5/5 Lasitha P. 2 years ago on Google
The
Jaya
Sri
Maha
Bodhi
is
a
sacred Bo
tree,
or
Ficus
religiosa,
that
stands
in
the
Mahamewna
Gardens
in
Anuradhapura,
Sri
Lanka.
Not
only
is
it
the
closest
authentic
living
link
to
Gautama
Buddha,
it
is
also
the
oldest
human-planted
tree
in
the
world
with
a
known
planting
date
and
a
recorded
history.
About
2,600
years
ago,
Lord
Gautama
Buddha
sat
with
his
back
against
an
Esathu
tree
on
the
banks
of
the
Neranjana
River
in
Bodhgaya,
India.
It
was
at
this
moment,
as
he
sat
against
the
tree,
that
the
Buddha
is
said
to
have
achieved
enlightenment.
In
doing
so,
the
tree
also
gained
a
venerated
status.
It
became
known
as
the
Bodhi
tree,
and
pilgrims
came
to
see
it
even
within
the
lifetime
of
the
Buddha.
Later,
in
236
BC,
the
Buddhist
nun
Sanghamitta
Maha
Theri
was
sent
by
Emperor
Asoka
from
India
to
Sri
Lanka.
With
her,
she
carried
a
southern
branch
of
the
original
sacred
fig.
This
branch
was
ceremoniously
presented
to
Devanampiya
Tissa,
one
of
the
earliest
kings
of
Sri
Lanka
whose
reign
was
notable
for
the
arrival
of
Buddhism.
In
288
BC,
Tissa
planted
the
branch
of
the
Bodhi
tree
in
his
Royal
Park
in
Anuradhapura.
The
Jaya
Sri
Maha
Bodhi,
as
it
became
known,
has
since
been
cared
for
and
protected
by
Buddhist
monks
and
dedicated
kings.
Statues,
water
canals,
golden
fences,
and
walls
have
been
built
around
the
tree
over
the
centuries,
and
many
vows
and
offerings
have
been
made
by
Buddhists
at
the
foot
of
the
sacred
fig.
At
times
the
tree
has
faced
serious
threats,
and
not
only
from
wild
elephants.
Two
storms
in
1907
and
1911
resulted
in
broken
branches.
A
vandal
attacked
the
tree
in
1929,
hacking
off
another
branch.
In
1985,
Tamil
Tiger
separatists
stormed
the
site
and
massacred
146
Sinhalese-Buddhists
on
the
upper
terrace.
Buddhists
on
the
Island
have
had
a
practice
of
visiting
and
paying
homage
to
the
most
sacred
Bodhi
tree.
It
is
an
annual
custom
for
pilgrims
from
far-away
villages
to
visit
the
city
of
Anuradhapura
and
to
pay
homage
to
the
Sri
Maha
Bodhi.
The
caretaker
of
this
site
provides
various
offerings
on
a
daily
basis.
The
Buddhists
in
general
have
a
strong
belief
that
offerings
made
to
the
Jaya
Sri
Maha
Bodhi
have
produced
significant
and
positive
changes
in
their
life.
It
has
also
been
customary
for
many
Buddhists
to
make
a
special
vow
before
the
Jaya
Sri
Maha
Bodhi
for
the
safe
delivery
of
their
babies
without
malformations
and
for
many
other
cures.
It
has
also
been
a
long
tradition
among
farmers
around
Anuradhapura
to
offer
the
Sri
Maha
Bodhi
tree
the
rice
prepared
from
their
first
paddy
harvest.
They
strongly
believe
that
such
offerings
lead
to
a
sustained
paddy
production
with
the
least
sufferings
from
drought
as
well
as
pest
attacks,
including
elephant
damage.
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