The Path of the Buddha

In 2023, Rev. Kory Quon, a priest of the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, gave to LMU what is perhaps a fourth-generation descendant of the Bodhi Tree associated with Siddhartha, who became Buddha. Arik Greenberg, who teaches theology in the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, was Quon’s intermediary for the gift. “I think the path that led the tree here was an example of the Buddhist principle of the interrelatedness of all things,” says Greenberg. The tree now is located at LMU’s Interfaith Peace Garden.—The Editor 

An Epic Quest
The story of Siddhartha, who left home to seek enlightenment.

The Bodhi Tree

Siddhartha achieved enlightenment while sitting under a Ficus religiosa tree in Bodh Gaya, India. For 49 days he resisted temptations of fear, desire, and doubt at the behest of Mara, personification of qualities such as evil, fear or desire. One night, he understood that suffering is caused by greed, selfishness, and stupidity. When morning arrived, he was the Buddha. The tree became known as the Bodhi Tree.

Leaf as Symbol

The leaves of the Bodhi Tree are heart-shaped and remind believers of the Buddha’s enlightenment and that all people can also achieve enlightenment. The leaves symbolize peace, compassion, and impermanence.

The Search

According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha was born to a royal family. But at the age of 29, he left behind his wealth, home, wife, and infant son to search for the meaning of life. Eventually, he decided to live the life of an ascetic and searched for teachers to answer his questions about existence. Eventually, he realized that neither privilege nor hardship would lead him to wisdom.

Read more about how a Bodhi Tree sapling came to be located on the LMU campus.

Buddha’s Teachings

In a deep meditative state, Siddhartha gained the ability to see his former lives and death and rebirth. He also realized that he had eliminated desires within himself and that suffering is the result of human insistence on permanence amid a world of impermanence.