bo tree

[boh]

noun

1. the pipal, or sacred fig tree, Ficus religiosa, of India, under which the founder of Buddhism is reputed to have attained the Enlightenment that constituted him the Buddha.

bo tree

/ bəʊ /

noun

1. another name for the peepul

Word History and Origins

Origin of bo tree¹

1860–65; partial translation of Sinhalese bogaha, equivalent to bo (< Pali bodhi < Sanskrit; Bodhisattva ) + gaha tree

Word History and Origins

Origin of bo tree¹

C19: from Sinhalese, from Pali bodhitaru tree of wisdom, from Sanskrit bodhi wisdom, awakening; see _Bodhisattva

Example Sentences

Today, the bo tree is revered as a symbol for prosperity, happiness, good fortune and long life.

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Why did Gotama once sit down beneath the bo tree in his greatest hour when he received enlightenment?

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Dionysus was even called "the god in the tree,"* reminding us of Artemis Dendritis, and of the village gods which in India dwell in the peepul or the bo tree.**

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Again, the mysterious rustle of the bo tree, pipal may be the reason for its especial veneration; as its seeming immortality is certainly the cause of the reverence given to the banian.

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Two of the most interesting spots in India, the most sacred in the world to Buddhists, are Budh-gaya, where under the bo tree Buddha attained to enlightenment, and Sārnāth, where he began his preaching.

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