Reuters reports that Ram Bahadur Bamjon, the so-called "Buddha Boy" of Nepal, has disappeared. No need to be alarmed; this is part of a pattern.
Ten days ago Bamjon reappeared after almost a year when he had disappeared in order to meditate in the jungle. This is the third time Bamjon has disappeared since his first appearance three years ago.So look for him to pop out of the jungle again either next year, or whenever his banking account is running low.
The last sentence is filled with too much sarcasm and judgment to be worthy of your site.
As a Buddhist, I am aware that Right Speech is a tenet of the Noble 8 Folded Path. I am surprised at your snide comment.
Would y’all have been happier if I had just said the Buddha Boy is a fraud, and not try to be cute about it? I don’t see that perpetrating an obvious lie is helpful to anyone. If you’d like to discuss this further, however, we’re got a forum thread already started.
Barbara, I agree, this guy is being reported as making a quick buck. Anytime someone says you can’t peek behind the curtain is obviously a fake. There is nothing wrong with calling someone on the carpet if they are knowingly taking advantage of someone else.
Nothing wrong with spreading a little truth. It’s sad that so many Buddhists fall into this attachment since Buddhism teaches non-attachment.
Hi, Barbara,
Here I go, cross-posting away from your wonderful site. You’ll appreciate this one, though:
click here
Yea, kind of like the Christian televangelists that beg for money constantly on television. They live in their massive mansions all the while lying to the public. When their bank account runs low they ask 96 year old widows to give them their Social Security checks in the name of Jesus (a dead guy). The widow eats dog food and they have caviar. Buddhism doesn’t broadcast lies on every channel and on every frequency and it certainly doesn’t make its followers blame themselves for the death of some plagiarizing idiot 2000 years ago.
This is a hard one… mostly for the (re)actions to your comments and not so much the actual story line. Fakers and Messiahs are a sort of dualism that is the real delusion. Perhaps we ought to sit with this one ourselves.
Ron — if this were just a matter of whether a teacher were sincere or not, that would be one thing. However, the boy’s claims are antithetical to Buddhist teachings. Since it’s kind of my job to explain Buddhism to people, I feel compelled to make note that per the Buddha’s teachngs, the boy cannot be a reincarnated Buddha.
“Since it’s kind of my job to explain Buddhism to people, I feel compelled to make note that per the Buddha’s teachngs, the boy cannot be a reincarnated Buddha”.Barbara.
The boy is doing meditation to purify his mind as a buddhist deciple. He is following the path shown by the Buddha, Are you doing that Barbara?. If not please dont try to be a Buddhis tutor. You are doing injustice to the teaching.
The boy is doing meditation to purify his mind as a buddhist deciple. He is following the path shown by the Buddha, Are you doing that Barbara?.
If the boy is claiming to be a reincarnated Buddha, he is not following the path shown by the historical Buddha, but making up a new one. According to the teachings of the original Buddha, “reincarnated Buddha” is not possible. If you are interested in learning why that is true, I’d be glad to help.
My practice isn’t perfect, but I do what I can to protect the dharma.
Hi,
I just want to say that I know of someone, a very credible someone that has been touched by this boy. This acquaintance has a very high energy through years of meditation and other internal practices. When he was touched by the boy he almost fell to his knees because of the power transmission. If someone leaves money for him and he takes it, it does not mean he is a fraud. Perhaps he did something constructive with that money. Who are we to judge.
Peace
“If someone leaves money for him and he takes it, it does not mean he is a fraud.”
No, but per Buddhist teaching his claiming of special powers says “fraud” in big neon letters. Not even the historical Buddha himself claimed to be able to live without food or transmit any special powers merely by touch. In some religions such claims are tolerated, but not Buddhism.