http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/mummified-200yearold-monk-found-in-mongolia-in-very-deep-meditation-buddhist-academic-claims-10023204.html

My friend Jay Michaelson is writing an article about this mummified monk. He sent me this link and asked if I thought there might be some connection between the Tibetan practice of Tukdam and the Theravada practice of nirodha samapatthi. He asked me to comment for the article.

Here is what I wrote to Jay (I don't know whether he will use it, but I thought it would be fun to discuss it here.):

We in the West are often fascinated by Eastern thought, especially Buddhism, and many of us have fallen in love with the image of the Tibetan monk. We like to dream that someday, when we aren't so busy with job and bills and family, we'll take some time to purify our own consciousness the way those wonderful cave-dwelling ascetics do. Even the most hardcore rationalists among us are likely to suspend critical thought whenever the discussion turns to Buddhism. This is understandable; a world where live people are alive and dead people are dead is a bit of a grind.

But for me, the really exciting opportunity as Buddhist-inspired "mindfulness" moves into the mainstream is to pan for Buddhist gold; what are the real nuggets of Buddhist thought and practice that stick around even after we let go of magical thinking? What kinds of transformation are possible for people who still have their jobs and their kids and their relationships, and who live in ordinary houses made of wood? I think we'll discover some amazing treasure there. Even when dead people are just dead, and meditation is for the living.

edit: typo

200 years?  My feet go numb at about 45 min.

Heard that. This guy looks pretty numb too.

I'm dubious of any tradition where you can't tell the difference between a person being highly realized and being dead.

Mmm. I tend to agree. In fact my first response to Jay's request for a comment was "Looks dead to me. You can quote me."

On the other hand, the guy has an amazing head of hair.

True. We should all look so good at 200.

Speak for yourself. I don't look that good now.

recently, there was 'excitement' about a Tibetan monk in the sleepy islands of New Zealand

http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/dead-buddhist-man-in-death-meditation-part-1-8-47-video-4246846

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/science/living-deaddeceased-monks-body-intact-for-nearly-three-weeks-58678.html

obviously nirodha sampatti, if true

deader n Kelsies nuts

Here is Jay Michaelson's excellent piece on the "zombie monk."


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/08/can-monks-really-go-into-200-year-trances.html