The Buddha stayed near the Bodhi tree for seven weeks after enlightenment.
According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment at Uruvela, the area now known as Bodh Gaya, while meditating beneath the Bodhi tree. He then remained in the surrounding area for seven weeks, contemplating the Dhamma and experiencing the peace of liberation. The period is often described as seven successive one-week stays, or 49 days in total.
The wording can cause a small misunderstanding. The tradition does not generally mean that the Buddha sat continuously beneath the same tree for all seven weeks. Different accounts place him at several nearby locations, including the original tree, a jeweled walking path, a banyan tree, Mucalinda Lake, and the Rajayatana tree. These sites are sometimes grouped as the “Seven Stations” after enlightenment.
The period also introduces important figures and symbols in Buddhist tradition. During one week, the serpent king Mucalinda sheltered the meditating Buddha from heavy rain. Near the end of the seven weeks, the merchants Tapussa and Bhallika became his first lay disciples and offered him food.