The Living Dead Buddhist Monk

Hambo Lama Itigilov known as the "Buryat Nostradamus" died in 1927 sitting in the lotus position. His body was buried for 75 years and recently excavated in 2002. As the tomb opened a starting discovery was made. Hambo Lama Itigilov's body had not decayed.

Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov headed Buddhists studies in Eastern Siberia from 1911 to 1917. He was known as an excellent philosopher and doctor. During World War One the lama organized many hospitals and received several state awards. Spending his whole life in Buryatia. Itigilov left Siberia only once to attend a celebration of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov.

At age 75 Pandita Hambo Lama Dashi-Dorzho assumed the lotus position to meditate. While meditating he ceased to breathe, and it is believed that the lama transcended ultimate reality. The other monks put his body while in this posture in a pine box, filled it with salt, and buried it in the cemetery.

Buryat theologians have found a book written by the monk in an old Mongolian language. The deciphering of the text started immediately after its discovery. Hambo Lama predicted events from the 1920s and 1930s. "He is the Buryat Nostradamus. If we can decipher the whole message, we will acquire the greatest knowledge," a senior researcher at the Russian State Humanitarian Institute, Tatyana Strizhova said.

Over 100 researchers and theologians from all over the world are attending the first-ever international conference. Entitled "Pandito Hambo Lama Itigilov" the conference is being held at the official Buddhist Traditional Church of Russia.

Professor Viktor Zvyagin, head of the Russian Health Ministry's forensic medicine center, said to the Buddhist Channel, "Hambo Lama's body is no different from the body of a person who died 12 hours ago." Researchers have studied tissue samples from the "incorruptible body" including hairs from the lama's head, skin cells, and a fingernail. These items were compared to the samples of living persons, including those of Professor Zvyagin. The studies led researchers to the conclusion that the protein structure of the lama had not changed, and his body matched that of a living person. Scientists could not explain why Itigilov's body contained, no or very small amount, of chemical elements.

Of course, Hambo Lama Itigilov is not alive walking around and talking, but the lama is said to put himself in a state of anabiosis. Professor Galina Yershova, of the Russian State Humanitarian University, believes that he was buried alive and remained alive in the tomb all this time. "Hambo Lama's condition changed after he was removed from the tomb, practically before our eyes," stated Yershova .

No preserving agents were used for the conservation of the body when Hambo Lama Itigilov died. Analysis of one of the lama's cell by the nuclear resonance method showed that the nucleus of the cell was still there, and the state of cytoplasm was close to that of a living person. Lama Itigilov is a unique case, but he is not the only "incorruptible" Buddhist. Monk Vuc Khac Minh has been sitting in the lotus position at the temple in Duc for over 300 years. The lama's skin was accidentally punctured and a red jelly-like substance that was once blood oozed out.

Buddhists still treat Itigilov as a living person. Buddhists believe the Russian monk became a Bodhisattva because of his great compassion for all living beings. A Bodhisattva is a "Buddha-to-be." May Hambo Lama Itigilov become a Buddha.

Source: Buddhist Channel