Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa
December 25, 1991 (Originally in Chinese)

 

According to some myths, initially there were no lotus flowers on Earth. They were stolen from the superior realms. Such stories may not be fabricated, for the lotus is very extraordinary. Pictures of Saints always show them descending to Earth on lotus flowers.

The lotus represents the very pure and clean realm. We spiritual practitioners should be like the lotus; we are only good if we are not contaminated or lured by temptations! If we say that to err is human, and then we succumb to temptations, how can we say that we have a steady mind and heart? We can find lots of excuses for ourselves! There are many, many excuses, and there are excuses for hell, too. We can choose any excuse we want! But we will feel much more comfortable if we can be like lotus flowers.