotees believe he is the reincarnation of the Buddha, and he says he has not eaten since 2005. When he started his fast, he pledged he would  meditate  for six years, until he gained enlightenment. Slapped Manoj Neupane, superintendent of police for Bara district, said police were sent to investigate after 17 people lodged complaints. Those who had been injured were sent for medical checks, he told the BBC. According to Nepals Republica newspaper, the villagers claimed they had been looking for wild fruit and vegetables. Mr Bomjan said he had slapped them two or three times after they came onto his platform and mimicked him, while the villagers allege they were assaulted more seriously. They disturbed me while I was meditating tried to manhandle me, Mr Bomjan was quoted as saying by Republica. I was therefore forced to beat them. Last November, Mr Bomjan who is reportedly around 20 years old campaigned against the mass sacrifice of some 250,000 animals at the Gadhimai festival in southern Nepal Ram Bahadur Bomjon, Buddha/boy of Nepal: between mirror and myth in a  global  Buddhism The resonance with the original is telling: the Buddha of our aeon, Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakya clan, also came from Nepal, 2,600 years ago, his mother had the same first name of Maya Devi, he also performed extreme austerities for six years before attaining enlightenment beneath a pipal tree. Voluntary fasting was a large part of Siddhartha Gautama’s, and general, yogic practice then and before, and still is now among the Hindu ascetics of modern India. Ram Bahadur Bomjon or the popularly known ‘Buddha Boy’, a Nepali teenager who began  meditating  beneath a pipal tree in his local village of Ratanapuri, Bara district, in May 2005, hasn’t yet spent the six years in such demanding practice Buddha Sakyamuni did. Nevertheless, his initial period of 10 months of apparently  uninterrupted fasting, also in sustained meditation, has formed the basis for his claim (in November of that year) to achieve full Buddhahood after six more years of deep meditative practice. Bomjon’s family are from the Nepalese Tamang community, many of whom are devout Vajrayana Buddhists. He is by his own claim a Rinpoche, or precious reincarnated being with already profound levels of realization, and he has by early 2010 become for the popular spiritual imagination a living Buddha. He is also, however, a pop-culture figure for faux-worship and satire, made thesubject  of  bumper stickers  and You Tube cartoons. Ram Bahadur Bomjon’s extraordinary physical feat of meditating for at least ten months apparently without food or water, is remarkable by any standards, especially if it is true. There are of course many thousands, if not millions, of authentic yogis in South Asia, in and outside of monasteries, many of whom have been documented to have achieved almost unimaginable physical feats of voluntary bodily control and apparent immunity to a large range of normal biological requirements for survival. This does not make their achievements miracles, nor their practitioners living enlightened Buddhas. Which is where the advent of Ram Bomjon is genuinely compelling: his messianicity is proclaimed from the beginning. It is already curious that while claiming a solitary ascetic practice that sought no attention, Bomjon sits in a place conspicuous to local people who know him. What then appears to be a general espousal of him by the Tibetan Sakya hierarchy becomes a first religious contextualization of Bomjon, as both a Buddhist avatar, and more specifically a Tantric yogi who has mastered his nervous system such as to be able to sweat profusely at will, in mild conditions and without any bodily movement. His teenage brother also speaks[1]  humbly of a topknot manifesting spontaneously in Bomjon’s hair, as in one of the signs of the Buddha. His Tibetan Buddhist status is authorised by another title – Palden Dorje – which is also contexualised in the ‘official website’:  www. paldendorje. com. After the initial 10-month period of apparent total fasting, Bomjon disappears in March 2006 to seek another place for less-disturbed meditation. At this point also the police freeze the bank-account of the local committee managing the crowds of pilgrims who have come to him with donations – an amount of more than Rp. 600,000. Much of this revenue comes from an entrance-fee to view him, and the pamphlets, books, cassettes and DVDs sold promoting Bomjon as a new Buddha. Available for a global audience on You Tube are his two speeches of August 2007, one which is closed-eyed, the other longer and more open-eyed. (In both speeches he wears a red robe, and as such might be distinguished from the ‘white robe’ speeches of November 2008. ) Both 2007 speeches are similar in their effect, and what I suggest below of the ‘closed-eyed’ speech[2]  can also be said of the ‘open-eyed’ one[3]. The camera is static, focused on the anticipated words of the young sage. Bomjon speaks in the monotonous tones of an adolescent reciting a reasonably well-memorized speech. There is no sign of a smile or an emotional gauge of his audience. He keeps his eyes closed for virtually