Today I read the news about a 15 year old boy called Ram Bahadur Banjan, who has been meditating in a Nepalese jungle for "six months" without food or drinks, and thousands have flocked to see him daily, with some believing he is the reincarnation of Buddha. As a devoted buddhist, I feel this is outrageous and such an insult to Buddhism. How stupid these people are to believe that he is the reincarnation of Buddha?
Here are the reasons why I do not believe he is the reincarnation of Buddha.
1. Buddha has already attained Nibbana, the end of suffering and rebirth. What is the point of Nibbana and Enlightenment, if there is still suffering and rebirth after Nibbana?
2. Buddha will never reincarnate. Let's say he does, then why does he have to meditate again to be enlightened after he has been enlightened for more than two thousand years?
3. Why does this boy has to be kept from public at night? Does it suggest he may be eating or answering the call of nature at night?He's supposedly been that way since May 17 — but his followers have been keeping him from public view at night.
4. Buddha already realised that the middle path is the only path to Nibbana, and he abandoned "the suffering practice (without food)". Since then, he had eaten food in moderation. So why would the real reincarnation of Buddha adopt "the suffering practice" again? Why should one follow "the suffering practice" to attain Nibbana after even Buddha discarded it? Why should true believers of Buddhism worship people who is trying to attain Nibbana through "the suffering practice"?
So what about the fact that he can meditate without food or drinks? Since he can't be monitored around-the-clock, it is very hard to say that he lives without food or drinks for six months. As I said earlier, there could be a secret passage through which food and water is supplied to him at night and people will not notice at all. I suspect these so-called followers too. They could probably be trying to deceive people and they are already making a lot of money so far. If one day after the group has made enough money, the boy could escape through a secret passage, and all of these people may be left believing that he has been enlightened and vanished!!!
There is a slight chance that he is really meditating without food or drinks. But that is possible only if he has gained some kind of will-power or Ja-na (Zan) via meditation, and is enable to control his metabolism. That needs to be proved too.
To conclude, this is more likely to be a scam than a true story of meditating without food or drinks, let alone the reincarnation of Buddha. Even if anyone can meditate without food or drinks for six months, that person is not the reincarnation of Buddha or another Buddha (Sammasambuddha, who attains Buddhahood without any teaching from another person, and who can teach others to escape from Samsara). He could be an Arahat, but I absolutely doubt that too since he is not taking the right path.
Anyway, I can't wait to see how this boy will turn out soon.
What about your views?
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all rubbish mate. All sorts of stupidity acts are going on in this world. Everyone wants to be famous and don't mind doing anything to bring them to become famous.
ITs not all rubbish mate, i went to see him three times , but even he was kept away from public at night how it is possible to sit in the same position for that long hour , i mean even 12 hours without a food , there should be something within him , i think he is different than orther human
I didn't know devoted Buddhists judged and called people stupid, I for one don't have an opinion whether he is doing it or not what I do like is the notion that is put out there, that we only know a little and were capable of amazing abilities, or its another way of saying religion is not the answer.