"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."
Spoken
by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa
December 25, 1991 (Originally in Chinese)
Extracted from "The Supreme Master Ching Hai
News"
No.117, Back Cover