the entire roughly eight minute performance. He pauses now and then, only it seems in nervousness, or having lost his place or of being uncertain how to proceed. One Western witness and blogger, a sincere seeker sympathetic to Bomjon, writes that â€Å"Strangely, he concluded halfway between a sentence, trailing off, letting the words, both spoken and unspoken, hang in the air,† before â€Å"the brief spell of serenity quickly degenerated into a frenzy again as Palden Dorje returned to his pedestal and people began lining up to receive  darshan. [4] Though the Nepali broadcast from the station â€Å"Supreme Master TV† offers an onscreen English translation of this speech[5], the correlation of semantic meaning to his speech betrays an a-synchrony between the syntax of the words and how much he can say in a single breath. About five minutes into the speech Bomjon repeats a brief sequence of words, correcting himself, and for the very first time lightly smiles, still closed-eyed, a very human and self-conscious gesture, as any young performer in a school presentation would before he regains his place after stumbling. If Bomjon is a visionary near-Buddha who has spent the previous three years in a profound and virtually mute immersion in esoteric planes barely conceivable by even seasoned meditators, he is also an amazingly natural, human, and in that sense ordinary, one. It is only a brief moment, but it betrays, resoundingly, an authentic natural humanness amidst all the built-up ceremony and high-flown spiritual rhetoric. There is little sense of a new Buddha having spoken, of the gravitas or charisma or power of a highly-realised mature being offering his own natural words and self-won insight into the nature of reality. In a white lay-yogi’s robe, Bomjon sits on a newly-built raised  vasana  painted white and gold, with steps on each side. Pilgrims come from near and far to hold worshipful  puja, burning incense and making prayers, or line up inside a cordoned area to come to the near-Buddha. It’s a peaceful and uncanny vision, redolent with the saffron succour of old India and its oldest myths of the salvation of the soul through the form of a youthful enlightened being. Yet the previously-quoted (and sympathetic) witness writes that â€Å"The young man suddenly shifted gears into overdrive, ludicrously blessing with a pace so quick he was practically bonking people on the head with the dorje as they passed. †[6] It is hard to imagine that not far away in neighbouring thick jungle, and not too long ago, Maoist revolutionaries have for decades lived clandestinely and fought the national army in a bitterly-contested bid for freedom. The promise of freedom, even in an old culture such as that of Nepal, comes in many guises. II Religious Buddhism holds that an authentically enlightened being as was, apparently, Gautama Buddha, can most effectively transmit its values because they are concentrated in him, or her, in their purest, most ideal, essential, unalloyed, uncorrupted or corruptible, realized form. In Bomjon religious Buddhism receives a partly convincing and telegenic messianic throwback to the archetype of the Buddha, a young man who appears to fulfil all the needed criteria. There is nothing cynical here, Buddhism is if anything globally respected for its general lack of taint, of maintaining a record for transparency: H. H. the Dalai Lama is of course its universally-respected paragon. Unless of course the claim is simply not true: that Bomjon is not a bodhisattva or near-Buddha, but simply a gifted young ascetic. H. H. the Dalai Lama has never claimed enlightenment, but merely the status of a simple monk. Bomjon however loses this modest status from the beginning. Perhaps not even consciously, Bomjon has suddenly been reified in a way that can only work in an old primary culture where religion serves symbolic and archetypal ends, not purely epistemic ones, and where gods are still respected and worshipped as such, where literal truth is not something that carries the primary value it does in the West. On this level, a psychologically real one, there can be little blame placed, and to do so would be churlish. However, in the West at least, which (arguably) prides itself on its capacity for impartial discrimination, ontological exactitude and epistemic integrity, it is very hard, if not impossible, to take on faith something which is not literally true, or even just uncertainly true. Culturally, psychologically and ethically it is increasingly hard for  agnostic Western  culture to sustain the myth of reification (though theistic religion, and scientistic ‘faiths’ like neo-Darwinism, hold on tenaciously) when more provisionally true, multiple, cross-fertilising and mutually-productive  interpretations  can do a good working job of understanding what ‘the truth’ might ultimately signify. ‘Enlightenment’ is merely a word but one which carries a varying wealth of signification, wears an infinitude of guises (or even, most radical of all, and its original Buddhist one, none at all). Even if Bomjon’s Tibetan Buddhist entourage means no harm in elaborating in religious terms the possibly much more prosaic nature of