Anuradhapura Part 1:
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (A, S)
At a Glance
Here, a cutting of the sacred Bodhi Tree where the Buddha attained awakening in Bodh Gaya was transported to Sri Lanka at the request of King Ashoka by the king's daughter, Sangamitta, in the mid 3rd century BCE. While the original Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya was destroyed many years ago, this tree still stands as a continuation of the very tree which once shaded the Buddha.
The Story
According to the Dipavamsa, the Buddha arose from his meditation in Dighavapi and then,
“Together with his pupils, wandering through the air, then proceeded to the place where the Bo tree was to be stationed in the Mahameghavana garden. The Bo trees of three former buddhas had been established on the ground; to that place he went, and there he entered meditation.”
As he emerged from samadhi, he also revealed the connection between ancient past, present, and future. The Buddha proclaimed,
“Three Bo-trees [have stood] at this place at the teaching of three Buddhas; my Bo-tree will also stand on this very spot in future time.
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The Mahavamsa relates that just prior to his parinirvana, the Buddha foretold many of the events to unfold in Sri Lanka. This included the self-detachment of the branch that would become the Sri Maha Bodhi. The miraculous detachment occurred because it was forbidden for a devotee to cut or harm any part of the Bodhi Tree.
“The south branch of the great Bodhi-tree, grasped by Asoka, being detached of itself, shall place itself in a vase. When it is so placed the branch, illumining all the regions of the world, shall put forth lovely rays of six colours from its fruits and leaves. Then, rising up with the golden vase, this delightful (tree) shall abide invisible for seven days in the region of snow.”
The chronicles relate that King Ashoka personally ordered the mission to Sri Lanka to fulfill prophecies. After ceremoniously anointing and bestowing kingship on the branch he sent his son, Arahat Mihinda Maha Thero and his sister, the nun, Sanghamitta to escort the branch to Sri Lanka. Sanghamitta and eleven nuns (who were to start the order of nuns) brought the branch to Sri Lanka, accompanied by royally appointed guardians who watered the tree daily from gold and silver vessels.
The tree, Sri Maha Bodhi (also known as ‘Jaya Siri Maha Bodhiya’), located in the sacred city of Anuradhapura serves as the heart of the city. It is claimed to be the oldest living tree with a documented history. According to the chronicles, this sacred tree was planted in the ‘Maha Megha Vana’ (‘Maha Mewuna Uyana’) Royal Park in Anuradhapura in the month of December circa 288 BCE . According to tradition, it is the only living artifact that touched the Buddha as he attained enlightenment while seated with his back against it. Life stories of the Buddha describe his own respectful contemplation of the tree in the weeks following his enlightenment.
The importance of the bodhi tree’s arrival in Sri Lanka was immediately apparent. Upon its arrival, according to both the Samantapasadika and the Mahavamsa, King Devavampiyatissa immediately offered his entire kingdom to the tree upon its reception on the island.
“Then, uttering an exulting cry moved by joyous agitation at the coming of the great Bodhi Tree, he, the splendid (king), descended even neck-deep into the water; and when together with sixteen persons (of noble families) he had taken the great Bodhi Tree upon his head, had lifted it down upon the shore and caused it to be set in a beautiful pavilion, the king of Lanka worshipped it by (bestowing on it) the kingship of Lanka. ”
Arahat Mihinda regaled the king with stories of the Buddha’s dominance over the nagas and of previous buddhas’ visits to the island. The king ordered processions and festivals that lasted over two weeks as he prepared to accompany the Bodhi tree to its predestined home. In the Mahavamsa we read,
“When the monarch heard this from the thera he caused monuments to be raised here and there in such places as had been frequented by the Master by resting there or in other ways. And, moreover, when he had caused the great Bodhi-tree to be set down at the entrance to the village of the brahman Tivakka and in this and that place besides, he, (escorting it) on the road, sprinkled with white sand, bestrewn with various flowers, and adorned with planted pennons and festoons of blossoms, bringing thereto offerings unweariedly, day and night, brought the great Bodhi-tree on the fourteenth day to the neighbourhood of the city of Anuradhapura, and after, at the time when the shadows increase, he had entered the city worthily adorned by the north gate amid offerings, and (when he then), leaving the city again by the south gate, had entered the Mahameghavanarama consecrated by four Buddhas, and here had brought (the tree) to the spot worthily prepared by Sumana’s command, to the lovely place where the former Bodhi Trees had stood, he, with those sixteen noble persons, who were wearing royal ornaments, lifted down the great Bodhi Tree and loosed his hold to set it down.
