In Japan, this day commemorates the moment a prince found enlightenment under a fig tree
While many celebrate the Buddha's enlightenment in the spring, Japan honors the moment Siddhartha Gautama achieved profound spiritual clarity under a sprawling fig tree during the winter chill of December.
Known as Rohatsu or Bodhi Day, this December 8th tradition marks the dawn when the prince Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha. After six years of asceticism, he sat beneath a Bodhi tree, vowing not to rise until he discovered the root of human suffering.
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