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The Taurus Garden
Earth Day falls on April 22nd. Planting a Bodhi tree during this month honors Earth Day and the Buddha.
Legend says the Buddha attained enlightenment under a sacred fig called the Bodhi tree. The Bodhi tree is known by horticulturalists as the pipal or ficus religiosa. In India, Bodhi trees are found in front of monasteries, near pagodas and at entrances to villages, providing a shady place to rest. The leaves are heart shaped, hang from long slender stalks and quiver in the slightest wind. As a houseplant, the ficus is very sensitive and sheds its leaves during April and May, much to the shock of its owners.
Ancient Indian scriptures speak of the leaves of the Bodhi tree as knowledge petals, and say those who grow the ficus or fig tree are knowledge carriers. "Pouring Water on the Bo(dhi) Tree," or "Wesakha," is an East Indian ceremony practiced during the months of April and May, when the Moon resides in the crown of seven stars called the Corona Borealis. The Wesak Festival occurs when the waters of Life (knowledge) are distributed to humanity by Buddha and the Christ.
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