Lotus symbol in Buddhism

5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians showed their devotion to the lotus and used it in many rituals. Later, the lotus was spread to many other regions such as Persia, India and China to other countries, including Indochina.

Symbolic meaning of lotus flower

In India, the cradle of Buddhism, the image of the lotus growing in the mud has been considered a symbol of morality and represents spiritual strength. The eight-petaled lotus is a symbol of harmony in the universe. The lotus is considered to have many virtues close to the life of the enlightened one, expressing the teachings of the Buddha, so it is consideredwonderful

Lotus hidden deep in the mud, far away from the world is calledvirus, like the life of a monk who always stays away from worldly things, that life is a silent dedication, an effort to reach liberation, not to show off.

The humble lotus does not show off its beauty to other flowers in the field, so it is calledhidden, showing humility like the monastic life of a Buddhist. The lotus leaf facing up to the sky with veins like the strokes of nature is calledmicroscopic. All right sides of the leaves are facing up symbolizing sincerity.

Every part of the lotus has a use, either for medicinal purposes or for eating, which is calleddelicate, just like the body, speech, and mind of a Buddhist who knows how to restrain his body and mind always have the effect of saving people and helping life.

The lotus does not bloom in the morning and fade in the evening, but blooms in the morning and buds again at night; it is calledhidden and manifested at willBuddhists appear when needed, and quietly hide when not needed.

The lotus does not show its fragrance and color in spring, nor does it wither in autumn. Each year it bears a new body and a new flower; this is calledcold test not miraculous. Buddhists are also the same, they do not become enthusiastic when they encounter favorable conditions and then become discouraged and give up when faced with obstacles, but always strive diligently towards the path of liberation while still courageously saving people and helping the world.

The life of the lotus is also an illustration of the Buddhist theory of reincarnation. Under the silent water after the lotus season has ended, we think that the lotus's life is buried forever. But no, under there nothing is lost, only preparation for a new life to appear. The lotus withers, the lotus blooms, the lotus withers... is just a normal cycle of reincarnation as long believed by Buddhism.

Lotus has flowers clustered around seeds, seeds clustered in flowers are calledsummary of the wonderful chapter; represents the lifestyle of the Sangha, always attached to each other in the spirit of harmony while each individual remains independent.

Lotus is both flower and fruit calledsimultaneous cause and effect, is another illustration of the Buddhist theory of cause and effect. Thanks to all these noble qualities, the lotus is close to the Buddha, representing the Buddha's will.

Lotus image in architecture

In Buddhist architecture, the lotus image has been used as a main decoration. Right from the selection of land for the temple, people must also pay attention to "... on the right side there is a lotus image with a banner, precious parasol...". The lotus is also included in the symbol of the lotus throne where Buddha resides.

The lotus throne is both a pedestal for a taller, more majestic statue and also symbolizes that Buddha is an enlightened being who has discovered the truth, so he sits on a lotus throne to represent the purity and radiance of wisdom.

The lotus throne represents the Buddha nature in a person that has been fully developed. The lotus throne is often made up of two or three layers of petals in a soft, open shape, with quite sharp curves. One layer of petals turns down following the Buddha's right hand, representing gentleness, and one layer of petals turns up to support the Buddha, representing subjugation.

The Buddha statue, whether standing or sitting, is always seated on a multi-tiered lotus throne. It is a manifestation of the sacred and transcendent, the growth of a spirit of goodness.

The lotus is also represented on the architecture of temple gates and towers. Temple gates are often the three-door gates, meaning the gate of discipline, the gate of concentration, and the gate of wisdom. It is the boundary between the sacred world and the mortal world, and also represents the Buddhist practice motto.

For that reason, the decorative motifs on the gate pillars are often peaceful scenes or Buddhist stories, including the lotus motif.

Lotus flowers are embossed on pillars with one or two layers of curved, slender petals. On the temple gate panels, the lotus motif is a clear eight-petal lotus. The three lower petals symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddha-Dharma-Sangha. The five upper petals symbolize the five virtues of the five Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that Buddhists wish to attain.

New features of Vietnamese pagoda towers

In the space of the pagoda, the image of the tower creates a rather unique highlight. In Vietnam, the tower and the pagoda are two independent structures, completely different from the tower in the Buddhist homeland of India. In particular, in Hue, a system of tomb towers with a unique architectural style has been formed. In which, the lotus motif decorated on the top of the tower has a profound meaning. In this case, the tower is the nine-grade lotus tower.

The lotus image is also decorated on the temple bell. Made of copper, the patterns on the bell body are very sophisticated. In particular, the lotus image is meticulously decorated on the shoulder and mouth of the bell, quite aesthetically pleasing. Lotus petals are often interwoven with tassels, or stylized with wavy curves...

For generations, in Buddhist art and architecture, we see artists always trying to incorporate the lotus image with the intention of expressing the profound meaning of the lotus. That is why some people think that Buddhism is the “Lotus” religion.