The lotus flower is one of the most important symbols in Buddhism. In the art of the various Buddhist schools, the presence of lotuses is notorious; we can see them by themselves, wide open and of various colors, pinks, blues, whites, golds. We can also observe Buddhas sitting on lotuses. But what is the meaning of this flower for Buddhism? The lotus is beautiful, but its beauty is somehow the sublimation of the murky waters from which the plant feeds, in such a way that the first meaning of the lotus is highly literal and refers to the elevation of consciousness, the transition from the mud and suffering of everyday human experience towards liberation from said suffering or enlightenment. The lotus feeds on the mud, but grows towards the light.
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The second meaning refers to the purity of the spirit that is born from the murky waters, which in turn represent human suffering, which according to the Buddha’s teaching is an inherent part of the human experience, from which people can free yourself through enlightenment. Interestingly, Buddhism is acutely aware of the duality of human experience, but in choosing a metaphor for enlightenment it chose the lotus, which is a metaphor in which mud or suffering is not opposed to freedom from suffering, but rather is the primal force behind what will later blossom. In addition, the color of the lotus adds a particular meaning to the flower. White lotuses refer to purity of mind and spirit. Red lotuses symbolize compassion and love. Blue lotuses represent good judgment, wisdom, and logic. Purple lotuses are related to mysticism, and golden lotuses represent the attainment of enlightenment. On the other hand, the legend of the historical Buddha, Siddharta Gautama, is represented by the pink lotus.
For some Buddhist schools, the stage of maturity of the flower represents the various levels on the path to enlightenment. A closed button symbolizes the pre-enlightenment stage and a fully open lotus represents full enlightenment, which is a kind of rebirth of consciousness, as the process requires a radical transformation, such that a Buddha is born from what was previously it was the total absence of the enlightened mind. In this sense, it is also a symbol of rebirth. As a Zen verse would say: «May we exist in the muddy waters with purity, like a lotus.»
With information from Lion’s Roar