Lotus
Lotuses are symbols of purity and ‘spontaneous’ generation and hence symbolize divine birth. According to the Lalitavistara, “the spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the new lotus in the (muddy) water which doesn’t adhere to it,” and, according to esoteric Buddhism, the heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus when the virtues of the Buddha develop therein the lotus blossoms. This is why the Buddha sits on a lotus in bloom. In Tantrism, it is the symbol of the feminine principle.
White Lotus: This symbolizes Bodhi, the state of total mental purity and spiritual perfection, and the pacification of our nature. It is the lotus found at the heart of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, being the womb or embryo of the world.
Red Lotus: This symbolizes the original nature of the heart. It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion, activity and all the qualities of the heart. It is the lotus of Avalokiteshvara.
Blue Lotus: This is the symbol of the victory of spirit over the senses, of intelligence and wisdom, of knowledge. It is the lotus of Manjushri, and also one of the attributes of Prajnaparamita, the embodiment of the ‘perfection of wisdom’.
Pink Lotus: This is the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity, sometimes, confused with the white lotus. It is the lotus of the historic Buddha.
Purple Lotus: This is the mystic lotus, represented only in images belonging to a few esoteric sects.