As Sakyamuni meditated beneath the tree, a light began to shine from his forehead over all the earth.

Mara, the Evil One, shuddered, he knew that his power to mislead humankind was threatened. Deciding to confront his opponent directly, Mara sent a host of demons to destroy him.

Some, Mara's daughters, appeared as beautiful women, bent on distracting or seducing Sakyamuni. Others assumed the forms of fierce animals. But their roars, threats and temptations failed to move the meditating Sakyamuni, and their weapons melted away into lotus blossoms.

Finally, at age 35, on the night of a full moon, Sakyamuni attained enlightenment. (From this time forward, the pipal tree under which he sat would be known as the Bodhi tree, or tree of enlightenment).

As he was alone with no one to witness this momentous event, he called the Earth itself to be his witness by touching the ground with his right hand in a gesture known as the Bhumisparsa mudra.

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