金光明經文句記 6.163

6.163

三、樹神說，二：初、經家敘。言道場菩提樹神者，即如來得道之場在此樹下。然樹本名畢鉢羅，佛坐其下得菩提智果，立此為名。故今女天依此樹住，亦以為名也。《西域記》云「昔佛在世，高數百尺，屢經殘伐，猶高四五丈。莖幹黃白、枝葉青翠，冬夏不凋光鮮無變。每至如來涅槃之日，葉皆凋落，頃之復故。此在中印度摩竭陀國大城西南四百餘里，修苦行處不遠，有此樹也。」

Third, the tree spirit's exposition, in two parts: First, the sūtra narrator's account. Saying "the spirit of the bodhi tree at the site of enlightenment" refers to the Tathāgata's site of attaining the Way being beneath this tree. However, the tree was originally named pippala; because the Buddha sat beneath it and attained the fruition of bodhi wisdom, this name was established for it. Therefore, this devī now abides relying upon this tree and also takes it as her name. The Xiyu ji says: "Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, it was several hundred feet high; having repeatedly undergone felling, it is still forty or fifty feet high. The trunk is yellowish-white, and the branches and leaves are lush green, neither withering in winter or summer, remaining lustrous without change. Every time the day of the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa arrives, the leaves all wither and fall, and in a short while return to their former state. This tree exists in the kingdom of Magadha in Central India, more than four hundred li southwest of the great city, not far from the place where he practiced austerities."