Bodhi day tree

The enlightenment of the Buddha is among the most significant events in Buddhist history, and it's an event commemorated annually by many Buddhists. English speakers often call the observance Bodhi Day.

The word bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali means "awakening" but is often translated into English as "enlightenment."

According to early Buddhist scripture, the historical Buddha was a prince named Siddhartha Gautama who was disturbed by thoughts of sickness, old age, and death.

He gave up his privileged life to become a homeless mendicant, seeking peace of mind.

Bodhi day 2025

After six years of frustration, he sat under a fig tree (a variety known ever after as a "bodhi tree") and vowed to remain in meditation until he had fulfilled his quest. During this meditation, he realized enlightenment and became the Buddha, or "the one who is awake."

When Is Bodhi Day?

As with many other Buddhist holidays, there is little agreement about what to call this observance and when to observe it. Theravada Buddhists have folded the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death into one

when was bodhi day first celebrated

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