So, why among the many flowers and plants, only lotus becomes a metaphor and symbol of Buddhism? It is recorded in Chapter 28 of the Forty-Two Sutra: "I am a monk and I am in a turbid world. I should be like a lotus, not a mud." This is a warning to the world that although the en

Lotus is closely related to Buddhism, and lotus is also used in Buddhist scriptures as the only symbol of Buddha and Buddhism. For example, the Buddha's kingdom is called the "Lotus Realm", the temple is called the "Lotus House", and if the rosary held by the monk is stringed from lotus seeds, it is considered extremely special. So, why among the many flowers and plants, only lotus has become a metaphor and symbol of Buddhism?

1. Buddha and lotus

The first characteristic of lotus is that is born from dirty, dust-free and stain-free .

According to the "Amitabha Sutra", the world in which humans live is the Saha world, which is also called Five turbidities and evil worlds - that is, turbidity of kalpa, turbidity of sight, turbidity of afflictions, turbidity of sentient beings, and turbidity of life. Since you are born in a turbid world, you will inevitably be impurified. However, the Buddha's heart is sincere and often uses the metaphor of "lotus" to alert the world.

in Chapter 28 of the Forty-Two Sutra: "I am a monk , and I am in a turbid world. I should be like a lotus, not a mud." This is a warning to the world that although the environment is evil and turbid, it should be as extraordinary as a lotus, pure, fragrant, and spotless as a lotus, so that I can reach the subtle state of unobstructed harmony, purity and tranquility. The second characteristic of

Lotus represents a wisdom realm, that is, enlightenment of .

As the "Amitabha Trail" says: "It is the Bodhisattva who works as the thinking. In all sentient beings, there is this enlightenment lotus, and the pure world is not contaminated with troubles." Buddhism says that "the flower blooms and sees the Buddha nature", and this flower refers to the lotus. When a flower blooms, it means that the practitioner reaches a certain state of wisdom. It is a metaphor for a person who has a lotus state of mind, the Buddha nature will be revealed. This is the fundamental reason why Buddhism uses lotus to symbolize the practice of Buddha and metaphor for those who practice Buddha.

In addition, the interpretation of " Mahayana Treatise on Himself " records that lotus has four virtues such as fragrance, purity, softness, and love, and is used to compare it to the four virtues of the true nature of the Dharma Realm. The "Avatamsaka Sutra" and "Brahma Net Sutra" all have theories about the Lotus treasure world. In the Tantric Buddhism, there is a mandala in the fetal world of the eight-leaf lotus as the middle platform of the mandala of the fetus, and it also uses it to describe the heart lotus of sentient beings.

2. Lotus and lotus

1. The relationship between Buddhism and lotus is clear. So is lotus and lotus a kind of flower? Is there any difference? have.

lotus: Nelumbonucifera. Water Lily Family , Lotus genus.

Lotus: Nymphaea spp Although it is also the family Lily family, it is Lily family .

Interestingly, this difference in modern biology also extends to the symbolic sense of Buddhism. The seven-treasure lotus in the Buddhist scriptures "Sentient beings are naturally born in the seven-treasure lotus" is composed of two kinds of lotus and five kinds of water lilies.

Two kinds of lotus:

There is a white lotus that represents purity and liberation, and the Dharma is like this;

An orange lotus that symbolizes the foundation of Buddhism—the perfection of wisdom is formed by the solemnity of wisdom.

5 kinds of water lilies:

There is a blue lotus that represents compassion and peace;

A yellow lotus that represents the meaning of the middle way, is free from emptiness and existence, and is thorough;

A kind of red lotus, representing the achievement of blessings and wisdom, solemn and auspiciousness;

A light pink lotus, also represents the essence of Buddhism (the meaning of light pink in Myanmar is equivalent to orange)

A mixed color lotus of five colors of blue, yellow, red, white, and orange, represents Buddhism as the universal truth, expressing the meaning of the true nature and the meaning of the non-duality.

In the development of Buddhism, the image of lotus is constantly enriched and improved. Buddhism often uses lotus as a representation of doctrine, and the unique quality of lotus is also given a kind of Buddha nature.

As Huang Tingjian said in "Ode to White Lotus Temple":

" Enter the mud and come out of the mud, the sacred ritual is fragrant. It is dusty and airy, and you look at the root.Six windows of species, nine orifices are exquisite”

These poems are all prototypes created by lotus, praising their pure roots and Buddha nature.