Around the Tree of Awakening

Abstract

Abstract This chapter uses texts and imagery to focus on accounts of the ascetic Shakyamuni seated under the Bodhi tree, his Awakening to become a Buddha, and the first seven weeks afterward when he remained close to this sacred tree. After following various narratives recounting this period from Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna traditions, it surveys the actions of illustrious beings (divine, demonic, serpent, human) as they interact with the newly realized sage. After underlining how the appearance of a Buddha alters the universe, leading to a series of supernatural revelations (earthquakes, rains of celestial flowers, healing, etc.), the chapter surveys the actions of the Buddha’s antagonist Māra, as well as actions of the gods, serpent deities, and devout men who are central to this great event. The chapter also delineates how these figures remain pivotal and paradigmatic through the subsequent history of Buddhism, including its successful trans-Asian diaspora.