Salutation to The Bodhi-Tree - Bodhgaya

The site of Bodhi Tree lying behind main Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, was the place where Lord Buddha attained supreme and perfect insight. He enlightened and became Buddha while sitting under a Bodhi tree meditating on a full moon night. In his first watch of the night, he remembered his former existences and in his 2nd watch he attained divine eyes. When he realized chain of causation in his 3rd watch, the earth trembled. At dawn, he attained enlightenment. Lord Buddha overcame the attack, the disturbances and the temptation of the evil Mara and became The Awaken One. All divinities, deities including Maha Brahma appeared to honor him.



After enlightenment, Lord Buddha enjoyed patticha-samuppada for 7 days sitting under the Bodhi Tree and spent the successive 6 weeks meditating within the vicinity. The Wheel of Dharma was set in motion after Buddha acceded to the request of Brahma King Sahampati, who approached him to profess his teachings to the world as there were some receptive minds to accept and appreciate his great realization of truths.



Bodhi Tree is a species of fig known as Bo or Pipal Tree in India. The existing tree planted in 19th century at the back of Mahabodhi Temple is believed to be the direct descendant from the original tree, under which Lord Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment. This is the most important place relating to the life of Buddha and to the birth of Buddhism. Lord Buddha was born in 563 BC as prince Siddharta Gautama of Sakya Kingdom. At age of 29, he renounced his family and left home in search of universal truths. He went under two Brahman teachers and practiced severe penances with another five ascetics, surviving on a nut or a seed a day only.



After 6 years of ascetic life, Prince Siddharta realized that the extreme asceticism and austerity did not work. He was sick, weak, feeble, ailing and starving. He began to reconsider the path. He walked to the forested river bank and bathed in River Niranjara, accepted and ate the rice milk offered from a village woman Sujata. After spending a day in Sal Grove, he came to Bodhi Tree. He placed under the tree 8 handfuls of grass offered to him by a grass cutter Sotthiya, sat cross-legged, faced east, with a firm resolve to meditate until attain enlightenment.



The spot where Lord Buddha medicated and attained enlightenment was believed to be the center of the world.



Salutation to The Bodhi-Tree (Pali)
Yassa mule nisinnova Sabbari vijayam aka,
Patto sabbannutam sattha Vande tam Bodhi-padapam,
Ime ete Maha-Bodhi Loka-Nathena pujita
Aham'pi te namassami Bodhi-Raja nama'tthu te!



Salutation to the Bhodi Tree (English)
Seated at whose base, The Teacher overcame all foes, Attaining Omniscience
Even that Bodhi-tree do I adore, Those great Trees of Enlightenment
Reverenced by the Lord of the world, I too shall salute you!
May there be homage to you, O Royal Bodhi!



Paying great homage to the foot prints of The Awaken One placed at the site of the sacred Bodhi Tree.



A large rectangular slab of a polished Chunnar (red stone) covered with golden canopy was placed under Bodhi tree attaching to Mahabodhi temple. It is the Diamond Throne of Vajrasana, originally installed by King Asoka to mark the spot where Lord Buddha sat meditating and attained enlightenment. The unique geometrical design decorating at the top of this Thunder Seat had faded.



Visiting monks seated around the site, facing to the Bodhi tree, reading texts and chanting.



Monks and devotees sit around the tree, meditating or reciting verses, immensely immersed and inspired in the peaceful and serene condition of this holiest site of Buddhism.



Buddhist devotees and monks are pilgrims coming from all parts of the world



The sandstone balustrade that surrounds the site under Bodhitree was restored. The original stone railing that once encircled Mahabodhi Temple on three sides, were believed to be built during Sunga period in year 100 BC, after the construction of the first temple of King Asoka. It is the oldest elements unearthed at the site. Most of the excavated parts are presently displayed in Calcutta Museum with only few remains at its original place.



Carvings of animal sculpted human faces, animals and decorative designs found in the few original pillars that had survived for more than 2000 years.



The stone railings are about 2 meters in height and most of them are carved with designs. As per its inscription stated therein, the original rails were contributed by a female royal family from the courts of Indragrimitra and Brahmamitra.



The first structure of Mahabodhi temple, its supporting balustrades and memorial columns built by King Asoka in 3rd century BC, are all outstanding samples of early stone sculptural reliefs.