According to Tibetan Teachings,
"The Buddha manifests in many different aspects to preform many different
activities benefiting multiples of sentient beings and in this way blessing
many of the sites through their presence.
This site is regarded as the central key place around which four other holy
sites reside.
Still Bodhgaya is 1 of 5 greatly blessed holy place sin which the many
different emanations of the Buddha are undertaking activities for the
benefit of all Sentient Beings." Venerable Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche
The Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya is a very very sacred pilgrimage site for
travelers of many backgrounds and also a site known for its tremendous
emanations of Enlightenment and Oneness.
"The Buddha manifests in many different aspects to preform many different
activities benefiting multiples of sentient beings and in this way blessing
many of the sites through their presence.
This site is regarded as the central key place around which four other holy
sites reside.
Still Bodhgaya is 1 of 5 greatly blessed holy place sin which the many
different emanations of the Buddha are undertaking activities for the
benefit of all Sentient Beings." Venerable Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche
The Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya is a very very sacred pilgrimage site for
travelers of many backgrounds and also a site known for its tremendous
emanations of Enlightenment and Oneness.
THE BODHI TREE
At the western side of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, stands a
large and historic Pipal Tree ficus religiosa, known throughout history as
the Bodhi Tree, under which Shakyamuni Buddha, then known as
Gautama, attained Enlightenment some 2500 years ago.
Gautama, had been practicing austerities for six years in the area of the
Niranjana river near Bodhgaya. Finally understanding that this could not
lead to realization, he abandoned his austerities and in the nearby
village of Senani (now also known as Sujata) the Brahman girl Sujata
offered him milk rice. Strengthened by this, he took some kusha grass
for a mat and sat under the Pipal Tree facing east. He resolved not to
rise until he attained Enlightenment.
As he sat in deep meditation, Mara, Lord of Illusion, symbolizing the
delusions of one's own mind tried tirelessly to distract him from his
purpose. Gautama then touched the earth, calling it to bear witness to
the countless lifetimes of virtue that led him to this place of
Enlightenment. The earth shook confirming the truth of his words. Mara
unleashed his army of demons to distract and tempt him from his
purpose, but Gautama triumphed over the inner obstacles and the
power of his compassion transformed the demons' weapons into
flowers. His mind was utterly subdued.
For seven days after the Enlightenment, Buddha continued to meditate
under the tree without moving from his seat. Another week passed in
walking meditation, and for a third the Buddha contemplated under the
Bodhi tree.
The earliest records on the tree are in the 'Kalingabodhi Jataka', which
gives a vivid description of the tree and the surrounding area prior to
the Enlightenment, and the 'Asokavadana', which relates the story of
King Asoka's (3rd century B.C) conversion to Buddhism. His subsequent
worship under the sacred tree apparently angered his queen to the
point where she ordered the tree to be felled. Ashoka then piled up
earth around the stump and poured milk on its roots. The tree
miraculously revived and grew to a height of 37 metres. He then
surrounded the tree with a stone wall some three meters high for its
protection.
Ashoka's daughter Sangamitta, a Buddhist nun, took a shoot of the tree
to Sri Lanka where the King, Devanampiyatissa, planted it at the
Mahavihara monastery in Anuradhapura. It still flourishes today and is
the oldest continually documented tree in the world.
In 600AD, King Sesanka, a zealous Shivaite, again destroyed the tree.
The event was recorded by Hiuen T'sang, along with the planting of a
new Bodhi tree sapling by King Purnavarma in 620AD. At this time, during
the annual celebration of Vaisakha, thousands of people from all over
India would gather to anoint the roots of the holy tree with perfumed
water and scented milk, and to offer flowers and music. Hiuen T'sang
wrote "The tree stands inside a fort like structure surrounded on the
south, west and north by a brick wall. It has pointed leaves of a bright
green colour. Having opened a door, one could see a large trench in the
shape of a basin. Devotees worship with curd, milk and perfumes such
as sandalwood, camphor and so on."
Much later the English archaeologist Cunningham records, "In 1862 I
found this tree very much decayed; one large stem to the westward with
three branches was still green, but the other branches were barkless
and rotten. I next saw the tree in 1871 and again in 1875, when it had
become completely decayed, and shortly afterwards in 1876 the only
remaining portion of the tree fell over the west wall during a storm, and
the old pipal tree was gone. Many seeds, however, had been collected
and the young scion of the parent tree were already in existence to take
its place."
