The Buddha Boy

rdwillia · 11-26-2005, 05:12 AM

Hello,

I'm sure most of you, having access to the internet, have read the stories about the Buddha boy. (If not you can read about it here). So, what do you think? Is Maitreya in our midst? Looks like we might not know for another 6 years as he's currently "only at the level of rinpoche".

I know this world hardly appears (to me anyway) to be in much of a stage of peace, but who knows right? Regardless, I wish I had this kid's determination. What do you think?

P.S. I hope everyone's having a blissful holiday season. It's been very quiet and lonely here on the Buddhism forum.

~rdwillia

I, Brian · 11-26-2005, 09:05 AM

Hm...so, they claim he hasn't eaten for 6 months, his mother says it is the will of God, and you can buy pictures of him from the shrine for 5 rupees.

Am I the only one who has a cynicism flag go off for this??

rdwillia · 11-26-2005, 04:32 PM

Hello Brian,

Quote:

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Hm...so, they claim he hasn't eaten for 6 months, his mother says it is the will of God, and you can buy pictures of him from the shrine for 5 rupees.

Am I the only one who has a cynicism flag go off for this??

No, I highly doubt you are. Some of the other articles I've read also say they put some sort of curtain or screen around his tree each night, so no one really knows what he is doing after dark. I also noticed the "will of God" statement. It reminded me of Vaj's recent comment about the lady when he went to see the Dalai Lama... "Thank God for the Dalai Lama!"

Perhaps the mother is Hindu, Parsi, Sikh, Muslim or Christian and her son is Buddhist? Isn't that the way all great religions start? A mother of one religion bringing up a son of a whole new one?

However, perhaps I misunderstood the article, but I got the impression it was someone not affiliated with the boy who was selling the pictures. And since all of this lacks inherent existence anyway, I thought I'd put pleasant spin on my mental continuum and attempt to leave out my doubts. So then, what's the score? I should have done a poll for this one... Maitreya=1, Fraud=1?

Namaste

~rdwillia

taijasi · 11-28-2005, 03:48 PM

Maitreya Buddha (or Bodhisattva), perhaps not. lol And maybe not a complete fakir either. Reminds me a little of the Nepalese kid (?) from the movie, Little Buddha. Certainly it's possible (imho, of course) for a kid to recognize, know & remember that he is a lama or rinpoche reincarnate.

To make a simple statement along these lines doesn't even necessitate ego, or error - but it raises the proverbial eyebrow. Still, there are countless thousands of people in the world, and plenty of them young children (vide Ian Stevenson's Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation, et al), who genuinely recall past lives - and many of these would qualify as Tibetan Buddhist tulkus, no matter what their religious tradition/beliefs (if any).

The best part, again in my opinion, about stories like this is that they help generate interest in Buddhism (whether Tibetan Buddhism or otherwise), and help raise people's awareness of the teachings on Rebirth, Karma and Dharma (as duty, responsibility, etc. vs. materialism, selfishness & greed).

Andrew

rdwillia · 11-29-2005, 01:37 AM

Hello Taijasi,

Thank you for the positive view. We (Buddhists anyway) claim to truly believe this is possible, but when we (some of us) have some possible evidence of it we tend to shun it and think no way! And hey, the kid said, "I'm not a Buddha". I'd say it's definitely possible that he is a little more than your average 15 year old kid... Thanks again!