PADMA: THE LOTUS PHILOSOPHY
The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an ancient and polyvalent symbol in Asian culture. Hindus revere it with the gods Vishnu, Brahma and the goddesses Lakshmi.
Often used as an example of divine beauty and purity, Vishnu is often described as the “Lotus-Eyed One”.
The lotus flower is one of the Ashtamangala of Buddhism, representative of creation and cosmic renewal and “primordial purity” (Wylie: ka dag) and shares in the chakra and mandala symbolism of the Dharmacakra.
This has also taken root in Chinese cultures with a famous statement made by the 11th century Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi:
“I love the lotus flower because while growing from mud, it is able to emerge unstained by its enviroment.”