Vesak Special: Reflecting on the lotus

At Taiping Buddhist Society (TBS), a man was selling lotuses at the roadside during Vesak Day. Ah, the lotus which is padma in Sanskrit and Tibetan, is often offered to Buddha when a devotee goes to the temple to pay homage and it is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols as well as one of the most poignant representations of Buddhist teaching.The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower basks in the sunlight, above all the dirt and filth. The lotus thus signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. When I was in Bodhgaya, I came across a different species of lotus; or were they lillies?, being offered at Mahabodhi Temple. Today, as I reflect that, I remember having seen and was surprised by yet another species, the white lotuses which were featured in a Vietnamese feature film, Four Seasons. Different people living under the various types of mud of materialism, goes through different experiences I suppose, but all, if they wish, will enjoy the same bright sunshine of enlightenment...

A man selling lotuses in Taiping...



Lotuses in Bodhgaya, India...