Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in northern India in the beginning of 535 B. He was born in a rich family, but at the age of 29 he left his family and everything behind to seek enlightenment. This quest took him a long time to achieve the enlightening. After that time, he acquired the title "Buddha" or the 'Awaken One." Overtime, he began to gather a group of disciples who follow him and they continued to spread his believe even after his death for years. They formed a religious known as Buddhism. In the image of Buddha, the one who left everything included his luxury life behind in order to seek for the enlightenment. They chose the lotus flower to be one of the "Eight Auspicious Symbols" in the religion, and it has become one of the most important image in the faith.
One of the most important reason why was the lotus flower was chosen to be the symbol of the religion is because the feature of this flower is the same with the way the Buddha enlightened. The root of the lotus flower extends into the mud the stem grows up through the water and the flower blossoms above the surface of water. In Buddhist thought, this pattern of growth signifies the process of soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the water of experiences, and into the light sunshine of enlightenment. Although there are other water plants that bloom above the water, it is only the lotus flower, which owning the strength of its stem, regularly rises about eight to twelve inches above the surface. It represents the strength of the human being that they can keep themselves away from all the temptations of life. The most important thing is they have to have their mind set. Like the lotus flower has to goes through a thick layer of mud, which representing the entire temptation and materials thing in life. After getting through it, it can finally meet the sunshine and bloom, like human being can get enlightened if they have their mind set and don't get entice by the material.
