Ficus religiosa

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Ficus religiosa (पीपल) or sacred fig is a species of fig native to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina that belongs to Moraceae, the fig or mulberry family.

Variants of name

It is also known as the bodhi tree, pippala tree, peepul tree, peepal tree or ashwattha tree (in India and Nepal). Plaksha in Sanskrit.

Importance

The sacred fig is considered to have a religious significance in three major religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It is the type of tree that Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under, and Hindu and Jain ascetics also consider the tree to be sacred and often meditate under them.

Mention by Panini

Plaksha (प्लाक्ष), fruits of Plaksha (प्लक्ष), is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [1]


Plaksha-Vana (प्लक्ष-वण) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [2]

Uses

Ficus religiosa is used in traditional medicine for about 50 types of disorders including asthma, diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy, gastric problems, inflammatory disorders, infectious and sexual disorders.

See also

References


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