This Buddhist Monk Just Defied Physics by Meditating in a Pot of ‘Boiling Oil’

A news about a fascinating feat being performed by a Thai monk has raised the curiosity of people on the internet. As we all know, monks practice different types of meditation that display their discipline and strength… some people even call this magic.

The Triptaka also known as the ancient Pali Scriptures contain records of such miracles performed by monks. Do you think this Thai monk’s act will someday be included on such scripture?

Thai monk sitting in a vat of boiling oil

In the video, a monk from Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand is seen peacefully praying in a vat filled with boiling oil, as the fire underneath it continuously burns. Several of his followers pass objects such as amulets and fabrics for him to touch, believing that they too will be bestowed with his “magical powers”. Apparently, some of these objects are also sold to other places of worship and to the community.

Watch the video:

The video clip of Thai Monk meditating in pot of boiling oil has already garnered over a million views in YouTube, as both believers and skeptics watch and search for a possible explanation to the act.

A science professor named Jessada Denduangboripant from Chulalongkom University debunked this story and proved how the monk could have managed to sit there calmly despite the danger and heat of the open flame.

According to the professor:

“There is no proof that the oil is really boiling. The only way to prove it is to measure the temperature of the oil he’s sitting in.”

Looking closely at the vat of oil, the surface is as calm as the monk himself. There are no bubbles (which we can typically see once a certain liquid has reached its boiling point) and the two-layered design of the vat seemed to insulate the heat coming from the fire.

The professor added that there are various methods at which this illusion can be performed. One includes pouring water in a basin before adding oil. This way, the water will absorb the heat and the oil will never boil. Denduangboripant demonstrated this technique in 2012, where he was able to safely submerge his fingers in graduated glass filled with boiling oil.

Another theory, which was described in the original YouTube video, stated that a blend of herbs were applied to the vat’s surface to reduce the heat.

Some people believed that there’s a layer between the two pans that shield the heat. Then an air hose fed through one of the legs to push bubbles into the liquid from a pump off site. If the monk really wants to show the oil is boiling, why not put a loaf of bread in the oil with him, where everyone can see it turn golden brown while he is unscathed.

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