Lotus (Hasu)

Japanese Lotus Tattoo Design by Marco Tengu

Lotus Tattoo by Marco

Meaning: Knowledge, Understanding, Enlightenment, Life, Beauty, Purity, Patience

The lotus has extremely varied meanings and interpretations. These meanings can change or be heightened by their color and the number of petals the flower has.

Buddhists believe the flower represents purity of mind, body and spirit. It is usually depicted with 8 petals symbolizing the Eightfold Path, a core tenant of Buddhism.

Hindus believe in the Sacred Lotus which is called the Padma. It is associated with several deities particularly Vishnu and Brahma. They believe it represents divine beauty and purity and that the unfolding of it's petals represents the expanding of the soul and spiritual awakening. The Padma is strongly tied to Shahasra specifically and all of the Chakras in general. The Padma is thought to have 1000 petals.

By Color:

-White Lotus symbolize spiritual and mental enlightenment. It is considered a goal toward which one should strive during one's spiritual journey.

-Blue Lotus symbolize the spirit's control over one's physical senses, compulsions and temptations of the flesh. It represents knowledge, wisdom and intellegence. The blue lotus is always shown partially open, the center never fully showing as the growth of the mind and spirit over body is never truely finished. It can also represent re-birth.

-Purple Lotus symbolize wealth, wisdom, creativity and dignity. It represents a mystic view of religion and spirituality. The Eightfold Path. The path leads to awakening and it is also called the noble truth.

-Red Lotus symbolize love and compassion. The red lotus is the heart lotus. Symbolizing the original state of the heart, a red lotus symbolizes love, compassion, passion and other emotions of the heart. This flower is usually depicted open to symbolize the ideal state of the heart.

-Pink Lotus symbolize tenderness, romance, harmony, affection and relaxation. It is also linked to femininity and a gentle nature. It is considered the true flower of the Buddha. It is said everywhere the Buddha stepped a pink lotus grew from his foot print.

-Black Lotus symbolize the opposite of all the light colored. Authority, Power, Rebellion, Sophistication and Death. A rebellion against everything that is ordinary, aggression directed toward everything that is sacred and death that comes at the end.