Lotus of life at Buddhist Hermitage Lunas

We were at the Buddhist Hermitage Lunas yesterday and happened to see one of their lotus plants, the Nelumbo nucifera, in various stages of flowering. Here's the first photograph I took: the evening of life. What remains after the bloom withers? The promise of a new dawn. The lotus pod is matured, dull and unattractive but you know that the lotus seeds will bring forth new growth for the lotus plant.


Second photo: the afternoon of life. The lotus flower in full bloom, at its most attractive... bright yellow carpel surrounded on all sides by the stamen. Can you imagine it looking like the sun, being the centre of attention?


And lastly, the morning of life. Behold the new, emerging lotus bud. Pure, unadulterated innocence. No wonder that the lotus flower is especially revered by eastern religions. In Buddhism, the flower is a symbol of purity of the body, speech and mind, as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire.