Urban agriculture and buddhist concepts for wellbeing: Anuradhapura sacred city, Sri lanka

Urban agriculture in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first Buddhist city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, functions as a 'performing system' that integrates people with the landscape to enhance physical and mental wellbeing. This study reveals how agricultural practices, particularly around large reservoirs (wewa) and paddy fields, create a sustainable urban environment rooted in Buddhist philosophy. By engaging in laborious agricultural tasks, residents experience spiritual dimensions tied to the city's orientation, embodying the 'four noble truths' and fostering a healthy, sustainable cityscape. The research synthesizes phenomenology, anthropology, neuroscience, and Buddhist philosophy to explore how this embodied landscape promotes wellbeing, offering insights into the intersection of agriculture, spirituality, and urban design.

De Silva, W. (2019). Urban agriculture and buddhist concepts for wellbeing: Anuradhapura sacred city, Sri lanka. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, 14(3), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.2495/dne-v14-n3-163-177