Ancient written sources from India report the existence of Sakymuani Buddha, an enlightened figure who gave up the activities of ordinary life to dedicate himself to the sacred life and the analysis of body and mind in order to understand, through meditation and retreat, processes mental disorders such as fear, anxiety, stress, among others. Therefore, he became a spiritual educator who demanded the precepts of Buddhism.
His teachings on spirituality were, over time, passed on by various means, both written and oral, and seem, to this day, to govern the foundations of religion.
In the accounts of his biography, some places that buddha traveled to are mentioned, mainly in northern India, and these are places considered sacred by Buddhism:
1. Ragir:
Located in the state of Bihar, India, Ragjir was the Buddha's presence and the presentation of many sermons. It was the first place where there are written records of the Buddha's teachings.
2. Vaishali
Recognized as the world's first republic, for Buddhists its elected body had special significance.
3. Sravasti
A very old city, full of ruins, it is known for the presence of the Buddha seated on the lotus flower performing a miracle of multiplying its petals.
4. Kushinagar
The site houses a large temple called Mahaparinirvana, in which is located a golden statue of Buddha in the declining position. Kushinagar is a Buddhist pilgrimage center in the present day as well.
5. Bodhgaya
The riverside town is home to several representations of the passage of the Buddha. Some of them are the so-called Buddha tree, located next to the huge and admirable Mahabodhi Temple, Buddha's meditation temple.
6. Lights
Between India and Nepal, Lumbini is the city where Buddha was born.
7. Varanasi
On the banks of the River Ganges, the city with a strong tourist character. Varanasi is a very colorful area that attracts many Buddhist practitioners. It is one of the most important holy cities in India and has long been considered the capital of Hinduism.
8. Nalanda
Nalanda housed a University of Buddhist studies and is considered sacred because it is the center for the dissemination of Hinduism teachings.
Text written by Julia Zayas from the Eu Sem Fronteiras team.