Bomjon’s attainment, doing so is still manipulating the reception of whoever it is he might more authentically be. If this is a deception of a kind, then however benign it also unfortunately succeeds in compromising whatever is of  genuine value in Bomjon’s public ‘ascendency. ’ What would be of inestimable value would be if Bomjon were able to simply offer in his own words a description of his yogic experience as it is, without metaphysics – and with or without the sustenance of food. Regarding such austerities the Buddha made it explicitly clear that such extremes of  tapaswere of no essential benefit or use to anyone vis-a-vis achieving enlightenment: hence the Buddhist ethico-pragmatic ‘Middle Way. ’) Instead, what the world is offered is a closed term: Bomjon as near-Buddha, seated on a thro ne, reifies a complex human person to be a single, essential ‘something’ in ontologically disturbing ways. To reify is to absolutise something as self-present, undoubted and undeniable, fixed in an essential identity. With reification there is little room for nuance, natural ambiguity, irony, shifts of emphasis, undirected trajectories of unexpected influence. Its translation into the common cultural currency tends to require a univocal, often dogmatic, form of interpretive transmission. It implies monolingual authority rather than a dialogical mutuality. Ultimately, and most unfortunately, it implies some form of the classical master-slave relation. Instead of a sense of lightly-shared creativity, there is a symbol which is taken as really-existing, which then sets off a chain-reaction of associated demands and conditions that can, and do, become political. Bomjon embodies a far more complex, and confused, nexus of religious, metaphysical, mythological and ethical forces and subconscious cultural assumptions than those that have been simplistically projected onto and then publicly represented by him, largely by virtue of the structure of orthodox Buddhism that clearly guides him. In Nepal, the criteria for effective belief, for better and for worse, remain steeped in mytho-poetic tropes of deep cultural continuity as well as social conservatism. Where the individual autonomy of scepticism might be seen as an obstacle to deeper social cohesion and identity, it is diminished as a form of existential integrity. Where the depth of tradition still provides much of the psychic social bulwark for increasingly unstable and erratically modernizing societies, of which Nepal is a prime example, the old forms of security cannot go questioned, let alone deconstructed. Who would demand they should be? If Ram Bahadur Bomjon may never redeem and ‘save the world’ from its real misguidedness, we can at least be grateful that he gives us all pause to consider that misguidedness itself, and perhaps his own as well, and provide for that rare space in which all of us, Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike, can try to dream again. We look to see how much of that impossible freedom he will invite us to dream along with him in the time to come. Opinion: The Next Buddha? In a poor backwater region of southern Nepal, an 18-year-old boy by the name of Ram Bahadur Bomjon may very well be on his way to becoming the next Buddha. Bomjon was dubbed Buddha Boy by the international media back in 2005 after reports surfaced that during the course of several months of deep meditation, he neither ate nor drank. After ten months of intense media frenzy and public scrutiny, Bomjon disappeared into the jungle in March 2006, reappearing briefly later that month to announce plans to meditate in solitude for the next six years. Members of the local community and followers of Bomjon were already referring to him as the next incarnation of Buddha, something that was prophesied by  Shakyamuni Buddha. In a message to devotees, however, Bomjon was quite clear that he had not yet attained Buddhahood but was simply a meditator on truth. He did suggest, however, that he was a reincarnated Tibetan  rinpoche  [ ] Like many others, I had first heard of Buddha Boy during his initial period of meditation and was instantly fascinated with the story, but following this, only tidbits of news trickled out from Nepal. I thought of eventually searching for the recluse and perhaps writing an  account  of my adventures, imagining myself trampling through the jungle chasing whims and mirages. I was in Bangkok when news of his public appearance suddenly broke in early November of last year. Reports at that time had indicated he would be offering darshan (a public blessing) for only a few more days. I had to act quickly, so I booked a seat on the next available flight to Kathmandu with hardly a second thought. The list of apparent miracles associated with Palden Dorje is intriguing. In addition to his astounding feats living without sustenance or sleep, it is claimed two venomous serpents bit him with no detrimental effect. Devotees once reported seeing his head illuminated similar to the aureoles surrounding saints. On another occasion, the ground in front of him was said to have suddenly  combusted into flames  but he remained unscathed. He has also been spotted