公元前3世纪，阿育王派遣他的女儿将佛陀得道时坐禅入定的那棵菩提树分枝，从印度的菩提迦耶带来斯里兰卡，由国王在阿努拉德普勒种植。2300年后的今天依然生存，成为世界最古老的树之一。
In the 3rd century BC, King Asoka sent his daughter Sangamitta to bring the Maha Bodhi sapling to Sri Lanka. It was planted by King Devanampiya Tissa on a high terrace about 6.5 m above the ground in Anuradhapura. Today, after 2300 years, it still survives and is one of the oldest trees in the world.