The Lotus Blossom

The Lotus Blossom symbolizes the causality of the spiritual life.

Rising up from the mud of the swamp (the physical world, the body)
Growing up through its murky waters (the world of sensory desire & emotions)
Penetrating the air (the mental world of thoughts and ideas) and
Aspiring towards the light of the sun (the spiritual illumination, the Dharma)
It blossoms into a pure white flower.
It thus represents the Four Virtues of Nirvana personified by the four followers of Buddha.
Leading the countless followers that spring up from the earth.

The Lotus Blossom symbolizes the inseparability of the cause & effect, the provision & reality, and the source & manifestation of enlightenment.

Kuang-Ting's introduction of the 'Hidden Meaning of the Lotus Sutra' (C. Fa-Hua Hsuan-I, J. Hokke Gengi) says:

Because the Wonderful Dharma is difficult to understand, the illustration of the Lotus Blossom is put forward to make it easier to express.

In outlining this from beginning to end, there are six parts.

A. The Lotus Fruit represents the Reality (the seed-bearing fruit of enlightenment) whereas the Blossom represents the Provision (which is the means to enlightenment) – The quotes here are from the Chapter Two of The Lotus Sutra (On the Ways & Means):

1. For the sake of the lotus fruit, there is the blossom; this illustrates that for the sake of the reality one offers a provision. 

2. The blossom opens up and the lotus fruit is manifested; this illustrates opening up the provision and revealing the reality. 

3. The blossom falls away, and the lotus fruit remains. This illustrates the discarding of the provision, and the establishing of the reality. “Simply discarding the ways and means and
        Only teaching the supreme path of enlightenment.”

4. From the source (the lotus fruit) one takes on a manifestation (the blossom). The manifestation depends upon the source. “I have really attained enlightenment and come here for eternity, as I have told you.
   
5. The blossom opens up the lotus is manifested; this illustrates opening up the manifestation and revealing the source. The text of The Lotus Sutra says:
      “All the world reasons that I have just in this lifetime first attained enlightenment,
       but I have attained enlightenment and come here for limitless boundless lifetimes .”

6. The blossom falls away and the lotus is attained; this illustrates the discarding of the manifestation and the establishing of the source. 

Let us be as firm and resolute as the Lotus Blossom, in manifesting the most joy-filled and healthful life we can envision.

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