conversing with wildlife. In an attempt to separate fact from legend, I planned to set out for the district of Bara, and a site near the town of Nijgadh, approximately 160 kilometers from Kathmandu. I arrived in Simra, a convenient hub, at four in the morning after a numbing ten-hour bus ride from the capital city. I quickly checked into one of a handful of  hotels  in the small town known more for its choking steel factories than anything holy. After only an hour or two of rest, I hopped on a local bus, repeating to the ticket-taker, Bomjon, Bomjon. I was dropped off  at the side of  the highway, facing a dirt road leading into the jungle. Several hundred people were streaming down the road. As I made my way along, Nepalis and Indians passed on bicycles and tractors, in rickshaws, vans, and even crammed buses. I eventually met up with three Nepali teens skipping school in order to receive darshan. Nirazin, was the only one of the trio to have previously seen Palden Dorje. When Nirazin first heard of him, he thought it was a joke, but after observing the young meditator up close, he realized he had made a mistake. He is meditating for peace. He is meditating for us. I think he is the next Buddha, even though I am aware that he did not identify himself in that way. After a six kilometer hike to our destination, I was astonished with the sheer numbers assembled. The lineup into the gated area followed a parched river bed and extended for at least a kilometer. At the tail-end of the line were countless vendors selling fried food, religious trinkets, beads, even photos and DVD’s of Palden Dorje. Those selling traditional Tibetan kata scarves were making a killing. Nearby, there was even a hand-operated Ferris wheel. The atmosphere was festive and chaotic. By the sheer fact I was the only visibly obvious foreigner in line, I was ushered to the front almost without delay. Entrants were forbidden to carry in cigarettes or lighters. Shoes and belts were also to be left behind. Those of us passing through the entrance were purified with water sprayed from a sprig of cedar. We proceeded down a cordoned trail, leading back into dense jungle. Prayer flags were strewn along the path. Quickly, an ethereal serenity overtook us, accompanied by a welcome silence in contrast to the uproar of the crowds waiting in line. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, some chanted mantras, mothers shushed babies. An occasional bird song punctuated the stillness. There were butterflies everywhere. The trail led into an arbor adorned with even more prayer flags radiating out from an imposing whitewashed stupa, about ten meters tall. In the heart of the arbor, a massive bodhi tree towered over the stupa. And there, on a pedestal at the base of the tree, sat Palden Dorje touching each kata held up to him and then dabbing the crown of the persons head using a miniature dorje. The line was briskly moved along by a cadre of Tibetan monks and volunteer attendants. When my turn came, I lowered my head with my arms outstretched holding the kata and walked toward him. Instead of the usual blessing, Palden Dorje grabbed the kata and slung it around my neck. I instantly felt hands on me, leading me away, but not before I had a moment to look up into his face and to gaze into his dark eyes that seemed to reflect a depth I have rarely encountered. Following this, I sat off to the side and meditated upon the scene for the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon. I was quite taken with Palden Dorje’s appearance. For someone who had been meditating in the jungle continuously for months on end, he looked surprisingly fit and fresh. He was not emaciated in any way and I noticed he continued to maintain a fair bit of muscle tone in his arms. The messy tussled hair of earlier photos was now replaced with long curly locks well beyond shoulder length. He was donning a white robe that wrapped over his left shoulder. All in all, Palden Dorje looked comfortable and content. He remained silent save for an occasional whisper to a nearby attendant. As the sun commenced its descent, I spoke with Romee, a Brit, and one of only a handful of foreigners present. Throughout the day, he had stood practically motionless near Palden Dorje, acting almost like a sentry, armed with poise and serenity. Romee believed that Palden Dorje is engaged in a very high meditation that has not been publicly undertaken for centuries, if not millennia. Romee was led here through astral communications he received from the young guru. He mused that Palden Dorje will likely remain in this spot now for the rest of his life. On my hike out back to the highway that evening, I followed the river bed which was a slightly shorter, if not dustier route. I met Moon Kim, a spry 74-year-old Korean-Canadian. Hes a god, hes a Buddha, whatever you want to call it, claimed Moon. Nobody knows how he is surviving without food or water, but its not a big deal for him. The way I look at it, when you go to heaven and spend a day there, a century passes here on earth, so three and a half earth years for a divine being isnt even an hour up there. I returned early the next morning to receive