Elements of Buddhist Iconography c5.7

c5.7

Now to consider the position of the Bodhimaṇḍa, and continuing with the *Kāliṅga-bodhi Jātaka*: with the Buddha’s approval, as already explained above, p. 4, Mogallāna fares through the sky ⁹² to the Bodhimaṇḍa, and there procures a seed of the Wisdom-tree, and brings it back. Ānathapiṇḍika plants it in the place prepared for it at the gateway of the Jetavana, and there it springs up immediately, a full-grown “Forest-Lord,” *Vanaspati*.⁹³ A Wisdom-festival (*bodhi-maha*) is held, and a railing (*vedikā*) and enclosing walls (*pākāra*) are built, clearly in imitation of those on the original site. Ānanda then prays the Buddha to repeat “at the foot of this Bodhi (-tree) that Full Attainment (*samāpatti*) to which you attained at the root of the Mahābodhi (-tree).” The Buddha replies that this is impossible, “for should I accomplish here what I accomplished in the Mahābodhimaṇḍa, the earth will not be able to sustain it”; he consents, however, to achieve during one night such a measure of Attainment as the site can support.