[3][4] According to Buddhist mythology, the god Indra created a pavilion (Sala) as an abode for Vessantara, his wife, and two children to live.

The men took the fruits to their place of abode and, after making love to them, would sleep for four months and lose their powers.

According to Thai folklore, since Vessantara and his family have died, the trees bear fruit daily, but the forest will disappear when the Buddha's teachings have become lost (predicted to be five thousand years after his death).

[7] At Wat Pheut Udom temple near Pathum Thani there is a representation of the tree together with ghosts and hell-scenes.

[8][9] Folk stories claim that the tree grows somewhere in the Phetchabun Mountains and hoaxes are common; these include pictures of Nariphon girls growing from trees[10] as well as dry Nariphon maidens.