342 



THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES. 



[Part III. 



B.C. 



289. 



temples ; and the Buddliists, in conformity with imme- 

 morial practice, selected as their sacred tree the PijDpid, 

 which is closely alhed to the Banyan, yet sufficiently 

 distinguished from it, to serve as the emblem of a new 

 and peculiar worsliip,^ It was whilst reclining under 

 the shade of this tree in Uruwela, that Gotama received 

 Buddhahood ; hence its adoption as an object of reverence 

 by his followers, and in all probabihty its adoration pre- 

 ceded the use of images and temples in Ceylon.^ 



In order that his kingdom might possess a sacred 

 tree of the supremest sanctity, king Tissa solicited a 

 branch of the identical tree under which Gotama re- 

 chned, from Asoca, who then reigned in Magadha. The 

 difficulty of severing a portion without the sacrilegious 

 offence of " lopping it with any weapon," was overcome 

 by the mu-acle of the brancli detaching itself sponta- 

 neously, and descending with its roots into the fragrant 

 earth prepared for it in a golden vase, in which it was 

 transported by sea to Ceylon^, and planted by king 

 Tissa in the spot at Anarajapoora, where, after the 



^ The Bo-tree (Ficus relu/iosa) is 

 the " pippul " of India. It differs 

 from the Banyan (F. indica), by 

 sending down * no roots from its 

 brandies. Its heart-shaped leaves, 

 with long attenuated points, are at- 

 tached to the stem by so slender a 

 stalk, that. they appear in the pro- 

 foundest calm to he ever in motion, 

 and thus, like the leaves of tlie aspen, 

 which, from the tradition that the 

 cross was made of that wood, the 

 Syrians believe to tremble in recol- 

 lection of the events of the crucifixion, 

 those of the Bo-tree are supposed 

 by the Buddhists to exhibit a tremu- 

 lous venerati(m, associated with the 

 sacred scene of which they were the 

 witnesses. 



2 Previous Buddhas had each his 

 Bo-tree or Buddha-tree. The pip- 

 pul had been before assumed by the 

 first recorded Buddha ; others had the 

 iron-tree, the champac, the nipa, &c. 



— 3Iahaw(inso, TxtrnoxteJs Introd. p. 

 xxxii. 



^ The ceremonial of the mysterious 

 severance of the sacred branch " amid 

 the din of music, the clamours of 

 men, the howling of the elements, the 

 roar of animals, the screams of birds, 

 the yells of demons, and the crash of 

 earthquakes," is minutely described 

 in an elaborate passage of the Maha- 

 waiiso. And its landing in Ceylon, 

 the retinue of its attendants, the ho- 

 mage paid to it, its progi'ess to the 

 capital, its arrival at the Northern- 

 gate " at the hour when shadows are 

 most extended," its reception by 

 princes " adorned with the insignia 

 of royalty," and its final deposition in 

 the earth, under the auspices of Ma- 

 hindo and his sister Sanghamitta, 

 form one of the most striking epi- 

 sodes in that very singular book. — 

 Mahaivanso, ch. xviii. xix. 



