Names: Padme

Origins: "Padma" is the Sanskrit word for "Lotus"; the Lotus flower (water lily) is an important symbol in Eastern philosophy and religion. It is regarded as a symbol of the principle of nonattachment. "Just as the blossom floats on the water and yet remains dry, so should the spiritual aspirant live in the world without being affected by it, 'in the world but not of it'." It also has meaning in terms of beauty and sacredness. In Buddhist thought, furthermore, the lotus blossom is considered the symbol of the true Buddha-nature that is realized through enlightenment. The actual "Padme" form is found in the Tibetan Buddhist mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" (Om, Jewel in the Lotus, Hum). Recitation of this mantra is an expression and affirmation of the basic attitude of compassion, "Liberation for the sake of all sentient beings".