The lotus flower appeared in legends originating from ancient Egypt. It played an important part in ancient Egyptian religion. The pure white lotus flower, the only plant to fruit and flower simultaneously, emerges from the depths of the muddy swamp. Growing from the mud at the bottom of ponds and streams, the exquisite Lotus flower rises above the water and is usually white or pink with 15 or more oval, spreading petals, and a peculiar, flat seedcase at its center.
This is a symbol of the sun, of creation and rebirth. Because at night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. According to one creation myth it was a giant lotus which first rose out of the watery chaos at the beginning of time. From this giant lotus the sun itself rose on the first day. A symbol of Upper Egypt .The lotus flower played a prominent role in the version of the creation story that originated in Heliopolis. Before the universe came into being, there was an infinite ocean of inert water which constituted the primeval being named Nun. Out of Nun emerged a lotus flower, together with a single mound of dry land. The lotus blossoms opened, and out stepped the self-created sun god, Atum, as a child.
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.
According to the Lalitavistara, "the spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the lotus in the muddy water which does not adhere to it."
According to another scholar, "in esoteric Buddhism, the heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus: when the virtues of the Buddha develop therein, the lotus blossoms; that is why the Buddha sits on a lotus bloom."
Lotus colors
The many colors of the lotus flower are symbolic to Buddhism. The white lotus flower represents total mental purity (also called “bodhi”). The red lotus represents the original nature and purity of the heart. This is the flower of Avalokiteshvara, the boddhisatva (Buddha-to-be) of compassion.
The blue lotus signifies the triumph of the spirit over the senses and represents wisdom. This is the preferred flower of Manjushri, the boddhisatva of wisdom. And finally there is the pink or supreme lotus, which is associated with the Buddha himself.
The lotus is one of Buddhism's best recognized motifs and appears in all kinds of Buddhist art across all Buddhist cultures. Scrolling lotuses often embellish Buddhist textiles, ceramics and architecture.
The Dai people are telling a story about Musella lasiocarpa. The Golden Lotus plant to them is the embodiment of the 7th Fairy. When She speaks, Her mouth is full of Golden Lotus; and She is also the embodiment of charm and kindness. The Golden Lotus is the symbol of the holy, the noble and the auspicious.
In the love songs of the Dai folks, the young girls like to describe young men as Golden Lotus. On the day of their wedding ceremony, they believe it is a day when the "Golden Lotus goes to Heaven". It seems that the peculiar shape of the Golden Lotus flower has triggered the phantasies of the young girls...
The image of the lotus is often used in the Tattoos
And, of course, such nice flower was impossible to be forgoten by jewellers:
And Here is how to draw Lotus Flower sumi-e Chinese Painting
