342 



THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES. 



[PART III. 



B.C. tree in Paradise, and the Banyan in the vicinity of their 

 289> . temples ; and the Buddhists, in conformity with imme- 

 morial practice, selected as their sacred tree the Pippul, 

 which is closely allied to the Banyan, yet sufficiently 

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

 and peculiar worship. 1 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 probability its adoration pre- 

 ceded the use of images and temples in Ceylon. 2 



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- 

 clined, from Asoka, 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 miracle of the branch 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 3 , and planted by king 



1 The Bo-tree (Ficus religiosd) is 

 the " pippul " of India. It differs 

 from the Banyan (F. indicd), by 

 sending down no roots from its 

 branches. 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 be ever in motion, 

 and thus, like the leaves of the 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 veneration, associated with the 

 sacred scene of which they were the 



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. 



Mahawamo, TUHNOTTR'S Introd. p. 

 xxxii. 



3 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- 

 wanso. And its landing in Ceylon, 

 the retinue of its attendants, the ho- 

 mage paid to it, its progress to the 

 capital, its arrival at the Northem- 

 gate " at the hour when shadows are 

 most extended," its reception by 

 princes " adorned with the insignja 

 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. 

 Mahawamo, ch. xviii. xix. 