darshan again and to continue to sit off to the side and watch the assembly line of devotees approach him for a blessing. It conjured up parallels with Amma, the famous hugging saint of southern India. It even reminded me of the solemnity of parishioners lining up to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. On the following morning, I was met with delirium at the gate since it was believed to be the final day of the darshan. The armed police that were present the day before were replaced on this day with boy scouts and girl scouts clearly not up to the task of crowd control. Several of the volunteers were now locked hand in hand, forming a human chain against the riotous throngs attempting to break the queue. I had to holler and wave my arms at one of them, Uman, whom I had spoken to the day before in order to gain his attention and hopefully a free pass back into the arbor. It eventually proved successful. Before entering, I asked Uman why Palden Dorje suddenly decided to break his six-year meditation. His answer seemed to imply that conditions were ripe for a public appearance again. Uman noted how even more chaotic the situation had been at the previous site in nearby Ratanpuri. There was just no management of the crowds back then. Now that we have been able to set up a basic system here, it makes things a lot easier for everyone. In spite of his assurance, I noted the infancy of the infrastructure, unlike the more sprawling operation in Puttaparti, home to Indias super-celebrity guru Sai Baba. There is definitely a pervasive rock star adoration towa rd Palden Dorje. One young Nepali girl I met, after asking her why she was attracted to him, said, Hes very beautiful. When I asked if she thought of him romantically, she blushed and said emphatically, No, no, that would be like having God as a boyfriend. After parting ways with Uman, I received darshan once again and assumed my position off to the side. At some point while meditating later in the morning, an inexplicably dazzling emerald luminescence flooded my headspace for a sustained period of time before finally dissolving. There was also a period of whiteness, similar to when a camera lens is on a high exposure. Following this, throughout the afternoon, I kept sensing in my peripheral vision monks sitting beside me in meditation. When I turned my head slightly to get a better look, there was never anyone there. As I was leaving that day, I was informed that Palden Dorje, had suddenly decided to add three more days to the darshan since people just kept coming. It looked like I would be sticking around for a little longer then. The next day, however, threw me for another loop. This time, as I made my way down the dusty river bed, I noticed there was an almost complete absence of people heading in. There was no line-up and the arbor was even more exceptionally quiet than usual. Palden Dorjes countenance displayed a hint of bewilderment with the trickle of people. In spite of this, he continued undeterred. On two separate occasions, thunder struck from a completely cloudless sky. Palden Dorje looked up quickly and scanned the skies both times as if in search of some sign. Apparently, Palden Dorje had mentioned in the past that the gods would be present during his tenure and would manifest as thunder. As each day passed, my meditations grew progressively stronger. On the fifth day, there was a robust serenity in both body and mind despite the onset of a head cold. (I had been sneezing viciously before entering the arbor). There was very little bodily discomfort, however, as I ventured deeper into Void. The final day of the darshan saw a return to chaos. The gigantic crowd was in turmoil again and some people were seething with anger due to the constant stream of queue jumpers. Once again, thankfully, I was plucked out of the line by a boy scout who took some interest in me. He accompanied me to the area near the gate, which was sealed at that time and surrounded by monks. When we were finally allowed in, I wondered: could this really be a scam? Could all these monks and nuns and volunteers and serious devotees, committed to the pursuit of truth, be mistaken? If the local community was trying to reap financial benefits from the Buddha Boy phenomenon as some suggested, why restrict his public appearances? If the skeptics were to be believed, then where was the incontrovertible proof of wrongdoing? So far, I had seen nothing convincing to tarnish a reputation. I was led to a section reserved for journalists very close to where Palden Dorje sat on his pedestal, boxed in by cloth erected to act as a visual barrier. At least half a dozen news network cameras from Nepal or India were arranged in front with a barrage of microphones. A single female Western journalist scribbled notes onto a pad. Monks and nuns were seated opposite us in a section reserved exclusively for them. The public then sat in a wide circle around the tree. As the minutes passed, the restlessness escalated into a madhouse mania. Though it seemed quite comical and silly, there was a tinge of sadness when I realized how we contort such a thing of virtue into a media-exploited