Symbolism of the Lotus in Buddhism

[Full title: Different symbols visible in the Amarāvatī Art: The Lotus]

Significance:-

In Buddhist tradition, like Vedic literature lotus have a deep religious significance. Hence it is represented in different Buddhist art centres both as a decorative embellishment and an iconographic necessity. Several Buddhist texts also have reference to the lotus flower. In this regard mention may be made of Nidānakathā where Queen Māyā had a dream before her conception that a white elephant holding a white lotus entered her womb^[1]. Lotus stands as a symbol of purity. It signifies that Maya’s child would be the purest among human beings. Lotus grew in the muddy water but it looks beautiful and pure. Hence it is called the essence of water. The combination of soil and water generates fertility. The lotus is connected to Buddha’s birth and nativity and offering it to a stūpa signifies respect to lord Buddha. The Jātaka and Avadāna mention birth on lotus as a sign of being virtuous.^[2]

In Buddhist tradition lotus symbolizes non-attachment to the sensual world. An unique botanical attribute of this flower is that though it is water-born, the water does not cling to its leaves and petals but glides away. As a footstool of Bodhisattva the lotus came out of the pit. This resembles that as a human being Bodhisattva lived in the world but he was above it. Sin and impurity glided off him just as water glides of the flower’s leaves and petals.

The presence of lotus under the feet of Buddha or Bodhisattva is a usual phenomenon. Lalitavistara mentions that after Siddhārtha’s birth as soon as he stepped on the earth, the earth opened up and from it rose a big lotus. Standing on the lotus Bodhisattva looked in all directions. As mentioned above lotus underneath Buddha’s feet symbolizes indifference or non-attachment to the world. Hence the Master is sometimes depicted at Amarāvatī with a lotus under his feet.

Depiction:-

The railing pillars, crossbars and upright of the Amarāvatī Mahācaitya illustrate elaborate decoration of the lotus flower.

The artists of Amarāvatī sculpted some reliefs illustrating worshippers including animals bringing lotus to the stūpa. In this regard mention may be made of a small fragment of a railing pillar preserved in the British Museum whose top border of the outer face depicted a stūpa worshipped by elephants bearing lotuses in their trunks and a winged lion^[3].(Pl 28a)

A standing Buddha from Amarāvatī preserved in the British Museum shows Buddha standing on the lotus^[4]. Another ornate dome slab from Amarāvatī now in the British Museum collection show standing Buddha on a pair of lotus blossoms with raised hands in abhaya mudrā surrounded by worshippers^[5].

The depiction of stūpa signified Mahāparinirvāṇa or the death of Buddha. Among several depictions of stūpa worship mention may be made of a unique example from Amarāvatī preserved in the British Museum where the stūpa is placed on a double lotus base surrounded by worshippers in the anjali mudrā^[6].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Basu Santona, 2002, Lotus Symbol in Indian Literature and Art, Delhi, p 36.

[2]:

Ibid, p 40.

[3]:

Knox Robert, Op.cit, pp 52-53, fig 7. (outer face)

[4]:

Ibid, pp 220-222, fig 127.

[5]:

Ibid, pp 139-141, fig 72.

[6]:

Ibid, p 164, fig 90.