The Lotus

Buddhist Symbolism

Buddhist iconography distinguishes among the white, the pink and the blue lotus. The blue ones are depicted as double flowers with curly petals, and resemble a Chinese peony. There are red ones, too.

Lotuses white, pink or blue can represent human beings of 3 types, since they either stand on the surface, slightly above, or up and out of the water.

Because they emerge from slime and corruption, then grow up through the purifying water to emerge into the sunlight, they are seen as metaphors for the development of the individual being towards enlightenment. That is, the flower stands for renunciation of the entanglements of samsara, and for the pure aspiration that is the desire for enlightenment for the sake of others.

Yellow Lotus



Found from south eastern North America to northern South America, the American lotus Nelumbo lutea has pale yellow scented blossoms smaller than those of the sacred lotus.

India has no yellow lotus today, although there are textual references to a "golden lotus," such as the one in which Guru Padmasambhava appeared. It should be noted that in the usage of ancient language, the word "golden" is also be used to mean "shining," like sunlight reflecting from crystal.

The Blue Lotus

Pictured below is the blue star water lily that is often referred to as a lotus. It is the national flower of Sri Lanka, Nymphaea stellata. This may be what is meant by the Sanskrit designation, utpala.



The Lotus in Buddhist Scripture

In the Vimalakirti Sutra, the bodhisattva Manjushri addressing the Buddha, says, "Noble sir, one who stays in the fixed determination of the vision of the Uncreated is not capable of conceiving the spirit of unexcelled perfect enlightenment. However, one who lives among created things, in the mines of passions, without seeing any truth, is indeed capable of conceiving the spirit of unexcelled perfect enlightenment.

[For] Noble sir, flowers like the blue lotus, the red lotus, the white lotus, the water lily, and the moon lily do not grow on the dry ground in the wilderness, but do grow in the swamps and mud banks.

Just so, the Buddha-qualities do not grow in living beings certainly destined for the uncreated but do grow in those living beings who are like swamps and mud banks of passions. Likewise, as seeds do not grow in the sky but do grow in the earth, so the Buddha-qualities do not grow in those determined for the Absolute but do grow in those who conceive the spirit of enlightenment, after having produced a Sumeru-like mountain of egoistic views.

Noble sir, through these considerations one can understand that all passions constitute the family of the Tathagatas. For example, noble sir, without going out into the great ocean, it is impossible to find precious, priceless pearls. Likewise, without going into the ocean of passions, it is impossible to obtain the Mind of Omniscience."

Manjushri is presenting the view that being born into samsara is necessary for the cultivation of the bodhisattva aspiration. Also, the experience of existence is essential for realising Buddha-nature, and this is superior to the way of a saint or yogi who strives always to dwell in samadhi (meditative bliss.)

The Lotus Sutra

The image of a lotus blossom (Skt. pundarika, Chin. Lien-hua, Jp. Renge) also acts as a metonymy of Buddha-dharma.

Below: a mandala tangka of the Buddha and the 16 arhats.



This came to fruition in 6th-century China and later in Japan. In the Tendai [Tien T'ai] sect of Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra (The Lotus of the True Law) written about the first century of the contemporary era) is thought to encapsulate all the teachings of the Buddha so that no other is necessary.

Search Kyoto Museum web site for the version of the Lotus Sutra in which each written character is "seated" upon a lotus.

Here, the Lotus stands for the essence of Buddhism. Recitation of Om Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, the mantra associated with the Lotus Sutra, is alone considered a complete form of Buddhist practice by followers of Nichiren (13th-century Japanese teacher.)

Although The Lotus Sutra (Skt. Saddharma Pundarika) is especially venerated in Japan, elsewhere it is also respected as a legitimate Mahayana scripture. Some of the oldest Sanskrit manuscripts of it are found among the Newars of Nepal, and it does appear in the Tibetan canon. The sutric basis for the practice of Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezi) is in chapter 24, and for Medicine Buddha, chapter 22, according to Robert Bunger (Kagyu email list.)

The lotus is one of the 8 glorious or auspicious emblems not only to Tibetans, but also to the Chinese where they are called pa hsi-hsiang.

--khandro.net