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Dhamma Vanam: Trees of Enlightenment of Buddhas

2021; Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR); Volume: 8; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

2349-5162

Dr.Shaik Ameer Jani, Ven. Anālayo,

Botanical Research and Chemistry

Plants have memory and a very well organized sensing system. They are aware of the space surrounding them. They are capable of self and non-self recognition and can take defined actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental stimuli. Ancient sages, who lived in an environment of trees and mountains perceived this truth of plants, precisely choose a few among them for their meditation, enlightenment and also actively promoted conservation of them. N,N-DMT is a psychoactive drug related with mysticism is present in both plants and humans. The study of plants associated with faith and tradition is known as Divine Botany. Lord Buddha was under Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde, Ficus religiosa (L.) and Shorea robusta (Gaertn.f.) during birth, enlightenment and liberation respectively. ‘Kshudraka Nikaya’ is a collection of minor Buddhist discourses which contains a book by name Buddhavamsha. It was translated into English as ‘The Great Chronicle of Buddhas’ by Ven. Bhadanta Vicittasarabhivamsa in 1992. Trees of enlightenment were termed as Wisdom trees. ‘The Great Chronicle of Buddhas’ listed wisdom trees of 25 past Buddha’s and future Maitreya Buddha. Wisdom trees of Tanhankara Buddha, Medhankara Buddha and Sharanamkara Buddha Bhagavan were not quoted in Buddhavamsha. An article by name ‘The Saga of Indian Sacred Plants’ (2016) by Dr. RLS Siwarkar provided botanical names of wisdom trees of all the 29 Buddha’s. The present article was to amalgamate and vividly re- present the data present in both sources, to find the names of all the wisdom trees in Pali, Odiya and Telugu languages and to prepare a layout of a sacred botanical garden known as Dhamma Vanam consisting of all the trees of enlightenment, planted on the basis of their height. Dhamma Vanam literally means ‘forest of righteousness’ or ‘natural law’. It is a sacred garden. It can be used for practicing Panchashila (five moral precepts), Anapanasati (mind-sharpening meditation), and Vipassana (mind-purification meditation) for physical wellbeing and spiritual enlightenment of all. Interestingly, Astroethnobotany deals with Nakshatra Vanam, Rashi Vanam, and Navagraha Vanam i.e. plants related with stars, constellations and planets respectively. Tradition and faith could be put to a very useful practical work on conservation of individual plants, sacred gardens for human benefit.