Lotus Blooming From The Mud ...
Throughout the various traditions of Buddhism, the image of the lotus surfaces time and time again. Resting gently on the water's surface, yet with roots extending deep into the mud below, it symbolizes the Buddha's status in the world. The lotus also stands for awakening itself, from the Sanskrit बुद्ध buddha, and बोधि bodhi — awakened.
An inspiring symbol of triumph over adversity, the lotus could even be said to represent a contemplative path of neither attachment nor detachment, being in the world but not of the world. Such a path is open and accessible to all, culminating in the deepest peace.
Here, we explore the symbolism of the lotus in the early Buddhist tradition. Drawing on a mere three key passages from the Pāli Canon, the lotus is brought to life — in full color, full fragrance, full bloom. Meanwhile, we also examine the implications of the lotus metaphor for contemplative practice, offering an ecology of practice for navigating a world seemingly in dream-like disarray.
Although the lotus hovers above the muck, it has its origins right within the muddy depths. With full lucidity, observe the lotus as it unfurls.
Unsmeared, Undrenched
Tracing itself across the Indian religious and philosophical traditions, the lotus is an important source of symbolism in Buddhism in particular. Standing for purity and transcendence, it also represents a connection to the earth and its muddy waters. After all, if the lotus flower were severed from its stalk and roots, which are firmly planted in the earthy sludge far beneath the water's pristine surface, the flower would soon wilt and die.
As such, we stand to learn quite a bit from the lotus. Its equipoise, balanced in stillness on the surface of the water while still connected to the muddy depths, can perhaps inspire or teach contemplatives like ourselves how to tread the middle way.
As a contemplative exercise of sorts, consider each of the following passages, scattered throughout the early strata of teachings contained in the Pāli Canon, all of them containing poetic references to the lotus as a symbol for the awakened one (बुद्ध buddha). The image of the lotus can even be invoked in visualization practice during formal meditation.
"As the prickly lotus is unsmeared by water & mud, so the sage, an exponent of peace, without greed, is unsmeared by sensuality & the world." (Snp 4.9)
"Like a blue lotus, rising up, unsmeared by water, unsmeared am I by the world, and so, brahman, I'm awake." (AN 4.36)
"As the flower of a lotus, arisen in water, blossoms, pure-scented and pleasing the mind, yet is not drenched by the water, in the same way, born in the world, the Buddha abides in the world; And like the lotus by water, he does not get drenched by the world." (Thag 15.2)
Such references are repeated dozens of times throughout the Pāli Canon and beyond. In them, we find the lotus symbolizing the Buddha's position with regard to the world — neither attached nor detached, neither aloof nor entrenched. Unsmeared, undrenched, he nonetheless remains part of the world. His immunity to the dream-like delusion allows him to remain in contact with the earth yet unsmeared by mud, undrenched by water, undeluded by the dream.
This sort of immunity could be considered a form of non-attachment, but it remains far from uncaring indifference or detachment. The Buddha awakened to the reality of existentially dissatisfactory turning and churning on the wheel of saṃsāra, a "wandering on" that is seemingly without end, leaving those in the cycle disoriented and depleted.
Despite awakening to this reality through training in lucid awareness, clear discernment, and meditative insight (vipassanā), thereby transcending its otherwise relentless grasp, the Buddha did not cut off all ties as detachment implies. Rather, he maintained an equanimous non-attachment as the cycle continued to churn for others, helping to free them from its nauseating course.
Awake Within A Dream
Recall again the meaning of the term Buddha (बुद्ध). Standing literally for "awakened," it is also invoked in the middle passage, "Like a blue lotus, rising up, unsmeared by water, unsmeared am I by the world, and so, brahman, I'm awake," which reads in Pāli, "puṇḍarīkaṃ yathā vaggu toyena nūpalippati / nūpalittomhi lokena tasmā buddhosmi brāhmaṇāti," a beautifully poetic reflection. Despite being awake, however, the Buddha continues to interact with dreaming beings.
What prompts him to proclaim himself awakened? Contextually, his statement is a response to an onslaught of questions from a brahman, a man of the highest caste, by the name of Dona, who followed his footprints to where the Buddha sat meditating under a tree.
Upon initially encountering the Buddha's footprints, Dona was astonished by how perfectly shaped they were, and even more struck by the pervasive peaceful presence emanating from the Buddha in his meditation. Intrigued, he wished to know who this mysterious being was and so inquired, “Are you a god? Are you a celestial being? Are you a nature spirit? Are you a human?” Awoken from his meditation, though without ever leaving it, the Buddha replies, "I am awake" (buddhosmi).
Although awakened to reality, he does not leave dreaming beings behind. Lucid in the dream, he does not fuel the illusion nor succumb to the delusion of its seeming stable, solid, substantial. He is in the world, but not of the world, present to the dream with awareness as pristine as the water's surface on which the lotus rests, but not overcome by it, unsmeared by mud, undrenched by water.
Cutting off all contact from the dream is not the point of training in lucid awareness, clear discernment, meditative insight (vipassanā). Upon awakening, the Buddha could very well have remained in seclusion, apart from the muddiness of the world. In fact, he entertained such an option, fearing others would not understand, but a visit from a god prompted him to reconsider. For the sake of others still dreaming, for the sake of "those with little dust in their eyes," he remained.
While he severed all bonds, he did not sever contact all together. Invoking the lotus metaphor once more, cutting off a flower from its roots only ends its life. Not only does the severed flower wilt and die, it further decomposes as its petals decay and fragrance fades, returning to the very soil that nourished and sustained it. Rather than prematurely end the dream, the Buddha awoke within it and assisted other beings.
For the Sake of Other Beings
Where does that leave us who are still dreaming, some of us in deep sleep and others perhaps on the brink of awakening? What we might be able to discern from such musings on the image and symbolism of the lotus is that awakening within a dream and remaining within the dream for the sake of those still dreaming is a path within reach.
Importantly, awakening to certain realities need not alienate us from those who are still dreaming. While seeing others continue to indulge in the dream, not knowing it to be so, can be immensely frustrating, such frustration is fruitless unless transformed into compassion to assist in the awakening process.
The lotus neither severs all ties from the mud beneath it nor buries itself in such mud. It rises to the surface, unsmeared by mud, undrenched by water, and makes itself an example for others through its fragrance and color.
By serving as an example in the world, the awakened manifest themselves to dreaming beings so that they too may awaken. May all beings be free.
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