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The renegade guru
For some non-obvious reason I thought of Bryan Caplan when I was reading this article:
As a toddler, he was put on a throne and worshipped as by monks who treated him like a god. But the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of a spiritual leader has caused consternation – and some embarrassment – for Tibetan Buddhists by turning his back on the order that had such high hopes for him.
Instead of leading a monastic life, Osel Hita Torres now sports baggy trousers and long hair, and is more likely to quote Jimi Hendrix than Buddha.
Yesterday he bemoaned the misery of a youth deprived of television, football and girls. Movies were also forbidden – except for a sanctioned screening of The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy, about a kidnapped child lama with magical powers. "I never felt like that boy," he said.
The story is here. Successive photos are here. And:
At six, he was allowed to socialise only with other reincarnated souls – though for a time he said he lived next to the actor Richard Gere's cabin.
He is still revered by the Buddhist community although here is a bit more on the embarrassed responses. I wonder how many gurus come to such realizations but do not speak up. Does living in Spain have an effect?
Posted by Tyler Cowen on June 2, 2009 at 01:30 PM in Religion | Permalink
Comments
You should probably say "Tibetan buddhism", "Tibetan Buddhist", etc.
Posted by: David at Jun 2, 2009 2:13:04 PM
If there is a single premise that America should stand for in this century, it's that no religious order has any claim on any person. Torres' story is a triumph of liberty. What should embarrass the Tibetan Buddhists is that they thought they had a "claim" on him in the first place.
Once we get free association with religions worked out, we can work on free association with nations.
Posted by: BoscoH at Jun 2, 2009 3:28:10 PM
Reminds me of "Won't You Pimai Neighbor?" (King of the Hill episode, details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Won%27t_You_Pimai_Neighbor%3F)
Posted by: Matt Bruce at Jun 2, 2009 4:03:07 PM
I suppose you are referring to Austrian economists as a monastic tradition, but than again, you said "NON-obvious."
Posted by: Andrew at Jun 2, 2009 4:05:04 PM
That King of the Hill episode is great...nice reference.
But in the story..."The Golden Child"?! Nice choice...how flaky does that make Buddhism look, that a 1980s B-grade action movie is deemed the *only* good video influence on a future spiritual leader?
Maybe that's why he's now studying film now...his only movie experience prompts him to think "I could do soooo much better than that..."
Posted by: JackTrade at Jun 2, 2009 4:54:05 PM
Andrew, that is the meaning I supposed as well. But that requires one knows something about Bryan Caplan's intellectual history, and may not even be what Tyler was talking about, so I think its definitely non-obvious.
Posted by: Zac Gochenour at Jun 2, 2009 4:55:26 PM
True.
Posted by: NA at Jun 2, 2009 5:35:22 PM
I enjoyed having the young bryan live next to my cabin.
Then the wicked austrians showed up & he forcibly had to move away.
If only he'd have listened to Tom Cruise who wanted to take him away to
scientology castle.
Posted by: richard gere at Jun 2, 2009 5:38:11 PM
The kid might regret it later, when he realizes all of the money he could have made. Once you've made your fortune, you could always retire and live like Hugh Hefner. I could live like a monk for the right price.
Posted by: adam at Jun 2, 2009 7:15:10 PM
"If there is a single premise that America should stand for in this century, it's that no religious order has any claim on any person."
Sure, an american judge ordered a to a native american to become priest of the tribe ancient religion . It was ordered that way by tradition . The colective right of the tribe was deemed superior to his right to chose
Posted by: k at Jun 3, 2009 3:11:33 PM
Posted by: 童裝批發 at Aug 17, 2009 1:09:23 AM
