The lotus flower is one of the most widely used symbols throughout history, along with the snake. It has been a significant symbol for various religions and cultures, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism.
The Renaissance and Enlightenment as Common Symbolism
In general, the lotus flower is primarily considered a symbol of rebirth as it rises from darkness and becomes a beautiful flower with pink and white petals, like a human being who is born from nothing and becomes something complete and beautiful. This process of coming into existence is also considered a symbol of spiritual enlightenment and the expansion of the soul.
Structure and symbolism of the lotus
When you look closely at a lotus flower, you will notice that it is not the same color as the petals. The center is always a yellow or yellow-green hue. In this center is a circular mass of stigmas, the receptacle. It represents the ultimate goal of all self-realization: the union of the human soul with the Ultimate Consciousness.
The petals of a lotus are arranged in concentric layers, and when the lotus blooms, each one opens in succession to reveal those inside. This gradual opening in stages has been used as a metaphor to describe how we reach higher levels of self-realization and consciousness as we progress spiritually.
It was this concept that lent itself to the representation of the lotus as the seven chakras, or centers of spiritual power in the human body, in Indian religions. The lotus flower blooms from an unremarkable bud into a flower that glows in the glory of its multi-symmetrical open form. This is an analogy for an unenlightened individual on their journey toward the realization of the Ultimate Truth.
However, the journey of the lotus flower does not begin in the open air, but in the water below. As a bud, it is submerged in water that is not the most pleasant of environments—usually muddy, possibly filled with natural or artificial debris, fish, and insects.
When the time comes to bloom, the bud pushes decisively past the unpleasant and frees itself from its former coop. Only now does the bud spread out to welcome the sun on its face. Not many people consciously notice this fact, but this chronological mechanism ensures that no part of the petals comes into contact with the dirty water.
The core of the flower always remains intact despite the environment in which it began its life. This is another wonderful analogy for the human soul and our experiences in the mortal world—no matter how difficult or challenging our life may be, nothing can tarnish the purity of the human soul.
Historical Religious Significance
The earliest representation of the lotus in association with a particular pantheon is not entirely easy to determine. We know that the ancient Egyptians not only knew the species, but cultivated it in ponds and marshes.
Images from their mythology show the god Horus sitting on a lotus flower with his mother. The hieroglyph for the important cardinal number 1,000 was a lotus. Egyptian women wore amulets emblazoned with the lotus during childbirth.
The lotus is truly elevated to prominence and significance in the two religions that have their roots in India—Hinduism and Buddhism. Many of the gods in the Hindu pantheon are depicted standing on a lotus flower or holding it in their hands, and sometimes both. The “lotus eye” is used to refer to the beauty of the Hindu god Vishnu.
The ‘Padme’ in the powerful Buddhist mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, refers to the lotus. The pink lotus is said to be a natural representation of the Buddha himself.
The Lotus as part of nature
While the lotus has very strong connections to the spiritual world in the eyes of cultures such as Buddhism and Hinduism today, as well as in times past such as in Egypt, it was also a practical addition to the landscape.
In both India and Africa, parts of the lotus such as the tubers and seeds have been used to supplement local diets. It is a very hardy species, something one would not immediately suspect given its delicate appearance. However, a 1,300-year-old lotus seed was found, and when scientists tried to germinate it, it bloomed immediately.
Australian scientists researching the lotus plant discovered that it can regulate its temperature in much the same way as warm-blooded animals like us.
Today, it is a common sight in water features and artificial ponds. The lotus is introduced into bodies of water to add a touch of color to an otherwise featureless surface.
The Lotus Flower in Hinduism and the Sacred Padma Lotus
Sometimes referred to as the “water lily,” the lotus flower has significant importance in the Hindu religion, as the Sacred Padma lotus is associated with several Hindu gods, such as Vishnu, Brahma, Kubera, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Symbolizing purity and divine beauty, one of the main deities of Hinduism and the Supreme Being of Vaishnavism, Vishnu was referred to as “Lotus Eye” in ancient texts of the belief.
Vishnu was depicted holding a lotus flower in his hand in many works of Hindu iconography. According to the Hindu religion, the lotus unfolding its petals is a symbol of one who reaches a deeper state of mind as their soul expands.
In Hinduism, it is believed that the spirit of the Sacred Lotus Flower (Padma) is part of the soul of every human being. It is a symbol of fertility, prosperity, beauty, divinity, and life. The emergence of the lotus flower from dirty and murky waters symbolizes the attainment of spiritual enlightenment and liberation from basic instinctual drives.
The Lotus Flower in Buddhism
In Buddhism, the lotus flower represents purity as it blooms on long stems and moves freely on murky, muddy waters. It is also a symbol of detachment because water moves easily over its petals.
Since the plant grows in murky water, rises above it, and becomes a beautiful flower that reaches the light/enlightenment, the lotus flower is a symbol of strength, perseverance, fortune, and promise in adverse conditions in Buddhism.
The growth/transformation of the lotus flower is also considered a process of purification. As it grows and rises above the murky waters, the flower (representing the soul) purifies itself despite being born in darkness.
Fidelity is another concept associated with the lotus as a symbol, as enlightenment can only be achieved if one works to overcome all adversity and is faithful enough according to Buddhism. The mud from which one must rise represents the suffering into which all human beings are born.
This suffering is part of the journey to enlightenment, as it is a test that will determine whether a soul is strong enough to free itself from the murky waters. Finally, the lotus flower is considered a symbol of reincarnation and rebirth in Buddhism.
Reincarnation is fundamental to Buddhist belief. The transformation of the lotus flower, losing its old leaves and adding new ones every day, is a symbolic process of reincarnation.
The lotus flower in Egyptian culture
The lotus flower was one of the most important symbols in ancient Egyptian religion. Called “seshen,” the flower was a symbol of Upper Egypt and represented creation and rebirth.
It was closely associated with the sun god, Atum-Ra, as it was also a symbol of the sun. Later, the lotus flower became associated with Nefertum, the god of healing, beauty, perfume, and fragrance. Nefertum/Nefertem was often depicted in ancient Egyptian art wearing a crown made of lotus flowers.
Similar to its use in Buddhism, the lotus flower was considered a symbol of rebirth and recreation as it closes its petals at night and opens them again in the morning. This is also why the lotus flower was associated with the dead who entered the underworld to be reborn there.
Another use of the lotus flower in Egyptian culture is related to the cult of Osiris, funerals, the mummification process, and the Four Sons of Horus. The Four Sons of Horus were born from a lotus flower according to Egyptian mythology and were depicted sitting on a lotus flower in various ancient Egyptian works of art. In addition, it was believed that the goddess Isis was born from a lotus flower.
There is a legend in Egyptian mythology that suggests that the sun rose from a lotus flower, while another suggests that a lotus flower emerged from the endless ocean “Nun” and gave birth to the Egyptian sun god when it bloomed.
The lotus flower in Chinese culture
In Chinese Buddhism, the lotus flower is considered sacred, as it is the seat of Buddha. It represents ultimate purity and perfection as it rises from the mud. The lotus flower in Chinese culture also symbolizes the cleansing of the soul as it transforms into outer beauty, thus achieving the true nature of reality according to Buddhist belief.