extravaganza. I am just as much to blame. I worry that a simple purity will be devoured by the obsessive sophistications of our society. A boy meditating in the jungle is not enough for us. World tours, bestsellers and talk show interviews would be the new standard. Palden Dorje  stood up to the microphones  and held the attention of the restless crowd for the ten minutes or so that he spoke in Nepali. Strangely, he concluded halfway between a sentence, trailing off, letting the words, both spoken and unspoken, hang in the air. The brief spell of serenity quickly degenerated into a frenzy again as Palden Dorje returned to his pedestal and people began lining up to receive darshan. The young man suddenly shifted gears into overdrive, ludicrously blessing with a pace so quick he was practically bonking people on the head with the dorje as they passed. In the midst of the pushing and shoving nearby, I was led into a profound meditation, insulated from the riot but still acutely aware of it. I remained motionless in body and mind for over an hour. When I opened my eyes, I noticed I was the only one in the midst of thousands who had bothered to do such a thing. At least Palden Dorje was smiling. It was all quite surreal. Instead of trying to line up, I left quietly, bowing inconspicuously, brimming with a wondrous delight. Since Palden Dorje was not about to indulge me with an exclusive interview, I wanted to speak to a fellow by the name of Jas Waiba. As a member of the steering committee that liaises with Palden Dorje, I figured he would be a reliable authority. When I arrived at the site the next day, I was not surprised to see the place practically deserted – all the vendors had disappeared while only a handful of monks and nuns remained, packing up in preparation to head out. Plastic bags tossed about silently on a slight breeze. The gate was barricaded and a single monk sat in the shade to guard against any unauthorized entry. The whole thing had the feel of the day following the conclusion of an outdoor music festival. Palden Dorje was on his own again. I eventually caught up to Jas on his way home. Jas has been a committee member for over a year now. The committee is comprised of members mostly from local communities. It was formed as a response to the crowds and problems that swelled as news of the boy spread like wildfire. Jas told me the committee can do nothing without the consent of Palden Dorje. Typically, the committee is summoned when a signal is received from Palden Dorje, a signal only one or two individuals have knowledge of. Before, Jas exclaimed, Palden Dorje was in deep meditation. Now, he is conducting special esoteric exercises and holding conversations with gods. I asked him if he himself had been privy to any miracles. With a slightly ominous tone, Jas said, sometimes, we hear explosions and trees cracking, and when we go to investigate, there is no sign of any damage. Over lunch, Jas is quite straightforward in his assessment of Palden Dorje. â€Å"He is abodhisattva. In the future, he will be  Maitreya, the next Buddha. This is a certainty. I am confident in this because I have witnessed how he mixes peace with power. He can destroy and he can create. I cannot give you all the details at this time because I have been sworn to secrecy with respect to some matters. † He later hinted, however, toward some esoteric power that could possibly render the weapons of the world completely useless. Jas is unconcerned with the naysayers. â€Å"There is no way to dispute them. Everyone has a right to be skeptical. It is not my job to convince them. I know what I know. Truth comes through illumination not attempts at convincing someone. † Palden Dorje could very well be the one the world has waited for, but how can someone ever know for sure. He is markedly different from other gurus I have encountered. No matter what his status, he is an inspiration. Although I can certainly say that Palden Dorje embodies a very powerful essence, what else had I actually discovered about him? It all seemed so ephemeral. I felt like I had failed to clearly ascertain the truth behind this Nepali teen but, on the other hand, I realized there is some value in what remains mysterious. So perhaps it is best to leave it as such. Better yet, when he is ready for visitors again, why not book a flight to Nepal and experience the phenomenon for yourself? Links: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ROlsMvvaMnMfeature=related ttp://www. youtube. com/watch? v=rRJE77puL4Yfeature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=MWnJlNMZgoAfeature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jMSUpUnbJoUfeature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=2tDEi_bOxYQfeature=related http://www. etapasvi. com/en/news/show/id/42/title/opinion-the-next- http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=v29clGMWU84 http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ndg _6eajjNMfeature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=wGMwa4yZLL4feature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=wzNAZE2gaBYfeature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=cSKBYaVlYKUfeature=related