VIII. THE LOTUS. 



THE lotus is pre-eminently the flower of Buddhism. It is "said 

 to be the king of flowers in India, and is consequently en- 

 titled to precedence on the toko-no-ma. It is often called Hotoke 

 no hana, or the 'Flower of the Buddhist Spirits/ and on account 

 of its religious character is disliked for occasions of rejoicing." 

 It is the emblem of purity, because "it grows unsullied out of the 

 mud" : it "forms the resting-place of Buddha" ; and "the fortunate 

 entrance to Paradise is seated" upon it. When two lovers used to 

 commit suicide together their motto was as follows :* "Hasu no 

 hana no ue ni oite matan" "On the lotus-blossoms of paradise they 

 shall rest together." 



The popular conceptions of the lotus are further illustrated by 

 the following quotations :* 



"Though growing in the foulest slime, the flower remains 

 pure and undefiled. And the soul of him who remains ever pure 

 in the midst of temptation is likened unto the lotus.f Therefore is 

 the lotus carven or painted upon the furniture of temples, there- 

 fore also does it appear in all the representations of our Lord 

 Buddha. In Paradise the blessed shall sit upon the cups of golden 

 lotus-flowers." 



In Tokyo the pond near Uyeno is famous for its lotus; but 

 one of the largest and loveliest ponds in Japan is said to be at 

 Hikone on Lake Biwa. This was visited by Mr. H. T. Finck, author 

 of Lotus Time in Japan, in which, however, he attempts no de- 

 scription of the lotus. He says : "But how can any one be expected 

 to sketch this marvellous flower in words, when even a great painter 

 can give but a vague idea of its beauty?" He then quotes Mr. 

 Alfred Parsons in the following confession: "The lotus is one of 



* Hearn's Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. 



t"Like a lotus-flower growing in the mud" is a common Japanese pro- 

 verb. Other sayings refer to "a pure and beautiful woman in a haunt of 

 vice" and "a man of stainless honor in a wicked world." 



