What does the lotus symbolise in Eastern religions?

In Hinduism, the lotus (Sanskrit: padma) primarily represents beauty and non-attachment. The lotus is rooted in the mud but floats on the water without becoming wet or muddy. This symbolizes how how one should live in the world in order to gain release from rebirth: without attachment to one's surroundings.



"One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water."

-- Bhagavad Gita 5.10





The lotus (Sanskrit and Tibetan padma) is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols and 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 lies pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.



Though there are other water plants that bloom above the water, it is only the lotus which, owing to the strength of its stem, regularly rises eight to twelve inches above the surface.

What does the lotus symbolise in Eastern religions?
reincarnation
Reply:The Lotus is a spiritual Flower. The entire gigantic spiritual world is situated on a Gigantic Lotus flower. The Supreme Lord Krishna's eyes are compared to a lotus petal and His feet are lotus feet, and His smile lotus smile. Meaning so beautiful, The Lotus is used in the Scriptures for so many analogies. I really like this one. "This life is tittering,like a drop of water on a lotus petal" By Bhaktivenode Thakura. The petals of a lotus flower have a waxy coating and if you put a drop of water on it it will easily slide back and forth and can easily fall off.

The feet of the spirituala master are considered to be lotus feet. Because like the lotus flower is in the water, it never touches the water due to the wax coating. And the spiritual masters feet never touh the material world, due to being in the spiritual energy of God. Krishna Loves the Lotus. It is said that the petals of the lotus in the spiritula world (Goloka Vrindavan.) carry the residents from one place to antoher very quickely. The petals are subtle like escelaters in a sence.
Reply:Our national flower – LOTUS



A symbol of purity, fertility, eternity and the divine seat of the goddess Lakshmi, the lotus is also the National Flower of India. Here’s why this flower is so pure.



In India, the lotus is considered as a sacred flower and a lot of folklore and religious mythology is woven around it. It is also the national flower of India.



Religious and social symbolism



The lotus stands tall, clean and beautiful despite its murky surroundings. Rich in meaning and metaphor; it is considered as the foremost symbol of purity, beauty, wealth and fertility. It is also symbolic of youth and feminine beauty.



Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and several other deities, sit on huge lotus flowers. Many gods and goddesses are also depicted holding a lotus in one of their (many) hands!



Hinduism adjures human beings to be like the lotus–to maintain the purity of the mind and body while floating on the muddy waters of sins and desires.



The seeds of the lotus have been found to be viable for germination even after thousands of years. Hence it is a symbol of a strong vital force that can withstand extremely adverse conditions.



Buddhism also attaches a lot of importance to the lotus.



The popular ‘padmasana’ in yoga means the ‘lotus position’.



Science



Moving to science, the botanical name of the lotus is Nilumbo Nucifera. Here, it is just another flower. But its peculiar properties have awed scientists. Research shows that the lotus is indeed pure -even from the scientific point of view.



You must have seen those large round lotus leaves. If you can get one them, try splashing lots of water on them. You will find that all the water rolls off the leaf. Then, if you touch the leaf it will still be dry. What is it that makes it water repellent?



Scientific research shows that the leaves of all aquatic plants secrete wax crystals. Thus the leaves are in a sense, coated with a layer of wax which repels water. This prevents the leaves from getting drenched in the water around them. Interestingly, these wax crystals also help the leaves to retain the required amount of water within them.



Further studies by scientists have led to the discovery of something more interesting. It has been called the “lotus effect”. According to this, the lotus has an amazing ability to clean itself. It can easily wash off any dirt or microorganisms such as bacteria that try to settle on it.



To understand how they do it, we must take a deeper look into the structure of the lotus leaves. Contrary to popular belief, lotus leaves are not smooth. When the leaf cells are examined under a powerful microscope, they are seen to have a bumpy surface. This means that the surface of the leaf is actually rough. These rough surfaces were found to be spotlessly clean. They did not require to be cleaned even for viewing under the microscope.



Where does the dirt go?



The dirt particles form its surroundings lodge themselves on the tip of the wax crystals on the leaf. Also, because of the roughness they cannot hold on very tightly to the surface.



