Mahabodhi Tree in Bodha Gaya

Research paper by London Swaminathan
Post No.1325; Dated 3rd October 2014.

This article is part of my series on Mahavamsa, Chronicle of Sri Lanka.

Studying about the plants mentioned in ancient literature helps us to understand the interaction between human beings and the plants. Mostly we read about the love and affection towards plants, respect and worship of sacred trees. What we find in Mahavamsa wouldn’t surprise any Hindu or a resident of Indian subcontinent, because we see such an attitude from Vedic days. Their approach was the same from Kashmir to Kandy.

Mahavamsa has lot of references to plants, particularly to the holy pipal tree known as Bodhi tree in Buddhist literature. Tamils named Arasa Maram meaning King of Trees. Since Buddha attained wisdom under the tree, it has got more respect than any other tree. But this pipal tree (Ficus religiosa) is in the Indus Valley Civilization, the Upanishads and later literature. In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says Of all the trees I am the papal tree. Along with two other trees of the same Ficus genus it is mentioned as one of the names of Lord Vishnu in Vishnu Sahasramana. Probably that is the reason Buddha decided to sit under the tree in his attempt to find the Truth.

Hindus are pioneers in naming the regions after the predominant plant of the area. They named lands after Jhambu, Ila, Shalmali plants etc. Tamil Hindus also followed this custom and named their five lands after five plants such as Kurinji, Mullai etc.

The most famous city of ancient India Pataliputra (Patna in Bihar) was named after the Patali tree. India’s name is Jambudwipa meaning Land of Indian Blackberry Tree. It’s botanical name is Syzygium cumini (Family Myrtaceae)

Plants in Mahavamsa

Chapters 18 and19 “Receiving and Coming of the Great Bodhi Tree” make very interesting reading. Asoka’s preparation to send the branch of the Bodhi/ Pipal tree from Bihar to Sri Lanka is described in detail. He paid respect to the tree like a king. In fact he offered the kingdom thrice to the tree and crowned it as the emperor of the Mighty Mauryan Empire. He asked his counterpart in Sri Lanka Devanam Priya Tissa to do the same. He also did give a big welcome to the tree.

Chapter 5 says that the angels brought Naga creeper twigs to brush the teeth, Myrobalans, mangoes, Terminalia for eating and celestial lotus and jasmine flowers for offering. In the same chapter we come across the story of Nigrodha (Mr Banyan Tree). When Emperor Asoka killed his elder brother Sumana, his pregnant wife was given refuge by the guardian angel of Nyakrodha tree (Banyan) and so her son was given the same name. He was protected by that angel.

Banyan Tree, Nyagrodha in Sanskrit

‘Nyakrodha’ is the name of Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis or Ficus indica). The person’s name will be Mr Banyan Tree which is common in India. We have Pippaladan and other names in Upanishads meaning Mr Pipal Tree. Even several dynasties named themselves after plants such as Ikshvahu, Sunga, Kadamba, Pallava etc.

Chapter seven was about using lotus leaves to fetch water. Lotus leaves are used for eating food even today in several parts of India. Lotus stems are in the story of Indra stealing Agatya’s lotus plants in the Brahmana literature (Read my post – Why did Indra steal?)

We have a reference to Kadamba tree (Neolamrckia cadamba) in Chapter 18. Once Madurai in South India was full of these trees and Madurai was called Kadamba vana, where the world famous Meenakshi temple was built later.

Image of screw pine (Ketaka)

Mandu Thorn killed Bodhi Tree !

In chapter 20, there is an interesting episode of the evil queen of Emperor Asoka killing the famous Bodhi tree with a poisonous thorn. It is called Mandu thorn. When the queen died, Asoka elevated another beautiful lady Tissarakkha to be the queen. She thought Asoka was pouring his love and affection to tree instead of her and used a Mandu thorn to kill the tree in the Mahamega arama. The commentator adds that there is another incident like this in the Dadhivahana Jataka. It was explained how the kernel of a mango fruit lost its germinating power when it was pierced with a Manu thorn. (I could not get the botanical term for this thorn).

In chapter 36 also we read about a murder by poisoning a tree. King Samgatissa accompanied by women used to go to East island between India and Sri Lanka, just to eat Jambu (Indian blackberries) fruits. People in the island hated this. So they poisoned the fruits of the tree. When the king ate it he died immediately.
In the same chapter 36, we read about Mucela tree (botanical term not known) and areca palm.
In chapter33, there is a report of the king writing his order of donation to Buddhist vihara on a Ketaka patra. The botanical term for Ketaka is Pandanus odoratissimus (Screw pine)

Mango Tree

About Palmyra in chapter10, I have already written a post “Palmyra worship in India and Sri Lanka”. Palmyra was worshipped as a sacred tree in India (Natrinai Tamil verse 303) and Sri Lanka. During Pandukabhayan rule he installed a Palmyra tree which is considered the tree of hunters’ god.
Building Technique

In chapter29, we read about a novel building technique. The resin gum of Kapitha tree (Feronica elephantum) is mixed with sweet water it helped to fix eight inch thick copper sheets.
Chapter 30 mentions Saptaparna tree (Alstonia scholaris) on which the king was leaning to watch the scenery.

Kadamaba Tree

Flowering plants Jasmine, Parijata (night jasmine) and Shenpak were mentioned in the book.
Chapter 31 says that Buddha’s double appearance happened under the gandamba tree and we do know what tree it was. We also read about Buddha’s last minute under the Sala tree.

In chapter 14 mango tree is used by the Thera to explain the doctrine to the king. This technique is already used by the Hindu Vedas ( Please read my post Three Apples that Changed the World!)

Chapter 34 refers to Ujjuka flowers, a kind of jasmine. Chapter 35 refers to Kumbandaka fruits. King Amandagamani distributed this fruit to all the Buddha Bikshus. So his name became Amanda after the fruit. Commentators identify this with Pumpkin gourd or ricinus plant. It is strange that the king himself was named after the fruit which he distributed. As a great enthusiast of fruits, he planted grape wine everywhere.

Jambu Tree (Name of India Jambudwipa)

Mahavamsa has mentioned many more plants, the study of which will throw more light on the people’s food habits.

Contact swami_48@yahoo.com