[Tobias G]

Animisa Lōcana Bōdhi Poojā – A Prelude to Acts of Gratitude

#4: “4. When the Buddha left the site of the Bōdhi tree seven weeks after attaining the Buddhahood, he immediately started “paying back debts” to them….”

The Buddha was 7 weeks at the Bodhi Tree after enlightment, but Animisa Lōcana Bōdhi Poojā was 7 days. Is that right? What did he do the other weeks?

[Lal]

Yes. As I remember, the Buddha spent seven weeks in the vicinity of the Bodhi tree before leaving to deliver the first discourse to the five ascetics.

The following account seems to describe in detail the first 5 weeks (in Pali and English.) May be we can find a better reference.

“Mahākhandhaka”

[Tobias G]

In Mahākhandhaka it is described as 7 days under a Bodhi tree, then 7 days under another type of tree and so on. I cannot find 5 or 7 weeks at the Bodhi tree.

[Lal]

Yes, Tobias.
But all those places were near the Bōdhi tree, at the same site.
– The description there says the Buddha left that site after some time. Does not specify the total time spent in the vicinity of the Bōdhi tree.

[Tobias G]

Yes, 5 weeks at the site. But it is also not clear if this Bodhi tree is the tree where he attained enlightment.
The text says:
“Soon after his awakening, the Buddha was staying at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjara at the foot of a Bodhi tree.”

[Lal]

It is THE Bōdhi tree, not A Bōdhi tree. Problem with translation!

[Jorg]

This is a very inspiring post! I had no idea about these details.

[Author]

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