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Mummified monk is ‘not dead’ and in rare meditative state, says expert

By Kate Baklitskaya
02 February 2015

As police say lama found in lotus positon was destined for sale on black market, there are claims it was one step away from becoming a Buddha.

The mummified remains, covered in cattle skin, were found on January 27 in the Songinokhairkhan province. Picture: Morning Newspaper 

A mummified monk found in the lotus position in Mongolia is 'not dead' and is instead one stage away from becoming a real-life Buddha, it has been claimed.

Forensic examinations are under way on the amazing remains, which are believed to be around 200 years old, having been preserved in animal skin. But one expert has insisted the human relic is actually in 'very deep meditation' and in a rare and very special spiritual state known as 'tukdam'.

Over the last 50 years there are said to have been 40 such cases in India involving meditating Tibetan monks.

Dr Barry Kerzin, a famous Buddhist monk and a physician to the Dalai Lama, said: 'I had the privilege to take care of some meditators who were in a tukdam state.

'If the person is able to remain in this state for more than three weeks - which rarely happens - his body gradually shrinks, and in the end all that remains from the person is his hair, nails, and clothes. Usually in this case, people who live next to the monk see a rainbow that glows in the sky for several days. This means that he has found a 'rainbow body'. This is the highest state close to the state of Buddha'.

He added: 'If the meditator can continue to stay in this meditative state, he can become a Buddha. Reaching such a high spiritual level the meditator will also help others, and all the people around will feel a deep sense of joy'.

Initial speculation is that the mummy could be a teacher of Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov.

Born in 1852, Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov was a Buryat Buddhist Lama of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, best known for the lifelike state of his body.

Mummified monk is ‘not dead’ and in rare meditative state, says expert


Mummified monk is ‘not dead’ and in rare meditative state, says expert

The 'meditating monk' and the house in Mongolia where it was hidden. Pictures: Morning Newspaper 


Ganhugiyn Purevbata, who is the founder and professor of the Mongolian Institute of Buddhist Art at Ulaanbaatar Buddhist University, said: 'Lama is sitting in the lotus position vajra, the left hand is opened, and the right hand symbolizes of the preaching Sutra.

'This is a sign that the Lama is not dead, but is in a very deep meditation according to the ancient tradition of Buddhist lamas'.

The mummified remains, which were covered in cattle skin, were found on January 27 in the Songinokhairkhan province of Mongolia.

However, there is more to the story and now police have revealed that the monk had been stolen from another part of the country and was about to be sold off.

An unnamed official said that it was taken from a cave in the Kobdsk region by a man who then hid it in his own home in Ulaanbaatar.

He had then been planning to sell it on the black market at a 'very high price', with local media claiming he wanted to take it over the Mongolian border. Police uncovered the plot and quickly arrested a 45-year-old, named only as Enhtor. 

According to Article 18 of the Criminal Code of Mongolia smuggling items of cultural heritage are punishable with either a fine of up to 3million roubles ($43,000) or between five and 12 years in prison. The monk is now being guarded at the National Centre of Forensic Expertise at Ulaanbaatar.

Comments (195)

DEAD!
A. Live, New York USA
16/02/2015 04:28
4
11
Man`s eagerness to mystify death, a natural pronominal, alone can keep this `once a monk` alive.
Manuel Cherian, Bangalore / India
14/02/2015 02:14
1
2
More evidences of this nature are yet to come in the future. We could argue about this a million times , years and it will never end. However, we as living beings need to learn the truth and practise it to make the universe a peaceful place. This requires self mindfulness.


The emperor Ashoka (300 BC) (200 years after Maha parinibbanna of the Buddha) set up 84000 Stupas in Asia,Middle East and many other places. Only a few hundreds of them were discovered so far .


In our life, any kind of dedication especially in search of the truth is very assiduous .Evidence shows that thousands years ago there were more of those who attained Marga(Suttapati, Saggadami, Anagami & Arahant) compared to the present day. Obviously there are many factors behind the declination ,human aggression is one of them.It creates an unfavourable environment towards good practice.As a result the universe faces instability.
Mutul 2000, London
12/02/2015 03:45
12
4
More evidences of this nature are yet to come in the future. We could argue about this a million times , years and it will never end. However, we as living beings need to learn the truth and practise it to make the universe a peaceful place. This requires self mindfulness.

The emperor Ashoka (300 BC) (200 years after Maha parinibbanna of the Buddha) set up 84000 Stupas in Asia,Middle East and many other places. Only a few hundreds of them were discovered so far .

