THE MEANING OF LOTUS FLOWER IN BUDDHISM.

 

The lotus is a symbol associated with the Buddhist tradition, the Vietnamese people are quite familiar with the Buddha image sits on a lotus. Author Hue People will help us to discover the meaning of the lotus in two aspects: science and Buddhism .

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Sen in scientific classification

Lotus is a perennial aquatic plant life, springing up from the roots beneath the mud ATN standing pond water, muddy or dirty rivers and lakes. The large leaves with a diameter of 20 cm-60 cm, often floating on the water like a buoy and is characterized by waterproof.

My old shower when there are many small spines and has a height of about 0.5-1.5 m. Flowers grow on the body to and raised on the water and there are many different colors depending on the type: from snow-white to pale yellow or pink. Lotus can be planted by seed or rhizomes like spinach.

According to Theophrastus in the flora of the Nile, the lotus originating from the following countries: Egypt, India, China, Korea, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Vietnam and north of Australia.

In lotus scientific classification of the they Nelumbonaceae (Latin), Nelumbonaceae a family, including two species of the genus Nelumbo. Nelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large leaves, rhizomes cattle, cotton smells like water lily varieties are often referred to as the lotus. Nelumbo is the name comes from the Sinhalese word Nelum. There are two lotus species of this genus, which is Nelumbo nucifera and Nelumbo aureavallis.

Nelumbo aureavallis the species found in the Golden Valley in North Dalota, United States, and this species has become extinct. Nelumbo nucifera is the scientific name of a lotus flower is best known in India, Egypt and Vietnam.

Sen of the capital Proteales is the name of the plant taxonomists used to put up in the order of flowering plants. Sen the world Plantae.

Flowers rise out of the water, road shows sepals, stigmas, seeds and pure aroma, so loved by everyone. Long ago, in the tradition of Asian countries. The lotus is used as a sacred symbol, to represent the noble personality, energy firm, is not affected by bad circumstances. The affected person often lead to social difficulties in the circumstances, but they strive to live a life worthy, in spirit, strength, endurance, endure and overcome through .

When its petals open, as well as a meaningful say extended life of the soul. The appearance of pure uncontaminated beauty, from where the mud. The lotus is also cited in the text as well as Buddhist Puranas and the Vedas of Hinduism.

"The person who performs his duty without attachment, give the results to God, will not be affected by the effects of sin, like the lotus leaves no stick". Bhagavad Gita 5.10.

Lotus in Buddhism

According to Buddhist legend, after the Buddha was born, he walked seven steps and each step has lotus leg for him. Then each time Pagoda, Buddha look-up table, the statue of Buddha sitting on a lotus.

Thus it can be said that the lotus is the image, harmonious, characteristic of a life cycle of eight petals, born from the dark, muddy boom the integrity of the need to achieve complete . Eight petals of the lotus is also are 8 typical characteristics, to understand the part about the metabolism and achievements in the study of Buddhist teachings through the following phrases:

* No pollution : Live in the mud than dirt, but showers remain self-sufficient to reach up out of the water for flowers, fragrant incense gift of life. Sludge is generally considered bad image, dirty, polluted. White or yellow or red direction of the lotus flower is a symbol of the characteristics of the pure, luxurious and indulgent.

The picture above is the meaning, to tell the patient, self-training of the Buddha, whether living in any difficult environment, should also try to overcome overcome to achieve success yourself and to others, this can be seen and verified through the life of the Buddha.

He was born and living in the world, but he is not infected with the troubles of the society created by humans. Conversely, he also sought to guide people out of the sea of ​​suffering in His own awakening.

Buddhahood is the lotus not polluted available in each one, just know promote it seriously, in practice individuals each day, it will give you as well as for those who live around the scent, pure, perfect, to expand real happiness now.

* filtration, sedimentation, removal of toxins : This is a special function of the lotus, because, despite living in stinking mud, but the leaves and flowers of the lotus does not get muddy and the lotus that grows, then in which water is deposited.

This image is meant to tell the true education, the cultivation of virtue, the good qualities, and also how to behave properly, in actual daily life is also very good.

Pace of life today, due to excess eating habits, physical inactivity and environmental pollution, which causes many serious diseases. If you like to protect your body healthy, you should regularly purify the body by removing what is harmful to the body.

The embodiment of life born and raised in swampy place, where lotus flowers bloom and expand its petals to open up the a pure country lanes, such as praise for life youth, through the more integrated, adaptive environment, purge impurities, by his own rhizomes. It is also a symbol of transformation and achievement for Buddhist Studies. A happiness that now, when the mind and body deposits, pure purity.

* Be patient, wait : Sen flowering plants, angiosperms, the embryo of seeds including roots, hypocotyls, cotyledons, bud sprouts. After fertilization, the ovule becomes the seed. In "Principles of formation and germination of seeds" produced by Dr. study compiled KE Ovtsarov, published in 1976 in Moscow have said: In Tokyo people found the canoe lies in the soil 3,000 years. The lotus seed is in the (boat) which was later germinate and grow into plants.

This is also a sense of patience, waiting, although not developed in the living conditions, but the viability of lotus seeds remain in the seed embryo, by understanding the rules and self-protection, self-healing in a natural way on their own, based on the surrounding environment, to create the basic conditions for the sustainment and growth.

Through image shows the patient actively working to achieve the desired result is the nice thing to do. But the truth of the desired results, requires time, have to go through many processes evolve in stages as: the time to act, but also the need to know the wait time . Because of the successful completion of a meaningful way, only to have a reasonable decision at the right time.

From the long sleep of the lotus seeds in the boat buried in the ground, until it met the conditions, to restore regeneration is a proof of the causes and conditions in Buddhism. Because, the good results achieved, not only depend on ourselves or our own effort, but also need to learn to live knowing and accepting the fact in relation to the prevailing around.

Sen germinate in the dark mud, purify filthy things to survive, overcome deep water rose to the surface, spreading leaves, flowers, is a process of patience strive to find the good life. Pictures of Lotus through three stages of growth and flowers. This is a significant help to the study of Buddhist teachings or spontaneous, self-extinction of greed, hatred and delusion which reaches its own pure essence of life with patience.

When encountering difficulties with patience, rather than angry, remind yourself to remember the image of lotus seeds germinate in the dark mud, purify filthy things to survive, so I should not follow the consequences of the action, hatred and delusion to harm himself.

Facing any difficulties, please use patience and tolerance, which incurs temporary suffering, rather than to regret lifelong remorse for doing things without thinking.

Sacrifice, bear little things, is a trained ability to overcome great difficulties in the future.

Usually we can not recognize the difference between human beings and their behavior. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge . Cato the Elder said: "Patience is the greatest virtue of all virtues." Isaac Newton said: "If I have discovered the value, which is due to patient attention than any talent I have." So, patience is what and how can we be patient? How to humility? When there is no "I", humility, patience, patience ...

Lotus bloom is due to the cooperation between the seeds, stems, roots and nature. So to achieve the pure essence for yourself, is to manually set the nature of patient to the highest level through collaboration of patience and patience. END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.MHDT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUNS=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.6/1/2013.NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).