The pipal (peepal,peepul) is considered sacred by the followers of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism and therefore it is also called the `Sacred Fig`. The Sacred Fig or Ashwattha tree whose scientific name is Ficus religiosa is a species of banyan fig native to Nepal and India, southwest China and Indochina east to Vietnam. It is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree up to 30m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 3m.The spear shaped leaves have a distinctive extended tip; they are 10-17cm long and 8-12cm broad, with a 6-10cm petiole. The fruit is a small fig 1-1.5cm diameter, green ripening purple.
Plaksa is a Sanskrit term for the Sacred Fig . In Hindu texts the Plaksa tree is associated with the river Saraswati .
The Skanda Purana states that the Saraswati originats from the water pot of Brahma and flows from Plaska on the Himalayas .Historically the pipal tree has a lot of significance and has been depicted in numerous context .The inscriptions of pipal tree has been found in the seals excavated from the Indus Valley .
In Buddhism the pipal tree has a lot of relevance . The Bodhi tree and the Sri Maha Bodhi propagated from it are famous specimens of Sacred Fig.The Bodhi tree located at the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya is a large and old specimen of the Sacred Fig under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, arrived at Bodhi.
