In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Huineng, the sixth ancestor of Zen Buddhism, wrote such a poem about the Bodhi Tree, which spread widely. So many people in later generations think that there is no bodhi tree in the world. In fact, people misunderstood his original intention. Bodhi tree not only exists, but also is called thinking tree. It is an evergreen tree of Ficus of Moraceae. The poem "Bodhi without Trees" written by Huineng probably comes from the Buddhist theory that everything is empty!
The word "Bodhi" is a transliteration of the ancient Indian word Bodhi, which means enlightenment and wisdom. Used to mean that people suddenly wake up, suddenly realize, break into enlightenment, suddenly realize, and reach the realm of otherworldly. In English, the word "Bodhi Tree" is peepul, Bo-Tree or Large-Tree, all of which mean magnanimity, compassion, distinguishing good from evil and awakening truth. In plant taxonomy, the Latin name of Bodhi Tree is Ficus religosa, which means sacred religion.
Bodhi tree is not only rich in life experience, but also has a wide range of practical uses. The leaves are heart-shaped, and the front end is slender like a tail. Botanically, it is called "dripping tip", which is very beautiful; Branches are rich in white milk, which can be used to make hard chewing gum after being taken out; Gargling with bark juice can cure toothache; Medicinal flowers have the functions of sweating, antipyretic and analgesia; Aerial roots grow on branches, forming a landscape of "single tree into forest"; In some parts of India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, people cut down their aerial roots and use them as feed for elephants.
Bodhi tree (scientific name: Bodhi tree? L.) is a large arboreal plant of Ficus, which is attached to other trees when it is young. Its leaves are leathery, triangular and oval, with three basic veins. The petiole is slender, the fig fruit is spherical to oblate, the style is slender and the stigma is narrow. The flowering period is from March to April, and the fruiting period is from May to June.
Bodhi trees are mostly cultivated in China, Guangdong coastal islands, Guangxi, Yunnan and JD.COM. Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sikkim, Pakistan and India are also distributed, mostly cultivated, but wild in the Himalayas, from Rawalpindi, Pakistan to Bhutan.
Legend has it that more than two thousand years ago, Buddha Sakyamuni made a positive result under the bodhi tree. In India, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism all regard the Bodhi tree as a "sacred tree". The government has also implemented "national treasure" protection for the Bodhi tree.
Bodhi trees like light, high temperature and high humidity, and grow rapidly at 25℃. When wintering, the temperature is required to be around 12℃, and they are not frost-resistant. Strong anti-pollution ability, lax requirements for soil, but fertile, loose slightly acidic sandy loam is better. Young Tilia amurensis grows rapidly in tropical areas (areas rich in water resources).
References:
Bodhi Tree _ Baidu Encyclopedia