Today I spent my morning with a good friend attending the blessing of the Bodhi tree in the front lawn of the Gallery of Modern Art. A blessing is held in this place every year to honour the Buddha’s birth and today was the 20th year.

When Siddhartha Gautama renounced his family in search of spiritual salvation he found enlightenment under a tree. He became known as the Buddha “the awakened one” and the tree was named the Bodhi tree meaning “awakening”.

During the development of GOMA (The Gallery of Modern Art ) in 2006, a new work was commissioned from the artist Lee Mingwei. Mingwei’s ‘The Bodhi Tree’ 2006, is an ambitious, living artwork, and resulted in a sapling descended from the sacred Bodhi Tree in Sri Lanka planted at the front of GOMA.

The tree was finally planted in 2008 along with six marble seats that echo the heart-shaped leaves of the Bodhi, designed by Mingwei and carved from Chilagoe marble by Queensland artist Paul Stumkat. The Fo Guang Shan monks at the Chung Tian Temple in Priestdale became the local spiritual custodians since its arrival in Australia and annually perform a blessing ceremony for the tree to coincide with Buddha’s Birthday.

It is a windy day. Autumn has suddenly arrived. The event was warm and heartfelt. I have always loved this tree and have stopped to admire its beautiful leaves. A tea ceremony and tracing the leaf with crayons followed the blessing.

Transferring the Merits

May kindness compassion, joy and equanimity pervade all worlds.

May we cherish and build affinities to benefit all beings.