Hardly had he let it leave his hands but it rose up eighty cubits into the air, and floating thus it sent forth glorious rays of six colours. Spreading over the island, reaching to the Brahma-world, these lovely rays lasted till sunset. Ten thousand persons, who were filled with faith by reason of this miracle, gaining the spiritual insight and attaining to arahantship, received here the pabbajja.
When the great Bodhi Tree at sunset was come down from (its place in the air) it stood firm on the earth under the constellation Rohini. Then did the earth quake. The roots growing over the brim of the vase struck down into the earth, closing in the vase. When the great Bodhi Tree had taken its place all the people who had come together from (the country) round, worshipped it with offerings of perfumes, flowers and so forth. A tremendous cloud poured forth rain, and cool and dense mists from the snow-region surrounded the great Bodhi Tree on every side. Seven days did the great Bodhi Tree abide there, awaking faith among the people invisible in the region of the snow. At the end of the week all the clouds vanished and the great Bodhi Tree became visible and the rays of six colours.”
According to the Mahavamsa, the occasion of the planting became the immediate cause for the ordination and attainment of multitudes
“When thus, for the salvation of the people dwelling in the island, by the majesty of the Sammasambuddha, the king of trees, the great Bodhi Tree was planted, Anula with her following having received the pabbajja from the theri Samghamitta, attained to arahantship. The prince Arittha also, with a retinue of five hundred men, having received the pabbajja from the thera, attained to arahantship. The eight (persons from the) merchant-guilds who had brought the great Bodhi Tree hither were named therefrom the ‘Guild of the Bodhi-bearers’.”
Local Annual Festivals
The tree today is protected by golden railings and is surrounded by other bodhi trees which sprung from its roots. Most of the bodhi Trees in Sri Lanka and some in Burma and Thailand were propagated from its seeds. For devotees, the survival of the original Bodhi Tree at Anuradhapura symbolizes the durability and continuity of teachings and faith in the Buddha in Sri Lanka. In modern times, during the full moon of Poson (May-June) a million worshippers come to pay homage and make offerings at the tree in commemoration of the Buddha’s enlightenment. The verses recited are as follows,
“Yassa mule nisinno va sabbari vijayam aka patto sabbannutam sattha vande tam bodhipadapam. Ime ete mahamobodhi lokanethena pujita ahampi te namassami bodhi raja namatthu te.
“I pay homage to this bodhi tree, under which the teacher sat, attaining omnisicinece by overcoming all foes. I also make offerings to this great bodhi tree which was honored by the leader of the world. I pay homage to you, King Bodhi”.”
Pilgrims clean the premises and perform daily offering practices know locally as ‘Buddha pujas’. In addition, pilgrims perform four main seasonal rituals there. As with many sacred Buddhist sites, throngs of pilgrims time their visits to the sacred sites to coincide with particularly auspicious days.
The festival of Duruthu Mangalle falls on the full moon day of Duruthu (January). It is called the Festival of the New Rice as the first portion of the newly harvested rice is offered to the Bodhi tree on this day. Pilgrims chant prayers and offer milk rice both at the Bodhi tree and the Ruvanvaeliseya.
