December 8th is the day celebrated in many Asian countries as the day of Buddha's Enlightenment.
8th December is also the official celebration day for all Bulgarian students and university teachers. It is rightly the day of the Nation's enlighteners (buditeli).
While enlightenment in Bulgaria is probuda. It is considered the main cause for Bulgaria's Liberation from the Otoman yoke.
Om Mani Padme Hum!
here is a small passage from a Buddhist "orthodox" site:
The holy Ficus Tree: "Sitting at the root of the Bodhi-tree (maha'bodhirukkha) is the very ancient Vedic representation of having returned to the One (ekaggacitta), i.e. "tat" [Br-Ar. V.IV.I], or Brahma [MN 1.341]. The incredibly thick metaphor for sitting at the root (Soul [attan]) of the Bodhi-tree before bifurcation in the canopy-top of perpetual becoming (bhava, sassatavada) and annihilation (vibhava, ucchedavada), both of which represent heretical views as well as Mara (death), is meant having destroyed avijja (agnosis) with the sword or vijja (illumination, gnosis, bodhi). This mystical and ancient symbol of the holy Ficus tree has become lost in the ignorance of modernity which takes "at the root of the Bodhi tree" unfortunately literally.
The fixed (thita) immortality (amata) found at the "root" of the wisdom tree, which is antecedent to becoming embroiled in, and enamored with phenomena, i.e. the "all" (sabba) is meant by the Soul-fixed (thitatta), the unshakable One (tat, Brahma), which Gotama chose as the symbol to represent himself as that which he found through Jhanic samadhi and wisdom after his passing: "After the parinibbana of the Buddha, one should venerate the Mahabodhi-tree as the likeness shrine of the Lord [Jataka 4.228]". Also: "To be at the root of the Mahabodhi-tree is meant Illumination [Mahaniddesa-Att. 2.288]". It is the very mystical comprehension of the Bodhi-tree as a holy symbol of emancipation (vimutta) itself, which Gotama proclaims is that by which the wise shall comprehend (dassati) his revelation after he is past, which bore him the fruit of immortality [SN 5.8]: "After the Lords parinibbana, it is by the Mahabodhi-tree that one comprehends the Buddha [Apadana-Att. #420]". Having returned to the One, the Good, Brahma, is the "only refuge".
So, Happy Bodhi Day!
It was a nice winter day in India
I join. Happy Bodhi Day!