MARDAN, Oct 30 (APP):The Most Venerable Monk Arayawangso, currently visiting Pakistan with a delegation, on Wednesday said both Pakistan and Thailand were in consultative process to introduce meditation services at Buddhists sites which would bring an influx of religious tourists and ultimately boost economy.
“We may have three to five days meditation at the Buddhist sites in Pakistan so that Buddhists and non-Buddhists from multiple countries can join us,” he said while speaking to media here at Thakht Bhai.
He said the Minister for Religious Affairs in a meeting yesterday had assured Pakistan’s full support in that regard and shared his government’s plan and initiatives to promote the religious tourism.
“This will be a gateway to peace and harmony,” he remarked while appreciating the hospitality offered by the people of Pakistan.
He said the Buddhist pilgrims were accorded warm welcome here which was an encouraging gesture for many countries, individuals and organizations to visit Pakistan in a friendly environment.
The Chief Monk said, “The visiting monks have great spiritual association with the holy sites, meditation touches their hearts and this tenderness and hospitality will surely force them to spread the good words about Pakistan across the globe.”
He also asked the authorities concerned to improve public services at the site as it was an “attractive and forceful” venue for the future meditation which could host a large number of religious tourists from various countries.
Arayawangso said he would speak with the representatives of around 30 countries, having Buddhist population, about their sacred sites in Pakistan and believed that it would help increase monk influx to the country.
He dispelled the impression about Pakistan that it was not a safe place and suggested global tourists to visit the country without fear. “Peace comes from Pakistanis hearts and this is what I will spread to the world.”
During his visit to Takht-i- Bhai, Director Archeology and Museum Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Abdul Samad briefed him about the Buddhist relics conserved tin stupas.
He informed the Chief Monk that there were 29 votive stupas in the main stupa courtyard, besides one big stupa.
Listed in the World Heritage List, Takht Bhai is considered as one of the most-well structured Buddhist monasteries in Gandhara civilization. It is perched about 500 feet atop a small hill about two kilometer east of Takht Bhai Bazar in Mardan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, Monk Arayawangso in the afternoon visited the Peshawar Museum, where he installed the ‘Bell of Peace’ to promote interfaith harmony and spread the message of Buddha, which was peace and interfaith harmony.
He rang the bell five times after its installation, saying, “A message had been conveyed to the world that peace existed on the land of Pakistan.”
He lauded the efforts of Pakistan government with regard to the tourism promotion and appreciated the locals for maintaining their heritage sites safe and accessible to the Buddhist pilgrims.
The event was organized by Jobs Group to bridge the gap between religions and to highlight the soft image of Pakistan before the world.