The symbolism of the lotus

Symbolism

An ancient Indian poet described his lover in ancient Sanskrit: "Your eyes are like lotus buds, your hands are like lotus flowers, and they are like lotus roots." In Brahmanism mythology, the god of creation is said to have emerged from the lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel when he was in meditation.

The Birol people living in the central part of the Indian subcontinent have a similar explanation of the origin of the world: "In the beginning, the world was all water, and a lotus grew out of the water. At that time, the giant god lived in the underworld, and emerged from the water on a lotus stem, using the lotus as a seat."

The earliest known artwork related to lotus, which also combines lotus with gods, is a statue of a naked goddess wearing a lotus on her head. It was unearthed in the Ganges River Basin in India and is a relic from 3000 BC. The earliest record of the Indian Lotus Goddess can be found in the Vedic literature of India, which says that the Lotus Goddess was born from a lotus, stood on a lotus, and wore a lotus garland.

Symbolism in Buddhism

After the advent of Buddhism, Buddhists also adopted the lotus as the main symbol of Buddhism. It is said that after Prince Siddhartha, who later became the Buddha, was born, he immediately took seven steps down to the ground, and lotus flowers bloomed with each step. So the lotus became the symbol of his birth.

Since around the first century AD, statues of the Buddha have often been depicted seated on a lotus pedestal. His sitting posture, either the lotus posture or the auspicious posture, has become the typical sitting method for Buddhist monks during meditation. According to the Mahavairocana Sutra, "The left foot first places on the upper right, and then the right foot places on the upper left. This is called the lotus sitting position. When one foot places on the upper right, it is called the auspicious sitting position."

Buddhists believe that lotus can reflect the level of spiritual practice. They think that if a monk sincerely recites the Buddha's name, a lotus will grow in the Seven Treasures Pond in the West. If he is diligent, the flower will grow bigger; if he is lazy, the flower will wither. They also believe that "all the gods, people, and even insects and reptiles who are reborn in the Buddha's land of Amitabha are born in the lotus flowers of the Seven Treasures Pond."

The lotus spread to every corner of Asia along with Buddhism. Lotus pictures can be seen on the altar of Borobudur in Java, in the large temples in the ancient city of Puris in Myanmar, in Sukhothai in Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, in the bell-shaped towers in Sri Lanka, on burial blues in Bali and on talismans in Tibet. In the famous six-syllable mantra of Tibetan Lamaism: "Om Mani Padme Hum", "Bami" means lotus.

The lotus has deep cultural roots in China. After Buddhism was established as the state religion in the Tang Dynasty, the lotus was highly respected by people. The hometown of Buddha Shakyamuni is rich in lotus flowers, so Buddhism often uses the lotus to describe itself.

"Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Buddhists use it as a metaphor, and it contains wonderful principles." The Buddha's kingdom also refers to the place where the lotus resides. Also known as the "Lotus Realm". The Buddhist scriptures are called "Lotus Sutra", the Buddha's seat is called "Lotus Seat" or "Lotus Platform", the Buddhist temple is called "Lotus Palace", the monk's residence is called "Lotus Room", the robe is called "Lotus Clothes", and so on. The lotus pattern has also become a symbol of Buddhism. Buddhist architecture, decorations and utensils also have lotus patterns.