LOTUS: THE NATIONAL FLOWER OF VIETNAM ITS CONNECTION TO BUDDHA DHARMA

Abstract

Lotus is used as a primary emblem in Buddha Dharma and signifies the cleanliness of the body, speech, and mind. The lotus is a representation of purity in Buddhist iconography, transcending beyond material connection and bodily yearning. The traditional accounts claim, seven lotuses bloomed when Gautama took his first seven steps. Buddha Dharma adheres to this meaning in the same way that it mentions the beauty of the lotus that emerges from muddy waterways. The water droplets that simply slide off the lotus petals are another sign of detachment. The Gautama Buddha equates himself to a lotus flower in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, stating that just as the lotus flower emerges unstained from the murky water, so too does he emerge from this
world free of the impurities mentioned in the relevant sutta. The typical pedestal for the majority of significant characters in Buddhist art, as well as frequently that of other Indian faiths, is a lotus chair.
The Lotus Dance was first developed in the monarchs' palaces of Vietnam in the 1600s and is now done all over the world. The spectacle, which is a part of Buddhist customs, celebrates the arrival of the Buddha by simulating the opening of a lotus flower. In Buddha Dharma, the lotus
has always stood at the cynosure of the Buddha veneration; along with the pigment of the lotus denoting various meanings. Given their ease of cultivation, notably in the northern, central, and southern areas, the lotus is a rare bloom that has been grown for an extended period in Vietnam.
The lotus frequently blossoms in the summer but it also varies for other parts of the nation. For instance, it frequently blossoms in the south in late May and the north in early March. The blooms typically retain their shape and hue for two months before beginning to wilt in July.
Apart from Gautama, many other Buddhist deities share the lotus as their symbol like Padmasambhava, the Lotus-Born is regarded as the Second Buddha in Tibet; frequently appears clutching a blossom. According to one story, he was born inside a lotus blossom. The paper at hand will talk about the importance of the lotus in Vietnamese culture and its affiliations with the Buddha and his teachings as a symbol. It will also talk about the different
meanings behind the different hues of the lotus flowers.