The lotus embodies untainted beauty and untouched purity within a polluted environment.
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Rising from the mud, it remains unstained. The unique structure of its leaves and petals repels water while carrying away all surface dirt. It is precisely this remarkable quality of staying clean that has made it a symbol of spiritual self-refinement: no matter what environment a person finds themselves in, good or bad, they must always preserve a clear mind and inner purity.
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Opening at dawn and closing at dusk, the lotus represents the rebirth of the Sun, and thus any renewal, the revival of vitality, the return of youth, and immortality.
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Just as the lotus exists across three elements (earth, water, and air), a human lives across three realms: the material, the intellectual, and the spiritual. Here, the water in which the lotus grows signifies the shifting world of illusions.
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Another distinctive trait of the lotus is that it blooms in pairs—one male flower and one female—making it a symbol of happy couples.
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Dirt does not cling to what is truly pure, even when mud makes up its entire surrounding world...