The mummified monk discovered in a position of a lotus in Mongolia has almost become part of the black market sales, as stated by the police. Apparently, it was really close to becoming a real Buddha. The remains of the monk are thought to be about 200 years old, and they have been kept in animal skin. However, one expert strongly believes that the mummified monk is actually in highly deep mediation and in a highly spiritual and rare state called ‘tukdam’. Namely, India had 40 cases similar to this one in the past 50 years. The famous Dalai Lama’s physician and a Buddhist monk Dr. Barry Kerzin, stated that he had taken care of several meditators who were named in a similar state of tukdam. He explains that a person rarely maintains this state for more than 3 weeks, but if he does succeed, the body will gradually shrink, and all that will be left from it eventually, will be the nails, hair, and the person’s clothes. In most cases, people living close to such monks can see a rainbow glowing in the sky for a few days. The meaning behind this is that the monk has reached the closest state to Buddha, or in another word, he has discovered a ‘rainbow body’. Moreover, Dr. Barry Kerzin said that if the meditator manages to keep that state of meditation, he will become a Buddha. The meditator who will succeed to achieve such high level of spirituality, will as well help other people, and those close to him will experience a deep sense of joy. The first speculation about this specific mummy is that it was Dashi-Dorzo Itigilov, the teacher of Dalai Lama who was born in 1852. He was a Buryat Buddhist Lama of the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, most known for his body’s lifelike state. The mummified monk was said to sit in a lotus position called ‘vajra’, where his right hand represents the Sutra preaching, and his left one is open, according to the professor of the Institute of Buddhist Art at Ulaanbaatar Buddhist University in Mongolia, Ganhugiyn Purevbata. He continues to say that lama’s position signifies he is in very deep meditation, rather than dead, in relation to the Buddhist lamas’ ancient tradition. The remains of this mummified monk were discovered in the Songinokhairkhan province of Mongolia, on January 27, all covered with cattle skin. Nevertheless, the police have reported that the mummified lama was stolen. An unknown official stated that the monk was taken from a cave in the region of Kobdsk by a man who afterward hid the monk in his own residence in Ulaanbaatar, as shown in the picture below. The man was about to sell the monk on the black market at a reportedly high price. He wanted to transfer it over the Mongolian border, as reported by the local media. Luckily, the 45-year old man’s plot was uncovered by the police, so they caught him quickly. The man was named just as Enthor. Smuggling cultural heritage items in Mongolia is punishable with 5-12 years in prison, or a fine of up to $43,000 (3million roubles), according to Article 18 of its Criminal Code. Currently, the National Centre of Forensic Expertise at Ulaanbaatar is guarding this mummified monk. Via Siberian Times