Next, when water comes in contact with the surface, it forms droplets which slide off immediately. Since the dirt particles rest loosely on the miniature bumps, they stick more strongly to the water droplets than to the leaf surfaces. Therefore the water droplets carry away the dirt particles as they run off. In this way they the lotus manages to wash itself without any effort.



Had the surface been smooth, the dirt particles would have been pushed from one part of the leaf to the other. Also on a flat surface they would find a greater contact area and hence would rest more firmly.



Even if a few of the microorganisms remain on the leaf, they do not get water for survival and eventually die. Thus the lotus is able to purify itself.
Reply:The Lotus represents purity and sacredness in Hinduism



Goddess lakshmi stands on a lotus.



From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padma_(attr...



Padma (nelumblum speciosum), the sacred lotus, is an aquatic plant that plays a central role in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.



The lotus and lotus flower is an ancient polyvalent symbol. The lotus flower is one of the Vajrayana Ashtamangala. It is representative of creation and cosmic renewal and shares in the chakra and mandala symbolism of the Dharmachakra. It also represents purity as its flowers grow on long stalks, which are rooted in the mud. It is also symbolic of detachment as drops of water easily slide off its petals.



According to Sanatana Dharma, Padma (the deity and lotus), springs from the navel of Vishnu whilst he is in Yoga Nidra upon Ananta Shesha. The lotus blooms uncovering Brahma in padmasana.[1] The Padma is held to be a flower with a thousand petals and is therefore associated with the Sahasrara and indeed all the chakra. The padma appears as an endemic dais upon which deities rest and indeed upon which Indian iconography is founded. A number of divine figures are associated with the Padma, including Kubera and Lakshmi.



Robert Lawlor (1991: p.388) states:



The lotus in both Egypt and India symbolizes the union of the four elements; earth, air, fire, and water. The roots are in the earth, it grows in and by means of water, its leaves are nourished by air, and it blooms through the power of the sun's fire. The lotus is therefore the perfection of the fourfold order of the natural world. The growth of a new flower directly from the earth-bound original (infloresent proliferation) may be interpreted as a symbol of transcendence as found in Indian philosphophy: a spiritual emergence of a higher world directly from our physical manifestation. It may also be interpreted, as in Egypt, as the exaltation of the essence quality of the lotus.





The lotus is highly revered in Buddhism. Buddhist attributes for the lotus is given in a detailed article in the website cited below.
Reply:http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/sy...







http://altreligion.about.com/library/glo...



Simple and clear definitions.
Reply:Lotus symbolizes Super consciousness. As you know the fact that Chakras are also called lotuses, because the nerve centers or nadis in Astral Body(even in Physical body) are shaped like Lotus.
Reply:LOTUS is a divine flower in Eastern Religions.



Hindus associate the lotus blossom with creation mythology, and with the gods Vishnu, Brahma, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati. From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Hindu tradition. It is often used as an example of divine beauty, for example Vishnu is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularily Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potence and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated with them. In Hindu iconography, deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats. In Hindi it is called ??? (Kamal) which is also a popular name for men, the female form is Kamala.



The lotus flower is quoted extensively within Puranic and Vedic literature, for example:



One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water. Bhagavad Gita 5.10



In Buddhism, The lotus flower (nelumbium speciosum), a member of the water-lily family. The plant is used throughout Buddhist literature as a symbol of purity, since it grows with its roots in the mud but its blossom above the water. The mud symbolizes the roots of evil (aku?ala-mūla), namely greed (rāga), hatred (dve?a), and delusion (moha), while the blossom stands for enlightenment (bodhi). In iconography, holy figures are often depicted seated on a lotus blossom. Red and white are the colours most commonly associated with the lotus, although a blue lotus (Sanskrit, utpala) is also known.-
Reply:In Islam, Lotus is like any other flower. It is a beautiful flower which is created to spread its leafs during day time. No special significance for lotus and other created things in Islam. Each has its beginning, its purpose and its end.
Reply:I loved the link. From the mud to the different stages. I applied this allegory sometime ago to a tree as in the tree of life. The roots,branches,seeds etc. All being symbolic of us ever growing separation yet still being related. Going deeper having roots in darkness seeking water and the foliage seeking sunlight etc. The lotus read was beautiful though.