Its main objective is to take care of the needs of those travellers and pilgrims who are desirous of visiting the Buddhist sites and pilgrimages in the Buddha’s Land in the Indian subcontinent. It is an extraordinarily comprehensive and true companion and guide for these people, especially the foreigners, who are inspired by the Buddha’s life and teaching, and so wish "to meditate, pray and pay homage in these places" (p.xiii). These are the people who also want to directly relate themselves to everything the Buddha has been associated with whatever his followers have done to preserve his legacy spared throughtout the Indian subcontinent. This legacy covers (i)his philosophical and religious discourses (dhamma) aimed at liberating the humanity from suffering, (ii) the places he visited and stayed, and (iii) also the monuments built by these followers to highlight and "appreciate the historical, social and artistic dimensions of the Buddha’s life and teaching" (ibid). In the contemporary world, the world of the 21st century, the authors emphasize, these are still relevant, vibrant, meaningful, and spiritually inspiring for the entire global community. It cannot be overemphasized that these are the positive aspects of visitng a Buddhist site.
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