Siddhartha meditated to free himself from the worries of everyday life. He stood from his meditative position. He thanked the tree for its shade and found enlightenment. It was then that he became the Buddha, or the enlightened one. The fig tree that sheltered the Buddha took on great significance as the Buddhist religion developed. Just as Siddhartha became the Buddha, the tree became the Bodhi Tree or tree of enlightenment.