The Tree of Enlightenment The Bodhi Tree was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree (Ficus religiosa), under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher later known as Buddha, achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi. The Bodhi tree is recognizable by its lovely heart-shaped leaves, and is usually planted in close proximity to every Buddhist monastery. Those who follow the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), greet each other by saying, “Budu saranai,” which means: “May the peace of the Buddha be yours.”