Which tree is meant
“Tree of life” is a phrase from several world cultures, and it appears in many religious and artistic traditions. It is not a standard Buddhist term. The tree that symbolises enlightenment in Buddhism is the Bodhi tree, a pipal fig (Ficus religiosa) that, according to tradition, sheltered Siddhartha Gautama at Bodh Gaya when he attained awakening. The Sanskrit and Pali word bodhi means awakening, so the name itself says what the tree stands for.
This article concentrates on that tree: what tradition says about it, how it is cared for, and how cuttings and saplings carried its lineage to other places. The wider range of trees in the Buddha’s life, such as the sal, is treated in a separate piece.
The tree in the awakening story
In the traditional account, after years of seeking, Siddhartha sat beneath a fig tree beside the Niranjana River and resolved not to rise until he had understood the end of suffering. The accounts describe a confrontation with Mara, a figure who represents temptation and fear, followed by awakening. Texts differ on many details, including the length of time spent near the tree afterwards, which is often given as seven weeks in the commentarial tradition. The awakening story is told in different versions across traditions.
In early Buddhist art the tree, together with an empty seat, could stand for the Buddha himself. At Sanchi and other early sites, carved railings show a tree enclosed by a shrine, a visual shorthand for the place of awakening.
From a tree to a monument
Bodh Gaya developed as a centre of pilgrimage. Emperor Ashoka is traditionally said to have visited the Bodhi tree in the third century BCE, and later accounts credit him with honouring it. Legends of his reign describe times when the tree was damaged or cut, and the stories vary, so they are best treated as tradition. A temple was later built next to the tree; today’s Mahabodhi Temple has been rebuilt and restored over many centuries, and the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The tree that stands at Bodh Gaya today is generally understood not to be the original. The historical record indicates that older trees were lost over time and were replaced, in some cases with saplings from related trees. The present Bodhi tree is therefore honoured as part of an unbroken tradition rather than as a single living organism from the Buddha’s day. Sources differ about the exact sequence, so it is better to ask at the site or read the official signage than to rely on a precise number.
The descendant at Anuradhapura
One of the best-known descendants is the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan chronicles say that Sanghamitta, a nun traditionally described as Ashoka’s daughter, brought a branch of the Bodhi tree to the island in the time of King Devanampiya Tissa, in what is traditionally dated to the third century BCE. The branch was planted in Anuradhapura, and the tree has been tended continuously by successive communities. It is often described as one of the oldest historically documented trees planted by people, though such claims rest on the chronicle tradition, and visitors should treat the date as traditional.
Because it is believed to descend from the original, the Sri Maha Bodhi draws devotees throughout the year, particularly on Poya days. Its surroundings include other ancient stupas, and Anuradhapura stupas and the tree are often visited together.
Offshoots around the world
From the Anuradhapura tree and from Bodh Gaya, saplings have been planted in many countries over the centuries, in temple compounds in Southeast Asia, East Asia and beyond. Many temples keep a Bodhi tree in their grounds, and devotees recognise it by its heart-shaped leaves with a long tip. In Theravada countries the tree is often decorated with cloth or surrounded by a platform, and lay people may pour water at its base as an offering.
How devotees honour the tree
Practices vary, but may include:
- circling the tree clockwise, quietly, while reflecting or reciting;
- offering water, flowers, candles or lamps, as in the Bodhi Puja held in some communities;
- sitting in meditation nearby;
- tying small offerings or prayer flags in places where it is permitted.
Visitors should follow the posted rules. Do not break branches, take leaves from the tree itself, or climb on railings. Fallen leaves are sometimes collected by caretakers and may be offered to visitors, but this depends on the site, so ask rather than assume.
Symbol, not magic
The Bodhi tree matters because of what it recalls. It stands for a human being who found a path out of suffering, and for the possibility that others might do the same. A generic tree of life stands for something else, such as growth or the continuity of living things. The two ideas may look similar in art, but they are not the same thing, and a Bodhi tree always points back to the awakening story at Bodh Gaya.
Check current opening hours, rules and ticketing for Bodh Gaya and Anuradhapura through official sources before you travel, as they can change.