Mummified monk found. Is he dead?

The Siberian Times/Morning Newspaper Mongolia has reported the recent discovery of the mummified remains of a monk who appears to be locked in permanent meditation.  

The mummified monk, which was found wrapped in cattle skins, was discovered in north-central Mongolia. The mummy is now undergoing a full forensic examination at the Ulaanbataar National Centre of Forensic Expertise.  Preliminary estimates are that the mummy is at least 200 years old. The Center intends to date the mummy more precisely and to determine why it is so well preserved.

This is not the first mummified monk to be found in the region. In fact, some experts theorize that the newly discovered monk may have been a Lama and possibly the teacher of another mummified monk previously found in the region. This particular find is considered unusual due to the position in which the monk is seated. According to some religious scholars, the position means that the monk is not actually dead, but in a rare spiritual state.

Ganhugiyn Purevbata, founder and professor of the Mongolian Institute of Buddhist Art at Ulaanbaatar Buddhist University, told The Siberian Times: “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.”

Read the full story: Mummified 200-year-old monk found in Mongolia in ‘very deep meditation’: Buddhist academic

The mummy was found by a man from a nearby region who intended to sell it on the black market for “a very high price.” The would-be thief is now in custody, and the mummified monk is under guard at the facility where it is being examined.