Each Step Is a Lotus

Each step in our practice is like a lotus flower lifting us up. Yet, if we take just one wrong step, the lotus vanishes, and our feet sink back into the muddy swamp of afflictions (kleshas).

The evening breeze still gently rustled through the old terminalia trees in the temple courtyard. The sound of chanting had just faded. Venerable Thich Chan Quang looked down at the Buddhists sitting closely together under the eaves. His eyes shone with deep emotion. He smiled softly and began to tell a story about the most beautiful image he had ever known.

"My dear students," he said, his voice low and warm, "we are all walking on the path of life. What is this path? It is a swamp, it is suffering (dukkha), it is full of competition and gossip. But because we have the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) and moral principles, every step we take is actually a step upon a lotus flower."

He paused, allowing that image to settle deeply into each person’s mind/heart.

### Beginning with the Path of Life

He continued: "Imagine a man; let us call him Mr. Ta. He lived in a small town where road dust clung to his worker’s shirt every evening after work. He labored hard, returning home exhausted, yet always feeling something was missing inside. One Sunday afternoon, by chance, he passed a small roadside temple. Hearing the profound chanting and seeing the flickering candlelight, he timidly stepped inside. There, he found the peace he had longed for. He decided to take refuge, acknowledging himself as a disciple of the Buddha. On that day, a lotus bloomed beneath his feet – the first correct step on the spiritual path."

### The Spiritual Path Is Not Easy

Venerable Quang continued: "The lotus had bloomed, but the next step was the true challenge. Right after taking refuge, Mr. Ta felt superior to others. He boasted to his neighbors, 'I have taken refuge! I will no longer fall into hell!' Then he relaxed, stopped coming to the temple to practice, and did not keep the precepts. After a short time, the lotus beneath Mr. Ta’s feet began to wither. He returned to his old habits, diving back into the whirlpool of fame and profit, letting hatred and selfishness dominate him. Mud began to stick to his heels, and he remained unaware.

"So," Venerable Quang asked, "after taking refuge, what must we do next so the lotus does not fade?"

An elderly Buddhist raised his hand: "Teacher, we must come to the temple to practice; we must see the temple as our home!"

Venerable Quang nodded: "Correct. We must return to the temple, practice diligently, and view the temple as our spiritual home. When free, we should go to the temple, perform meritorious duties, read sutras, and sit in meditation. This is the second step – the lotus blooms again. But if we only eat at the temple and then leave without practicing, the lotus fades once more. We must practice until our mind/heart truly transforms; only then is the lotus firmly established."

### The Climax: Great Lotuses and Fatal Mistakes

He went on: "There are larger lotuses. These appear when we taste the peace of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) and return to the world to guide others to the temple. This is the lotus of the bodhisattva, the step of compassion. But," his voice lowered, "there are also mistakes that cause the lotus to vanish instantly."

He shared another example: "After Mr. Ta practiced himself and guided some friends to the temple, he suddenly felt superior. Wherever he went, he would say, 'I am a great disciple of the master. If I were ordained, the master would immediately give me the temple.' With just that one arrogant sentence, the lotus beneath Mr. Ta’s feet disappeared. He clung to merit and became proud – and the mud rushed back in."

### Common Mistakes on the Path

Venerable Quang offered further examples: "Some people practice until they no longer crave money, which is good. But when money comes their way, they throw it carelessly onto the street, claiming they are not greedy. Not being greedy is right, but wasting money unreasonably is wrong – if bad people pick it up, it causes unwholesome actions. We must use that money correctly, making offerings and helping society – that is the next right step.

"Or consider someone who practices until they never get angry, which is excellent. But when a neighbor insults them daily, they remain calm yet make no effort to transform the neighbor, leaving him to create bad karma. Not getting angry is right, but failing to help him is wrong. We must find ways to connect, discuss Dharma, and bring him to the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) – that is the great lotus.

"Some people grow weary of life and retreat to remote fields to practice, avoiding noise and conflict. This is very correct. But if they cut off all positive connections with sentient beings, left alone with only their phone, that is wrong. Positive connections with sentient beings are more precious than gold; we must preserve them and use them to guide others, never abandoning them.

"Even those who ordain and keep precepts strictly are doing well. But if they later nitpick and blame lay Buddhists, causing fear that prevents anyone from coming to the temple, that is wrong. Keeping precepts is right, but using them to judge others is incorrect – the lotus disappears again."

### The Core Message: Humility

He stated: "You see, on the path of practice, every right step makes the lotus bloom, and every wrong step makes it fade. For the lotus to bloom forever, our heart must be utterly humble. Even if we have done good deeds, guided people to the temple, kept precepts, or attained meditative concentration, we must not be proud or cling to merit. The slightest hint of pride is enough to make the lotus vanish, causing us to sink immediately into the mud.

### Conclusion: The Journey of the Lotus

Venerable Quang concluded: "Therefore, remember that every step we take on the path of life can be a supporting lotus if we practice correctly. That lotus is the Dharma, merit, and the compassion of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). But the lotus does not bloom on its own; it depends on our next steps. After taking refuge correctly, we must practice correctly. After practicing correctly, we must know how to give and guide sentient beings. Most importantly, we must maintain humility forever, so the lotus never stops blooming beneath our feet.

"And when we leave this body, if every step has been a lotus, we will journey to the realm of Buddhas and saints – where countless lotuses await us."

### The Meaning of the Story

The image of "each step being a lotus" reminds us that on the path of practice, every action aligned with the Dharma is a lotus lifting us from the mud of afflictions (kleshas) and karmic obstacles. However, the lotus does not sustain itself; it depends on our continuous correct practice, generosity, guidance of sentient beings, and especially our humility. A single mistake – whether pride, clinging to merit, or laziness – causes the lotus to vanish, sinking us back into the mud. Thus, practitioners must remain mindful, ensuring every step on the path of life is a blooming lotus, so that ultimately we may reach the realm of Buddhas.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang