The roots of a lotus are in the mud; the stem grows up
through the water, and the flower lies above the water,
basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the
progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism,
through the waters of experience, and into the bright
sunshine of enlightenment. Though there are other water
plants that bloom above the water, it is only the lotus
which, owing to the strength of its stem, rises eight inches
above the surface.