Under which tree is he believed to have attained enlightenment?

Mango Tree

Bodhi Tree

Neem Tree

Tulsi Tree

Answer: Bodhi Tree

Located in Bodh Gaya, India, the Bodhi Tree was an ancient and sacred fig tree that helped spiritual guru Siddhartha Gautama attain enlightenment under it. 

Also known as Buddha, the spiritual teacher sat under the tree circa 500 BCE. The tree consisted of prominent heart-shaped leaves. 

According to legend, the Mahabodhi Tree growing at the Mahabodhi Temple in Both Gaya is a descendant of the Bodhi Tree. Planted around 250 BCE, the Mahabodhi Tree has become one of the most significant sites of Buddhist pilgrimage. 

Other sacred bodhi trees of Buddhism include the Sri Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka and the Anandabodhi Tree at Jetavana in Sravasti in North India. Both the trees are believed to have been born from the Bodhi Tree. 

In Buddhism, Bodhi Day is celebrated annually to mark Buddha’s enlightenment under the lush green tree. On this day, followers of Buddhism greet each other by saying “Budu saranai!”

The phrase loosely translates to- “May the peace of the Buddha be yours.”

The day is observed as a religious holiday. On Bodhi Day, people prepare special meals including cookies shaped like hearts and kheer, a sweet delicacy that ended Buddha’s six-year asceticism.

Bodhi Puja is a ritual to worship the sacred tree and Buddha. The ritual is conducted by offering milk, food, lamps, water and incense to the tree while chanting verses in Pali. 

A popular verse is-“Ime ete mahabodhi lokanathena pujita ahampi te namassami bodhi raja namatthu te.”