On Buddha Purnima, Gautam Siddharth attained enlightenment while meditating under a pipal tree at Bodh Gaya, and the tree became the Bodhi Tree.
Prince Mahendra, eldest son of Samrat Ashoka and Queen Devi of Ujjain, became a Buddhist monk and in 288 BC carried a sapling of the tree to Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. The original tree at Bodh Gaya was cut down by Bakhtiyar Khilji's forces in 1205. The tree you see today grew from a sapling brought back from Anuradhapura.
The spot where the Buddha sat is the Vajrasana, the Diamond Throne. It is enclosed by a stone railing, and it takes some effort to see through the railing to the seat of enlightenment. A visit with the family leaves a lasting impression.
