The Bohdi Tree

In Oahu's Foster Botanical Garden, once the estate of Mary Foster, the Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) stands as a symbolic centerpiece of cultural exchange and spiritual reverence. This particular ficus tree traces its lineage to the sacred tree beneath which Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment in the sixth century B.C., becoming the world’s first Buddha. It is genetically identical. But how did it get here?

The Bodhi tree's journey to its Hawaiian home has its roots in an unexpected encounter.

Mary Foster, scion of a prominent Hawaiian family and a close confidante of Queen Lili‘uokalani, acquired a large tract of land in belonging to William Hillebrand in 1884. With this estate she ventured into developing extensive plant collections that would shape her legacy. Foster's husband passed away in 1889, leaving her widowed and childless at 45 years old. Compounding this personal loss, the monarchy was overthrown in 1893 and Queen Lili‘uokalani was detained at 'Iolani Palace. Foster was one of two people permitted to visit her during her unlawful incarceration.

Foster's opposition to the overthrow lead to her election as an honorary president of Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Wahine, commonly known as Hui Aloha ʻĀina, advocating against the annexation of the islands to the United States and supporting the deposed queen.

In an unexpected encounter later that same year, she met Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Anagarika Dharmapala in Honolulu as he was returning from a conference in Chicago. Dharmapala, a pivotal figure in Sri Lanka's independence movement against British rule and regarded as the first global Buddhist missionary, found a sympathetic ear in Foster. Sharing her anguish over her husband's death and the mistreatment of Queen Lili‘uokalani, Foster sought guidance to temper her anger. Clearly she has a lot to be angry about. Dharmapala suggested using meditation. While there is no definitive documentation on whether this tempered her anger we do know she practiced Buddhism and has a life-long friendship with Dharmapala. This friendship lead Foster to support Dharmapala’s initiatives in India and Sri Lanka, including funding temples and hospitals. And a donation she made helped build the first Buddhist temple in Honolulu in 1889—the Honpa Hongwanji Mission.

In 1913, Dharmapala gifted Foster a cutting from the original Bodhi tree at Sri Mahabodhi temple, India for her garden. This gesture of goodwill also allows us a moment to look more deeply at Buddhism and its relationship to the colonial West.

In the 19th century, burgeoning Western interest in Buddhism stemmed from encounters between Western colonial powers and Asian cultures. Some Western intellectuals began portraying Buddhism as a "scientific religion" due to perceived alignments with scientific principles, selectively interpreting Buddhist doctrines to emphasize compatibility with contemporary scientific thought. This became a way for westerners to secularize while maintaining spiritual beliefs. Western interpretations of Buddhism in the 20th century often portray it as a timeless and ahistoric religion. It uses Buddhism to further a secular idea of mindfulness scientifically excised from the religious aspects of meditation or the sticker aspects of national and ethnic identity.

Modern Buddhism played a multifaceted role in anti-colonial movements across nations affected by 19th and 20th-century colonialism. In Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand, Buddhism served as a catalyst in fostering national identity and resisting colonial rule. Esteemed Buddhist leaders and monks became pivotal in advocating independence, revitalizing Buddhist institutions as bastions of national consciousness and resistance. This resistance was in good part a response to Christian missionaries who, perhaps inadvertently, served the needs of colonial powers.

Under British colonial rule, Sri Lankans experienced cultural, social, and economic transformations. During this period, Buddhist revival movements emerged as a response to colonial influence. Anagarika Dharmapala, a prominent figure in Sri Lankan Buddhism, was instrumental in advocating for cultural and national resurgence.

Dharmapala's efforts focused on revitalizing Buddhism and fostering national pride. He emphasized the preservation of Sri Lankan culture and heritage, promoting Buddhist education, and advocating for the restoration of Buddhist sites. His movement aimed to instill a sense of pride in Sri Lankan identity and culture, resisting the cultural imposition of colonial powers.

The Foster Botanical Garden, Mary Foster’s incredible botanical legacy has the Bodhi tree, nestled within this meticulously crafted garden. We can only speculate what it meant to Mary Foster. But it is certainly more than a specimen tree. It is a symbolic presence, reminding us of Hawai’i’s complex history, prompting contemplation on its own meaning.