First week:

Under the Bodhi tree

During the first week after Enlightenment, the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, experiencing the happiness of freedom and peace. Throughout the week, He sat in one posture, experiencing the Bliss of Emancipation (Vimukthi Suva).

Second week:

Gazing at the Bo tree

In gratitude to the tree that had sheltered Him during His struggle for Buddhahood, the Buddha stood without moving His eyes as He meditated under the Bodhi tree (Animisalochana Pooja), thus teaching a great moral lesson to the world. Buddhists who follow this example, pay their respects not only to the original Bo tree, but also to other Bo trees.

Third week:

Golden bridge

The Buddha saw through His mind’s eye that the gods were not sure whether He had attained Enlightenment, as the Buddha had not given up His temporary residence at the Bo tree. To clear their doubts, He created, by His psychic powers, a golden bridge in the air, and walked up and down for a whole week.

Fourth week:

In the chamber

The Buddha created a beautiful chamber (Ratanaghara) and sitting in it, meditated on what was later known as the ‘Deep Doctrine’ (Abhidhamma). His mind and body were so purified that rays of six colours came out of His body - blue, yellow, red, white, orange and a mixture of these five. Each colour represented one noble quality of the Buddha: Yellow for holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence, red for wisdom and orange for defeat of desire. The mixed colours represented all these noble qualities. Today these six colours make up the Buddhist flag.

Fifth week:

With a Brahmana and three girls

While meditating under the Ajapala banyan tree, the Buddha told a Brahmana who came to see Him, that one becomes a perfect Brahmana by one’s deeds and not by birth.

Three charming girls called Tanha, Rati and Raga (the daughters of Mara) tried to disturb His meditation. They danced around the Buddha and tried to distract Him, but soon got tired and left Him alone.

Sixth week:

Under the Muchalinda tree

The Buddha started meditating under a Muchalinda tree. It began to rain heavily and the huge Muchalinda Nagaraja (cobra king) came out and coiled his body seven times around the Buddha to keep Him warm and placed his hood over the Buddha’s head to protect Him from the rain.

Seventh week:

Under the Rajayatana tree

The Buddha meditated under the Rajayatana banyan tree. Two merchants, Tapassu and Bhalluka offered the Buddha rice cakes and honey.

The Buddha told them what He had found in His Enlightenment. These two merchants, by taking refuge in the Buddha and His Dhamma, became the first lay followers in the Buddhist world. There was no Sangha (order of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis) at the time.

They asked the Buddha for something sacred and the Buddha wiped His head with His right hand and pulled out some hair to give them. These Hair Relics (Kesa Datu) were brought home and enshrined by the merchants.