Long time ago when Buddha was on his quest to attain enlightenment was doing severe penance so He became weak, tired and hungry He took for rest under a peepal or bodhi tree in Gaya near Varanasi ( Benaras). There was a woman by the name of Sujata who at that time preparing her choicest food for offer to the same peepal tree. It is a tradition in India from the ancient times to offer food in respect of trees and things related to nature as Hindus believe that the spirit or supreme self existed in each and every partical of universe. She was preparing to offer food to the tree and saw the Buddha in a shining body. She saw the tree spirit appearing in person to accept the food. Sujata offered some food to Buddha. When Buddha consumed the food He realised the Supreme Truth that neither extreme self indulgence nor self mortification is required. Its needed to follow the Middle Path. To symbolised this event, Sujata Sthan or Durgeshwari Temple is there in Gaya today.