8 December: Bodhi Day

Today, Buddhists across the world celebrate Bodhi Day. This is the holiday to commemorate the day that Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. According to tradition, Buddha sat under a peepal tree (also known as a Bodhi tree) and undertook 49 days of unbroken meditation until he found the root of suffering and how to liberate oneself from it. The Bodhi tree still stands near the banks of the Falgu River in Gaya, India, which is the most sacred site of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

Have a closer look at some art historical depictions of Buddha and the Bodhi tree…