Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Ficus religiosa)
Dublin Core
Title
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Ficus religiosa)
Subject
Tree, flora, oldest tree, organism, Buddhism, Sri Lanka
Description
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bodhi), a bodhi or "bo" tree located in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, is currently the oldest human-planted living tree in the world with a known planting date. Planted in 236 BC by Buddhist nun and daughter of Emperor Ashoka, Sangamitta Maha Theri, the Sacred Bodhi was grown from a cutting from Indian historical sacred bo, Sri Maha Bodhi, which had been destroyed some years prior. As of 2025, the Sacred Bodhi is 2260 years of age.
Proof of the Sacred Bodhi's advanced age is contained within the Mahavamsa, a meticulously kept Sri Lankan historical chronicle that provides a detailed account of the tree's cutting and planting in the Mahamewna Gardens in Anuradhapura. The tree's age is thus considered authentic despite a lack of dendrochronological efforts.
Since its planting, the Sacred Bodhi has been cultivated and protected by Buddhist monks, and the site surrounding it has become a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. Situated on a high terrace, the tree is surrounded by four other lower level terraces covered in "Parivara Bodhi," bo trees planted specifically for the Sacred Bodhi's protection. While the site is open to visitors and receives millions of pilgrims per year, access to the terrace that the Sacred Bodhi itself is planted on is restricted due to the tree's advanced age and a history of vandalism.
The Sacred Bodhi has experienced a number of threats throughout its lifetime, both natural and human-initiated. Two storms that passed through Anuradhapura in 1907 and 1911 caused the tree to suffer broken branches, as did a bout of vandalism in 1929. Most notably, the upper terrace was the site of a Tamil Tiger terrorist attack in 1985 that resulted in the death of 146 Sinhalese-Buddhist monks.
Proof of the Sacred Bodhi's advanced age is contained within the Mahavamsa, a meticulously kept Sri Lankan historical chronicle that provides a detailed account of the tree's cutting and planting in the Mahamewna Gardens in Anuradhapura. The tree's age is thus considered authentic despite a lack of dendrochronological efforts.
Since its planting, the Sacred Bodhi has been cultivated and protected by Buddhist monks, and the site surrounding it has become a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. Situated on a high terrace, the tree is surrounded by four other lower level terraces covered in "Parivara Bodhi," bo trees planted specifically for the Sacred Bodhi's protection. While the site is open to visitors and receives millions of pilgrims per year, access to the terrace that the Sacred Bodhi itself is planted on is restricted due to the tree's advanced age and a history of vandalism.
The Sacred Bodhi has experienced a number of threats throughout its lifetime, both natural and human-initiated. Two storms that passed through Anuradhapura in 1907 and 1911 caused the tree to suffer broken branches, as did a bout of vandalism in 1929. Most notably, the upper terrace was the site of a Tamil Tiger terrorist attack in 1985 that resulted in the death of 146 Sinhalese-Buddhist monks.
Creator
Planted by Sangamitta Maha Theri.
Date
Planted in 236 BC. 2260 years old.
Rights
Currently under the jurisdiction of the Chief High Priest of Atamasthana and the Atamasthana Palakasabha.
Format
Sacred bo (Ficus religiosa) tree, dimensions unknown.
Type
Physical object, Sacred bo (Ficus religiosa), tree.
Coverage
Mahamewuna Garden, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. 8°20′41″N 80°23′48″E.
Citation
Planted by Sangamitta Maha Theri., “Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Ficus religiosa),” Omeka, accessed July 30, 2026, https://omeka.ischool.utoronto.ca/items/show/241.