The Bodhi Tree as it appears today, the fourth direct descendant
of the original Bodhi Tree and oldest continually documented
tree in the world.
The present Bodhi Tree still performs a very important role to Buddhists of
all traditions, being a reminder and an inspiration, a symbol of peace, of
Buddhas' Enlightenment and of the ultimate potential that lies within us all.
At the western side of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, stands a
large and historic Pipal Tree ficus religiosa, known throughout history as
the Bodhi Tree, under which Shakyamuni Buddha, then known as
Gautama, attained Enlightenment some 2500 years ago.
Gautama, had been practicing austerities for six years in the area of the
Niranjana river near Bodhgaya. Finally understanding that this could not
lead to realization, he abandoned his austerities and in the nearby
village of Senani (now also known as Sujata) the Brahman girl Sujata
offered him milk rice. Strengthened by this, he took some kusha grass
for a mat and sat under the Pipal Tree facing east. He resolved not to
rise until he attained Enlightenment.
As he sat in deep meditation, Mara, Lord of Illusion, symbolizing the
delusions of one's own mind tried tirelessly to distract him from his
purpose. Gautama then touched the earth, calling it to bear witness to
the countless lifetimes of virtue that led him to this place of
Enlightenment. The earth shook confirming the truth of his words. Mara
unleashed his army of demons to distract and tempt him from his
purpose, but Gautama triumphed over the inner obstacles and the
power of his compassion transformed the demons' weapons into
flowers. His mind was utterly subdued.
For seven days after the Enlightenment, Buddha continued to meditate
under the tree without moving from his seat. Another week passed in
walking meditation, and for a third the Buddha contemplated under the
Bodhi tree.
The earliest records on the tree are in the 'Kalingabodhi Jataka', which
gives a vivid description of the tree and the surrounding area prior to
the Enlightenment, and the 'Asokavadana', which relates the story of
King Asoka's (3rd century B.C) conversion to Buddhism. His subsequent
worship under the sacred tree apparently angered his queen to the
point where she ordered the tree to be felled. Ashoka then piled up
earth around the stump and poured milk on its roots. The tree
miraculously revived and grew to a height of 37 metres. He then
surrounded the tree with a stone wall some three meters high for its
protection.
Ashoka's daughter Sangamitta, a Buddhist nun, took a shoot of the tree
to Sri Lanka where the King, Devanampiyatissa, planted it at the
Mahavihara monastery in Anuradhapura. It still flourishes today and is
the oldest continually documented tree in the world.
In 600AD, King Sesanka, a zealous Shivaite, again destroyed the tree.
The event was recorded by Hiuen T'sang, along with the planting of a
new Bodhi tree sapling by King Purnavarma in 620AD. At this time, during
the annual celebration of Vaisakha, thousands of people from all over
India would gather to anoint the roots of the holy tree with perfumed
water and scented milk, and to offer flowers and music. Hiuen T'sang
wrote "The tree stands inside a fort like structure surrounded on the
south, west and north by a brick wall. It has pointed leaves of a bright
green colour. Having opened a door, one could see a large trench in the
shape of a basin. Devotees worship with curd, milk and perfumes such
as sandalwood, camphor and so on."
Much later the English archaeologist Cunningham records, "In 1862 I
found this tree very much decayed; one large stem to the westward with
three branches was still green, but the other branches were barkless
and rotten. I next saw the tree in 1871 and again in 1875, when it had
become completely decayed, and shortly afterwards in 1876 the only
remaining portion of the tree fell over the west wall during a storm, and
the old pipal tree was gone. Many seeds, however, had been collected
and the young scion of the parent tree were already in existence to take
its place."
The Bodhi Tree as it appears today, the fourth direct descendant
of the original Bodhi Tree and oldest continually documented
tree in the world.
The present Bodhi Tree still performs a very important role to Buddhists of
all traditions, being a reminder and an inspiration, a symbol of peace, of
Buddhas' Enlightenment and of the ultimate potential that lies within us all.
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