The festival of Parana Avurudu Mangalle occurs one week before the Sinhala New Year. Specially appointed monks lead the offerings of fruit and herbal drinks, flowers, and incense with the accompaniment of drums to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. They also make offerings to Kaludevatabandara, the deity charged to protect the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. Moreover, they perform the same rituals at Ruwanweliseya.
The Festival of the New Year is held at dawn at the turn of the year that begins in the month of Bak. During this festival, pilgrims witness the ritual bath of the Buddha image. The Buddha image in the shrine room is anointed with water mixed with herbs. The herbal mixture is called ‘nanu’, and thus, this festival is named Nanumura Mangalle.
On the evening of Nanumura Mangalle, another splendid offering is made to the Bodhi tree. Called the ‘abarana paelaendima’, this consists of the offering of elaborate jewelry. Golden ornaments and jeweled decorations are hung beside the tree. This ritual reminds pilgrims that the Buddha is himself a royal personage- a chakravartin, or a world emperor. This festival thus resembles the coronation of a king. It commemorates the original ceremony described in the Mahavamsa where the Bodhi tree was crowned as the lord of the island.
Finally, the Kartika festival is celebrated on the full moon day of the Sinhala month of Il (October – November). During this festival of lights, thousands of clay lamps, as well as milk rice, are offered to the Bodhi Tree and Ruwanweliseya.
Transporting the Blessings
As a living organism, the bodhi tree also has a unique ability to reproduce. The first fruiting of the tree occurred almost immediately after its planting. The Mahavamsa reports that:
“There grew out of the east branch, even as they gazed, a faultless fruit.
This having fallen off the thera took it up and gave it to the king to plant. In a golden vase filled with earth mingled with perfumes, placed on the spot where the Mahaasana (afterwards) was, the ruler planted it. And while they all yet gazed, there grew, springing from it, eight shoots; and they stood there, young bodhi trees four cubits high.
When the king saw the young bodhi trees he, with senses all amazed, worshipped them by the gift of a white parasol and bestowed royal consecration on them.
Of the eight Bodhi-saplings one was planted at the landing place Jambukola on the spot where the great Bodhi-tree had stood, after leaving the ship, one in the village of the Brahman Tivakka, one moreover in the Thuparama, one in the Issarasamanarama, one in the Court of the First thupa, (Pathamacetiya) one in the arama of the Cetiya-mountain, one in Kajaragama and one in Candanagama. But the other thirty-two Bodhi-saplings which sprang from four (later) fruits (were planted) in a circle, at a distance of a yojana, here and there in the viharas.”
It thus sent forth offspring that become an extended family of sacred relics, adding prestige and pilgrimage objects to more sites on the island.
In the Simhalabodhivamsaya (a translation into Sinhalese of the Mahabodhivamsa) the 14th century author adds a detailed name list of the locations of 32 bodhi saplings that were ordered to be planted a yojana apart “for the benefit and well-being of all the residents of the island”. This translation seems to be the first written recording of the specific location of the first 32 saplings. Some of these trees are still worshipped to this day, whereas the locations of some of the others have been temporarily lost and remain unidentified. The tradition of distributing bodhi saplings to create new relics for veneration continued. In the 18th century text, the Culabodhivamsa (Sulubodhivamsa in Sinhala) chronicle, includes an additional list of 35 sites where saplings were planted. In addition, it relates that nine villages were offered saplings from the Ananda bodhi tree for the benefit of those populations.
Sinhalese poetry and ballads include over 25 historical works that have been passed down through generations. In addition to the chronicles, these poems and songs have been used over the centuries to instruct and inpsire Sri Lankans, and to encourage both local and more centralized pilgrimage to the tree of enlightenment.
The theri and great arhat Sanghamitta was always closely associated with the bodhi tree. She was said to have been cremated within sight of the tree when she passed away at age 59. According to the Mahavamsa, a stupa was built for her remains by the “wise Uttiya”. This stupa is thought to have been rediscovered, to the east of the Thuparama. The site of this Sanghamitta stupa is particularly revered by female pilgrims.