Eleven-day Buddhist chanting prayer ceremony begins at Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Dec 1 : Hundreds of Buddhist monks and devotees from across the globe gathered in Bodh Gaya for an eleven-day long chanting prayer ceremony for world peace that started on Monday.

Monks and nuns in saffron robes chanted scriptures of the 'Tipitaka', the collected teachings of Lord Buddha in the sacred Pali language, at Mahabodhi temple.

The monks prayed for the prosperity and well-being of all living creatures.

"The aim of this prayer is that there should be peace in the world, and prosperity and happiness should prevail among all living beings," said Bhante Dinanand, a monk.

Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment while doing penance under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya where emperor Ashoka built the Mahabodhi temple complex about 250 years after the Buddha's enlightenment.

Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism was a prince at Lumbini in Nepal over 2,600 years ago. He attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

ANI