Expert: Bodhicitta - 1/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: Are there any breathtarians living now on this planet?  Is that how Jesus sustained Himself in the desert for forty days?  How does one know if he/she is a breathtarian?
I am a practicing Christian, but I have extensive background in Eastern philosophies.

ANSWER: Hi Terri
<<Are there any     living now on this planet? >>
I assume by breathtarian you mean someone who does not require food.
There are accounts of such practices within Tibetan Buddhism. I
believe the term is "living off the esences". Some yogins at a very
advanced stage of practice are said to be able to do that during their
retreats.
If you read the story of the life of Milarepa he survives a whole winter
snowed in a cave despite not having food. there are a number
of more recent accounts of similar feats. So I would assume that
these traditions still exist in Tibetan Buddhism and maybe within
Indian Yoga.I would recommend you read the lives of Tibetan Yogins
and you might find accounts.

<<
Is that how Jesus sustained Himself in the desert for forty days?  How does one know if he/she is a breathtarian?
I am a practicing Christian, but I have extensive background in Eastern philosophies.>>
I am unable to comment on Jesus's life in the desert. I really
have  no idea.
Within Tibetan Buddhism these yogic feats are only practised by the
very few advanced practioners. They are then usually kept secret and
not talked about. So my guess is that you will not know.
Bodhicitta

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: You did not respond to my question about how one might know if he/she IS a breathtarian.I realize you are saying a practicing breathtarian would not talk about it to others, but for oneself, how would they know?

Answer
Forgive me, but I thought I had addressed that when I said that it
is something that an is claimed to be something an"Advanced Yogin" might do within Tibetan Buddhist systems of Yoga.

Just to expand on this a little. This would mean many years of practice
often in long retreat (sometimes 3 years sometimes much longer) in
isolated places under the guidance of a qualified teacher.
The yogin would have self-knowledge of his realization and also
his teacher would confirm that the realization was authentic and not
a self-delusion.

So my answer to someone who asks if they can live without food is if you have to ask the answer is no!It doesn't seem to be a genetic
ability like being a good runner. It appears to be more like being
a master heart surgeon - which required many years of training.

Does that address it?

Bodhicitta