The lotus flower (sometimes called a ''sacred lotus'') is an aquatic plant with large, showy, water lily-like flower found in the ''Nelumbo'' genus. The roots of the lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the water. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters, but some unverified reports place the height as high as over 5 meters. The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.
Hindus associate the lotus (''Padma'') blossom with creation mythology, and with the gods Vishnu, Brahma, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati. From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Hindu tradition. It is often used as an example of divine beauty, for example Vishnu is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularly Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potency and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated with them. In Hindu iconography, deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats. In Hindi it is called ''Kamal'', which is also a popular name for men, with the female version ''Kamala''.
In Buddhist symbolism the lotus represents purity of body, speech, and mind, as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The Buddha is often depicted sitting on a giant lotus leaf or blossom. According to legend, he was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.
The Chinese revere the sacred lotus as a symbol of purity and elegance, and it is a common motif in ancient Chinese poetry. A famous statement about the lotus' symbolism in Chinese culture is made by Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi: ''I love the lotus because, while growing from mud, it is unstained''.
Lotus tattoos symbolize beauty and love in much the same way the rose is in western civilization. The way they grow out of mud into a symbol of beauty is also a metaphor for surviving trials in life and that from great strife comes evolution.
