Lotus_Symbol

 RESEARCH SECTION:

According to the Lalitavistara, "the spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the lotus in the muddy water which does not adhere to it." According to another scholar, "in esoteric Buddhism, the heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus: when the virtues of the Buddha develop therein, the lotus blossoms; that is why the Buddha sits on a lotus bloom."

The color of the lotus has an important bearing on the symbology associated with it:  "Buddhist Lotus Symbol - ReligionFacts." //Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion.// Web. 09 Sept. 2009. .
 * **White Lotus** (Skt. //pundarika//; Tib. //pad ma dkar po//): This represents the state of spiritual perfection and total mental purity (bodhi). It is associated with the White Tara and proclaims her perfect nature, a quality which is reinforced by the color of her body.
 * **Pink Lotus** (Skt. //padma//; Tib. //pad ma dmar po//): This the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity. Thus naturally it is associated with the Great Buddha himself.
 * **Red Lotus** (Skt. //kamala//; Tib: //pad ma chu skyes//): This signifies the original nature and purity of the heart (hrdya). It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion and all other qualities of the heart. It is the flower of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.
 * **Blue Lotus** (Skt. //utpala//; Tib. //ut pa la//): This is a symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, and signifies the wisdom of knowledge. Not surprisingly, it is the preferred flower of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_lotus.htm

"lotus." //World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2009. .


"Dish with Eight Buddhist Treasures. The Metropolitan Museum of Art." //The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: metmuseum.org//. Web. 09 Sept. 2009. .

We located these three sources through Google, MICDS databases, and the last was given to us on the handout. We typed 'Lotus Buddhism Symbolism' into the Google search bar, and typed 'Lotus' into the MICDS database. Summary Buddhist art pieces often show the lotus with eight petals. Within each petal there lies a symbol of one of the eight fold truths. The lotus with eight petals is often associated with the wheel (Dharmachakra) that has eight spokes, each one also stands for each one of the eightfold truths. Lotuses represent the Buddha’s teaching; just as how the lotus must travel through the murky and muddy waters to reach the brilliant sunshine, the soul must go through pain and suffering to reach enlightenment. That is why Buddha is often shown on top of a lotus. There are also different colors of lotuses which mean different things. White Lotus

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This symbolizes Bodhi, the state of total mental purity and spiritual perfection, and the pacification of our nature. It generally has eight petals corresponding to the Noble Eightfold Path of the Good Law. It is the lotus found at the heart of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, being the womb or embryo of the world. It is characteristic of the esoteric sects, and the lotus of the Buddhas. =====  Red Lotus

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This symbolizes the original nature of the heart (//hrdaya//). It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion, activity and all the qualities of the heart. It is the lotus of Avalokitesvara. =====  Blue Lotus

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This is the symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, of intelligence and wisdom, of knowledge. It is always represented as a partially opened bud, and (unlike the red lotus) its centre is never seen. It is the lotus of Manjusri, and also one of the attributes of Prajnaparamita, the embodiment of the 'perfection of wisdom'. ===== <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Pink Lotus

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This is the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity, sometimes confused with the white lotus it is the lotus of the historical Buddha. ===== <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Purple Lotus

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This is the mystic lotus, represented only in images belonging to a few esoteric sects. The flowers may be in full bloom and reveal their heart, or in a bud. They may be supported by a simple stem, a triple stem, or a quintuple stem. The flowers may also be depicted presented in a cup or on a tray, as a symbol of homage. ===== <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">