The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c7.28

c7.28

In this ancient Aryan village custom one can trace the root of the idea of the Bodhi tree, or Tree of Knowledge; for the tree of the village elders must have been associated with the wisdom of sages long before the forest tree became the place of meditation for the yogi who sought spiritual enlightenment. A symbolic or mystic meaning also attached itself to the Council tree; for, planted at the centre of the cosmic cross, it was the Tree of Vishnu—the sun at noon and the all-pervading cosmic force. It stood for the mystic tree of which the sun and moon and stars were fruits and the blue vault of heaven the foliage.