In Buddhist mythology, a tree which bears fruit in the shape of young female creatures is known as the Nariphon. The female fruits grow attached by their head from the tree branches in a mythical forest called Himaphan, who are enjoyed by the Gandharvas who cut them off and whisk them away.
In Buddhist folklore, the god Indra created a Sala for Vessantara as an abode his him, his wife, and children. As his wife went to collect fruits in the forest, she was in grave danger of being attacked by Hermits or Yogis roaming throughout the forest. who had special powers acquired through meditation, but who had not conquered lust. Due to this dilemma, Indra created twelve Nariphon trees which would bear fruit whenever Vessantara’s wife would venture out to the forest, and distract these men from attacking her. The men would take the sweet smelling, naked sixteen year old girls who were in the image of Indra’s wife and take them to their residence. After making love to them, they would fall asleep for four months, and upon waking up would loose their powers.
In Thai lore, Vessantara and his family are dead, so the trees bear fruit daily. When the fruit appear on the trees, they are beautiful 16 year old girls which will last for only seven days, which they will either wither away and die, if they are not picked. In the divine realms, males and females are forever youthful as there is no suffering, there is no ageing. The possess the same internal organs as humans but without bones. The forest, sala, and trees will vanish when Buddha’s teachings have been lost, which is predicted to be five millennia after his death.
Apparently, there are two Nariphon pods within proximity of the Buddhist temple in Bangkok. It is said that they hail from the mythical forest of Himaphan. Representations of the Nariphon tree are quite prevalent throughout the Thai culture featured on comic books, amulets, and charms. Folklore tales state that the tree also grows somewhere in the Phetchabun Mountains.
