The Lotus Sublime

The lotus flower, described as one of Buddhism's best recognized motifs, occupies a special place in Buddhist scriptures and arts. It is a symbol of purity, literally rising out from the mud with a pristine bloom as eloquently put below (from here):

"The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower lies pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment."

In images, it is often depicted as the vehicle for Bodhisattvas, either seated or standing. So it is not surprising that the lotus became the subject of my Arts lesson this week. The black and white drawings were done during the 2-hour class yesterday while the colored ones were done today.








The above four are drawn on rice papers while those below are on blank cards.