The Sri Mahā Bodhi Tree, a sacred fig tree, is located at what was known in the reign of King Devānampiya Tissa as the Mahāmeghavana Park. The original tree grew from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment, which was brought to Sri Lanka by the nun, Therī Sanghamittā, the daughter of the great Indian Buddhist Emperor Aśoka, whose son, the monk Mahinda (Mihindu) Thera, earlier had preached to the reigning king Tissa (later named Devānampiya Tissa) at Mihintalé near Anuradhapura and convinced him to become a follower of the Buddhist doctrine. This is a makara torana (of unknown date) at the northern entrance to the inner courtyard of the enclosure of the sacred Bodhi-tree shrine. Figures in niches include at the top, a monk with a bowl and below him several guardian figures. The lower of the two friezes between them and the lowest two niches include repeated rows of the four animals also found on moonstones.
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