Selasa, 15 September 2009

The Bodhi Tree

Ficus religiosa, the Bodhi tree is the most venerated tree in the world. It is sacred to the Hindus, the Buddhists and the Jains. The tree is considered to be a symbol of the universe.The Sanskrit name for Ficus religiosa is Ashwattha, which means 'Not the same tomorrow', showing the impermanent nature of the Universe. Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree and became the Buddha.
The leaves of the Bodhi tree are heart shaped and pointed. The new leaves are a beautiful red, which turn a light green and then a dark green. Whenever there is a breeze, the leaves tremble , making a noise like the rain. The tree is a favourite of birds , insects and small animals. When the fruit are ripe, the tree will be full of birds, which disperse the seeds in the most inconvenient places. Gardeners have to pull out the seedlings from crevices in stonework, because later,when the seedling is bigger, no one will be willing to hurt a Bodhi tree.

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