Plants

Lotus

The lotus, the flower that rises clean from muddy water: what it means in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, its place in ancient Egypt and in the Bahá’í faith, and where you see it today.

Also called Padma · Sacred lotus

In brief

I.The lotus grows in mud yet flowers clean above the water, which made it a sign of purity across Asia.
II.Hindu gods such as Brahma and Lakshmi sit or stand on lotuses; the Buddha is often shown seated on one.
III.In Buddhism the opening flower stands for the mind waking up.
IV.Ancient Egypt prized a water lily, also called a lotus, as a sign of the sun and rebirth.

Chapter I

What it means

The lotus roots in mud at the bottom of a pond, rises through the water and opens its flower in the air, untouched by the dirt below. That simple fact made it one of the great symbols of Asia: purity in the midst of the world, the soul rising from ignorance into light.

In Hindu art the gods sit or stand on lotus thrones, and a lotus springs from the navel of Vishnu with the creator Brahma inside it. The goddess Lakshmi holds lotuses as signs of beauty and good fortune. In Buddhism the closed bud is the mind before awakening and the open flower the awakened mind; the mantra Om mani padme hum speaks of the “jewel in the lotus”. Jain images show the Tirthankaras, the great teachers, seated on lotuses.

Chapter II

Where it comes from

The lotus appears in Indian art from at least the 2nd century BCE, carved on the railings and gateways of early Buddhist stupas. It became the standard seat of holy figures across Hindu, Buddhist and Jain art, and travelled with Buddhism to China, Japan and Tibet.

Separately, ancient Egyptians prized the water lily, which closes at night and opens at dawn, as a sign of the sun and of rebirth. One image shows the young sun god rising from a lotus flower.

Chapter III

Where you see it today

The lotus is the national flower of India. The Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, known as the Lotus Temple, is built in the shape of an opening flower. Lotus designs are common in yoga studios, tattoos and jewellery around the world.

Questions people ask

Is the Egyptian lotus the same plant?

No. The “lotus” of Egyptian art is a water lily, the blue or white Nymphaea. The sacred lotus of India, Nelumbo nucifera, is a different plant, though both open their flowers by day.

What do the colours of the lotus mean?

Buddhist traditions sometimes give the colours meanings, such as white for purity and red for compassion. These readings vary from one tradition to another.

Sources and further reading

Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Sacred lotus”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Egyptian lotus”
Robert Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols (Serindia, 2003)
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism (Cambridge University Press, 2nd ed. 2013)
Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Religious symbolism and iconography”

← All symbols · ↑ Back to top