The leader of Shangri-La in Lost Horizon was 250 years old. He was a French Jesuit missionary who was rescued by the monks centuries ago, eventually becoming their "High Lama." His Jesuit education and experience was probably welcomed by those Tibetans.
Father Perrault stressed enlightenment, education, tranquility, and kindness (above all) as the secret to longevity. Of course, Shangri-La is shut off from the world and they have a pure, natural and unique environment. Imagine a world of no chemicals, radio signals, artificial preservatives, microwaves, pollution, background radiation, noise, and we can envision Eden. The Westerners eventually depart to spread the new "Gospel."
A fine companion piece to Lost Horizon might be The Razor's Edge (1944, W. Somerset Maugham).
A disilluioned Westerner, part of the "Lost Generation," Larry Darnell [sic] returns home from a lengthy sojourn East and tries to enlighten his wealthy, but venal friends. He has mastered exotic yoga techniques and spreads kindness everywhere, like the High Lama wants -- shocking his old pals. For example, his friend suffers from strange migraines and Larry helps him overcome them with mind control and then he helps an alcoholic get off booze.
Larry is not a complete Buddhist per se, because he also used violence to rescue a female friend of his from drug abusing human traffickers.
"Be kind."
#5
Fuck off dumbass. I know more college professors than you do.