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been a branch of the tree under which Gautama Buddha became ENDUED WITH
HIS DIVINE POWERS, and has always been held in the greatest veneration. --
Vol.9, p.229.

The same encyclopedia, under the heading Bo-Tree or Bodhi-Tree, has this to say:
"The name given by the Buddhists of India and Ceylon to the Pipal or SACRED WILD
FIG (Ficus religiosa). It was a tree of this species beneath which the Buddha is
traditionally supposed to have attained PERFECT KNOWLEDGE." (Vol.3, p.951).

The identity of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is further proven by
Alexander Porteous in his intriguing book, Forest Folklore, Mythology, and Romance:

In the town of Calicut, in Madras [India], there is a SACRED GROVE OF WILD
FIG TREES, the scarlet berries of which were said to have been the CAUSE OF
THE FALL OF MAN. The largest of these trees was surrounded by a wall or
terrace, on which the SACRED SERPENTS (COBRAS) sunned themselves, and
they reared their young in the recesses of the stately SACRED TREE. -- London,
1928. P.220.

How much PLAINER can that be?

The traditions of the Brahmas are very similar to those of the Buddhists. Notice
the following quote from the same volume by Alexander Porteous:

The Pippala [FIG TREE] was one of those trees SACRED TO VISHNU, who is
often depicted as sitting on its heart-shaped leaves [just like Buddha?]. He was
born under one of these trees, and when Brahma APPOINTED RULERS OVER
BEASTS, BIRDS, AND PLANTS [reminiscent of Adam in the Garden of Eden]
the HOLY FIG TREE became the sovereign over all trees. A SILK-WORM,
which feeds on its leaves, is called DEVA, OR DIVINE, AND SHARES IN THE
SANCTITY OF THE TREE. -- Pg.221.

In the Upanishads -- part of the sacred writings of Hinduism -- we find the story
of the two birds:

Two birds always united, OF THE SAME NAME, occupy the same TREE. One
of them enjoys the sweet FRUIT OF THE FIG, the other looks on as a witness.
Living on the same tree, the DELUDED SOUL is grieved by the WANT OF
POWER, and when it perceives the Ruler, and his glory, then its grief ceases.
When the BEHOLDER sees the golden-coloured maker, the Lord, the Soul, the
source of Brahma, THEN HAVING BECOME WISE, shaking off virtue and
vice, without taint of any kind, he obtains the highest identity. -- Mundaka
Upanishad, III. 1,1-3.

If we examine the traditions of Iran or ancient Persia, we find very similar
vestiges of the Garden of Eden scenario: "The legend concerning the birth and the first