Why use lotus to symbolize Buddhism?

Why can lotus be used as a symbol of Buddhism?

Text: Ran Miao

If we choose a flower as the representative of Buddhism in the public election, there is no doubt that it is lotus. Lotus represents Buddhism, and statues of buddhas and bodhisattvas, whether sitting or standing, are inseparable from lotus. Speaking of lotus, its public image is "purity", "purity" and "getting out of the mud without dyeing" ... but is this really all? Everything in the world, flowers and plants, lotus is the main representative. I think there must be other advantages.

Speaking of Lian Fang's extraordinary victory, I personally think it is largely due to the spread of the Lian Fang Classic. The Lotus Flower Sutra, referred to as "Golden Eye" for short, has been regarded as indispensable in terms of Buddhist principles and literary attainments since Kumarajiva's translation. Since ancient times, countless people have studied and studied him, and some even commented on him as "the method of becoming a Buddha." It can be seen that the status of northern religion in Buddhism in Han Dynasty is very high. Because "Hokkekyo" uses lotus as a metaphor for wonderful methods, lotus will once become the national flower.

According to the analysis of the wise masters in Sui Dynasty, Beijing Lotus is not only "clean" and "out of the mud without staining". It can represent the whole Hokkekyo, even the whole of the Buddha's 49-year statement. Below, according to the meaning of lotus in Hokkekyo, briefly explain:

There are 28 articles in Hokkekyo. The wise master takes strength, reality, precision and trace as the theme, which is divided into the first 14 articles and the last 14 articles, that is, showing real power and essence. The first fourteen products are trace doors, and the last fourteen products are our doors. Then, the three meanings of lotus are used as a metaphor to explain the will of the whole sutra.

Lotus has three meanings: one is lotus; Second, it is the lotus; Third, it is the lotus.

First of all, there are three metaphors:

First, for lotus, it is the right to implement: lotus blooms because it wants to cultivate lotus seeds. It's like, the Buddha explained it in various ways so that all living beings can prove the truth. "Hokkekyo Convenience Goods" said: "Knowing silence first, simplifying complexity, although showing various ways, is actually a Buddha's ride." That is to say, after the Buddha became a Taoist, it is said that in the past 49 years, although 84,000 Dharmas have been revealed, it is actually for all beings to finally reveal their own consciousness and knowledge of Buddhism. Only Buddha riding is the ultimate goal.

Second, the lotus flower is now blooming-Yu Kaiquan shows the reality: the lotus flower is a wonderful flower. At the same time as the flowers are in full bloom, the fruits have already borne. Therefore, the metaphor here is that after all beings heard about Buddhism and Buddhism, the fruits of enlightened Mahayana finally appeared at the Dharma meeting. Buddha no longer speaks with all kinds of convenience, but can generously tell the public his most authentic and unique truth. Therefore, Hokkekyo said, "Open the door of convenience and reveal the truth".

If someone asks, why didn't the Buddha directly say the reality method at first? The reason is very simple, that is, people are too low-level to understand. You don't want to hear it if you don't understand it.

Third, the flower becomes a lotus-the metaphor of the right to stand firm is abolished: after a period of blooming, the lotus will wither after its beauty reaches the extreme. As soon as the flowers wither, the lotus is ripe and exposed to people as a whole. This shows that after a period of time, all beings understand the truth and finally understand that everyone can become a Buddha. In this way, the Buddha can put away all the convenient and convenient methods he established before. Just like the metaphor in the Diamond Sutra, when people cross the river, they can throw it away without tools such as bamboo rafts. At this time, the Buddha's statement is that "if a person is distracted and enters the stupa temple, it is said that there is no Buddha in the south and he has become a Buddha." This is the most extraordinary and highest Buddhist principle.

Second, explain Hokkekyo's three metaphors.

First, because of the lotus-the metaphor hangs in the book: there is a fragment in "Hokkekyo's products spewing out from the ground". When Sakyamuni Buddha spoke at the Lingshan meeting, countless bodhisattvas gushed out from the ground. Maitreya Bodhisattva wondered where these Bodhisattvas came from. Why haven't you seen it before? Who is educated? The Buddha replied: These are uneducated bodhisattvas, all my disciples, who have come to protect Hokkekyo. Maitreya Bodhisattva said, look at the practice of these Bodhisattvas, there are at least a few robberies. Sakyamuni Buddha has only been a Buddha for more than 40 years. How can he be enlightened? Some people even say that this is "the world doesn't believe that fathers are young and sons are old", just like a 25-year-old young man has a son of 100, which is a joke.

At this time, the Buddha said that if someone grinds the world into a mote, count the worlds through 500 motes in the east, plant a mote, and then grind these worlds into motes, a mote is a great disaster. I had become a Buddha before this dust was robbed. This arithmetic is really unimaginable. Let's just say it was a long time ago. So long ago, the Buddha became a Buddha, and the prince who showed off the king's sudden meal in this life became a monk, demonized and enlightened, just for the convenience of educating all beings.

So "Beijing Shouliangpin" said, "It's been a long time since I became a Buddha ... but it is said that I became a monk less and got three virtues and three bodhis. I have realized that it is the foundation, so it is convenient to show that this body is hanging, just like the lotus is in bud when it is not in full bloom, it just blooms to show the lotus.

Second, the lotus blossoms are now-the metaphor of uncovering the original: if the former Buddha reveals his deeds of becoming a Buddha, he tells the public that he does not think that "the father is younger and the son is older", that is, it is true from the traces. Because you see the trace, you can show the book, just like you can see the lotus when it blooms, otherwise no one knows if it is wrapped inside.

Third, the flower falls and the lotus becomes a lotus-a metaphor for the waste of traces: "Hokkekyo" said that "the buddhas come as buddhas, and the dharma is also. It is true for all sentient beings. " Why show it? Why don't you say you have been a Buddha for decades? All for the convenience of all beings. Nowadays, the public can be familiar with the knowledge of Buddhism, and there is no need to hide it, so it shows the root of becoming a Buddha for a long time

According to the meaning of lotus in Hokkekyo, the wise master intends to taste the beauty of Fahua through the beauty of lotus. Of course, the wonderful meaning of the whole "Hokkekyo" needs to be carefully tasted word by word. I want to take this article as an opportunity.