In our life, any kind of dedication especially in search of the truth is very assiduous .Evidence shows that thousands years ago there were more of those who attained Marga(Suttapati, Saggadami, Anagami & Arahant) compared to the present day. Obviously there are many factors behind the declination ,human aggression is one of them.It creates an unfavourable environment towards good practice.As a result the universe faces instability.
Mutul 2000, London
12/02/2015 03:41
6
2
Benny Blanco, how you can sweep away one set of belief, only to replace it with your own belief as the right one is to me at once mind boggling, fascinating and disturbing.



Fare well in your thoughts knowing that they are yours.
David, Berlin, Germany
11/02/2015 20:22
32
2
I'm afraid the monk is deceased. His spirit or soul has left his body along time ago. He is not in a deep meditative state. If your not breathing, your dead amigo. He is in one of two places for all eternity. Remember Satan is the "father of lies." Do not be deceived! Christ died at Calvery to pay for your sins so you don't have to if you accept him as your Savior and just believe. It's simple as that. Peace my brothers.
Benny Blanco, Washington, DC
11/02/2015 08:23
14
68
According to texts on the subject in order to accomplish this the monk would have to -



observe death - enter into the Bardo of death

observe the dissolving of consciousness

observe the reformation of consciousness

prevent the flow of consciousness from entering into the Bardo of becoming



The Bardo of becoming sweeps the consciousness into a new body. By preventing the consciousness from entering into the Bardo of becoming the monk would have maintained consciousness in the heart Chakra.



This would be an extraordinary accomplishment to hold onto for an instant and an incomprehensible accomplishment to hold onto for two centuries.
John Pollard, Mercersburg USA
10/02/2015 00:29
9
1
From my limited understanding of Bardo states for this to occur and be true the individual would have to master the after death Bardo state in such a fashion as to prevent the arising of the Bardo of becoming. After the "death" , the individual would have to observe the dissolving of consciousness and the reunification of consciousness that arises in the heart chakra. Hold onto the Bardo of being and prevent the Bardo of becoming which would sweep the consciousness into a new birth. There are numerous reports of this phenomena. This would be an extraordinary accomplishment. I have no personal experience with such phenomena (have never seen anyone in this state) , but I admit the possibility.
John Pollard, Mercersburg USA
09/02/2015 23:09
4
1
From my limited understanding of Bardo states for this to occur and be true the individual would have to master the after death Bardo state in such a fashion as to prevent the arising of the Bardo of becoming. After the "death" , the individual would have to observe the dissolving of consciousness and the reunification of consciousness that arises in the heart chakra. Hold onto the Bardo of being and prevent the Bardo of becoming which would sweep the consciousness into a new birth. There are numerous reports of this phenomena. This would be an extraordinary accomplishment. I have no personal experience with such phenomena (have never seen anyone in this state) , but I admit the possibility.
John Pollard, Mercersburg USA
09/02/2015 23:08
1
2
COME ON, SOME RESPECT FOR THE SACRED, DO NOT SHOW THE IGNORANCE OF THE WEST.
Pacha Tusan, Pisac Perú
09/02/2015 15:12
17
8
This monk searcher the truths for places of life.I don't know he found or not but I believed he arrived exit humans life's or paradise.
warsooo2011, Tactile,myanmar.
09/02/2015 10:18
1
1
This monk searcher the truths for places of life.icon's know he found or not but I believed he arrived exit humans life's.
warsooo2011, myanmar
09/02/2015 10:11
1
1
1hipdude's comment is interesting. What kinda of compassion (for whom) did this monk do this? Even if you could see some kind of rainbow emminate from this fellow– what of it? If it is a form of prayer, it is misguided and self-indulgent
Rich, Wa state
09/02/2015 06:48
3
14
Remember seeing this documentary on zen monks submitting themselves to terrible tortures (and poisoning themselves while alive - up to the mid-50s - until it was forbidden by law - very violent stuff) so that their bodies would be mummified in those meditative positions. That was one of the most gruesome things I have ever seen. Hope this guy didn't get there this way.
Danielle, Canada
09/02/2015 06:04
5
0
He is not pining for the fjords! He's passed on! This monk is no more! He has ceased to be! 'He's expired and gone to meet his maker!

He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! If he'd not been in a lotus position, he'd be pushing up the daisies!

His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig!

He's kicked the bucket, He' s shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!

THIS IS AN EX-MONK!!
tonelise, london/england
09/02/2015 02:30
26
4

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