Does Buddha Live Reincarnated in the Nepalese Jungle?

Does the mighty Buddha live again in the form of a 17-year-old boy that spent more than one year in a remote jungle in southeast Nepal? Thousands of pilgrims who flocked to the site for a glimpse of Ram Bahadur Bamjan (aka Bonjan) certainly think so.

Ram’s first contact with the press was back in 2005, when tens of thousands of followers came to see the “Buddha Boy” sit cross-legged among the roots of a tree. His enlightened claim was that he had been without food or water for ten months.

Is he the reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in about 560BC and later became revered as the Buddha? It would appear that the answer depends upon whom you ask.

To some, he is a charlatan, but the long-haired white cloth-attired young man speaks only of peace and the end of discrimination, which is a hard act to follow.

There are several factors that raise a few doubts as to who this young man really is and whether or not he should exchange his gleaming white cloth for an orange prison ensemble. During past appearances, thousands of pounds were collected from devotees, leading to allegations that he was really a conman.

One French journalist filmed Buddha Boy nibbling on fruit while supposedly midway through a fast, and another correspondent found him fast asleep while he was supposed to be meditating.

The young man appears to be in good health and plans to talk to small groups for the next week or so.

“The whole jungle area where he has appeared has turned into a festival and around 10,000 people came to see him,” said a police spokesperson.

Buddhist authorities are not convinced and probably never will be.

Are YOU?

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