(IN) Campaign to turn Bodh Gaya into vegetarian zone

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Campaign to turn Bodh Gaya into vegetarian zone

30 Dec 2008, 1437 hrs IST, IANS

 

PATNA: Lord Buddha preached non-violence towards all living beings

and in accordance with the teachings of the founder of Buddhism a campaign is

under way to turn Bodh Gaya, the land where the Buddha attained enlightenment,

into a vegetarian zone.

 

" We are trying to create awareness and mobilise support of locals as

well as tourists in transforming Bodh Gaya into a vegetarian zone, " Tenzin Kunga

Luding of Tibetans for a Vegetarian Society, a non-profit public charitable

trust, said.

 

" Abstaining from buying, selling, or consuming any form of meat

during the pilgrimage tour in the holy land is the key to the success of the

campaign, " Luding said.

 

He said the society has been urging the people to follow

vegetarianism and encourage all including Buddhists and non-Buddhists to do the

same at least within the Bodh Gaya zone, 110 km from Bihar state capital Patna.

 

Bodh Gaya is an integral part of the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit

that usually starts in either Delhi or Kolkata and includes places associated

with Lord Buddha, such as Lumbini in Nepal where he was born, and then places in

India such as Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Sravasti, Rajgir and Nalanda.

 

" The campaign has been going on since 2006 and gaining support. We

hope to realise the dream of turning Bodh Gaya into a vegetarian zone one day, "

Luding said.

 

The society has been spreading awareness about the drive through

pamphlets, posters, stickers and signature campaigns.

 

" The society will also show a film related to the cause near the

Mahabodhi temple every day from this year, " he said.

 

" Since Bodh Gaya is the holy land where the Buddha attained

enlightenment, a vegetarian Bodh Gaya zone would be in accordance with the true

teachings of the Buddha, " he added.

 

" A vegetarian zone will promote peace. It would also save tens of

thousands of innocent animals that are killed every year. For those who reside

in or visit Bodh Gaya, we ask them not to engage in eating, selling or buying

animal meat in this zone. In this way we would be helping to restore the

sanctity of the holy land, " Luding said.

 

The 1,500-year-old temple stands behind the sacred Bodhi Tree under

which the Buddha attained enlightenment 2,550 years ago.

 

The Mahabodhi Temple, declared a World Heritage Site in 2002 by

Unesco, is visited annually by thousands of tourists, especially from countries

where there is a strong Buddhist community.