Lotus

The lotus plant and its flower have long been symbols of purity and nonattachment in the myriad religious traditions of diverse cultures spanning Asia, from Afghanistan and India to Indonesia and Japan, although worldwide the lotus is perhaps most commonly identified with Hinduism and Buddhism. Due to the natural characteristics of the plant, the lotus has persisted as a symbol of a variety of spiritual virtues for thousands of years. Moreover, the seeds, roots, young leaves, and flowers of the lotus plant are all edible and are common features of the Asian diet as well as being used in traditional medicine. Both India and Vietnam have honored the plant as symbols of their nations, naming the lotus as their national flower.

The roots of the lotus plant draw their sustenance from the mucky bottoms of waterways, rivers, lakes, and ponds, and from these depths, the plant's stalk grows until it reaches the water's surface, where the lotus leaves unfold like a lily pad. The leaves of the lotus plant are water resistant, with any rain or water poured on them simply running off into the river or pond. It is these features of the plant that have allowed for it to become such a lasting symbol of the nonattachment to worldly desires that is so highly sought after in many Asian religious movements. Indeed, the Bhagavad Gita at one point likens those who act in the world without attachment to the world to the leaves of the lotus, which are unaffected by the water's touch. For Buddhists, the fact that the lotus has its roots in the mud while its leaves and flowers float untouched above the water demonstrates the ultimate nondistinction between samsara and nirvana.

The lotus flower, which can range in color from pink to yellow to white, displays a beauty that has long been a feature of the iconography of Indian religions, including Buddhism as it spread to the east. Vishnu, Lakshmi, and other deities of Hindu traditions, as well as various Buddhas and bodhisattvas, are commonly depicted sitting on, adorned with, and/or holding up lotus flowers. The lotus is referenced in India's religious literature such as the Puranas and the Vedas and has lent its name to one of the most important Buddhist scriptures of East Asia, the Lotus Sutra.

[Page 719]The lotus position is the name given to what is arguably the most famous body position to be found in the tradition of hatha yoga. This pose, in which one sits with the legs folded so that the soles of one's feet face upward from one's lap, is also one of the most common forms of seated meditation in Buddhism.