118 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIL 



II. — The Sacred and Mythological Trees. 



The Sinhalese hold the Bo tree (Ficus religiosa) in the 

 highest veneration, and respect it as a remembrance of certain 

 acts in the life of the illustrious founder of their national 

 religion. Hence, wherever the tree is found great care is 

 bestowed on it, and its vicinity is always kept clean. The 

 great Bo tree at Anuradhapura, believed to be a scion of the 

 tree at Buddhagaya, is, according to the Mdhawansa, 2,000 

 years old, having been introduced into Ceylon in the reign 

 of Devanampiyatissa. 



There are certain other trees, a list of which I append 

 hereto, which are considered to be sacred, inasmuch as they 

 provided the first resting-place where so many Buddhas 

 obtained their wisdom : — 



Names of Buddhas. Trees. 



1 Dipankara 



Bu-nuga (Ficus mysorensis, Heyne) 



2 Kondanfia 



Sala Kalyana 



?> Mangala \ 





4 Sumana > 



Na (Mesua ferrea) 



5 Revata ) 





6 Sobita 





7 Anomadassi 



Kumbuk ( Terminalia tomentosa) 



8 Paduma ) 



Sona 



9 INTarada 1 



10 Padumuttara 



Sarala 



11 Sumadha 



Bakmi (Sarcocephalus cordatus, Miq.) 



12 Sujata 



Bamboo (Bambusa) 



13 Piyadassi 



Puwangu {Myristica Horsfieldii) 



14 Attadassi 



Sapu ( Michelia champaca) 



15 Dammadasi 



Ratkarandu 



16 Siddhattha 



Kinihirya {Cochlospermum, gossypium, 





B.C.) 



17 Tissa 



Piyagasa 



18 Phussa 



Nelli (Terminalia emblica) 



19 Vipassi 



Palol (Stereospermum suaveolens) 



20 Sikhi 



Etamba (Magnifera indica) 



21 Yessabhu 



Sal (Shorea robustd) 



22 Kakusanda 



Sirisa 



23 Konagam 



Dimbul (Ficus ylomerata) 



24 Kassapa 



Nuga (Ficus altisssima, Bl.) 



25 Gautama 



Esatu Bo (Ficus religiosa) 



