Lotus

A free Dhamma book celebration of the lotus flower and of Buddhist quotations

LOTUS martin bradley

A digital chap book published by The Blue Lotus Publishing

LOTUS Copyright © 2022 Martin A Bradley A digital chap book published by The Blue Lotus Publishing,Colchester, Essex, England 2022

LOTUS martin bradley

A free Dhamma book celebration of the lotus flower and of Buddhist quotations A digital chap book published by The Blue Lotus Publishing

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Evam maya shrutam (this is what I heard) That in Buddhism the lotus plant is symbolic of the struggle of the individual gaining an ‘awakening’. Each stage of the lotus’s growth represents a different stage towards ‘Nirvana’ (Nibbana in Pali) which means the end of desire and therefore the end of suffering (awakening).

First the lotus seed, fallen from the dried pod and grown in mud, represents humans born in ‘Samsara’ (the everyday world) a world where there is ‘Dukkha’ (translated as suffering, unhappiness, pain, unsatisfactoriness or stress), which is part of the human experience.

The lotus grows from that seed, out of the mud, through water and eventually breaks through into the air.

The budding lotus represents a time when a person’s journey begins towards awakening. The flower develops from the bud until, finally, it has fully bloomed, open, indicative of an awakening and self-awareness.

Growing from mud, the lotus flower also represents rebirth, in a symbolic sense. Rebirth can be a change of ideas, an acceptance of the path towards the path of being a Buddha (the awakened one) and the intent to journey towards our own awakening.

In Tibet ‘OM MANI PADME HUM’ is chanted, which literally means “Behold, the Jewel in the Lotus”, or observe the revelation of one’s authentic buddha nature.

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“The flower of a lotus, arisen in water, blossoms, pure-scented and pleasing the mind, yet is not drenched by the water”.

Udayin Thera: The Blooming Lotus

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“‘All conditioned things are impermanent’ — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.”

From the Dhammapada, verse 277

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“A mind unruffled by the vagaries of fortune, from sorrow freed, from defilements cleansed, from fear liberated — this is the greatest blessing.”

From the Mangala Sutta

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“Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”

From the Samyutta Nikaya

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“Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet.”

From the Sutta Nipata

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“Mind precedes all mental states.

Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow”.

From the Dhammapada, verse 1

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“Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit” From the Na Tumhaka Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya.

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“To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing.”

From the Maha-mangala Sutta: Blessings

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“One should train in [three] deeds of merit—generosity, a balanced life, developing a loving mind— that yield long-lasting happiness.”

From the Itivuttika

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“Speak only endearing speech, speech that is welcomed. Speech, when it brings no evil to others, is a pleasant thing.”

From the Sutta Nipata.

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“Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one’s own acts, done and undone.”

From the Dhammapada, verse 50

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“One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield.

Be victorious over yourself and not over others. When you attain victory over yourself, not even the gods can turn it into defeat.”

From the Dhammapada

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“One should train in deeds of merit—generosity, a balanced life, developing a loving mind—that yield long-lasting happiness.”

From the Itivuttika

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“Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.”

From the Karaniya Metta Sutta

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“A noble one produces an abundance of merit by having a compassionate mind towards all living beings.”

From the Itivuttika

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“Neither pleasant words nor a pretty face can make beautiful a person who is jealous, selfish, or deceitful. Only those who have uprooted such impurities from the mind are fit to be called beautiful.”

From the Dhammapada

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“A friend gives what is hard to give, and does what’s hard to do. They put up with your harsh words, and with things hard to endure.”

From the Mitta Sutta

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“Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this teaching and discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation.”

From the Udana

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“We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.”

From the Samyutta Nikaya

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““There can be no meditation for those who are not wise, and no wisdom for those who do not meditate. Growing in wisdom through meditation, you will surely be close to nirvana.”

From the Dhammapada,

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Other chap books in this series from The Blue Lotus Publishing

Malim Nawar Morning 2014

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Cambodia Chill 2014

Remembering Whiteness 2015

Being here now 2020

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Thank you for reading this chap book.

I hope that you enjoyed it.

The Blue Lotus will be publishing more digital chap books in the future

A free Dhamma book celebration of the lotus flower and of Buddhist quotations A digital chap book published by The Blue Lotus Publishing 2022