The Serenity of Lotuses and Water Lilies
Ever since childhood I was somewhat fascinated with lotuses and water lilies. I used to follow my father around on the golf course as a four year old, and when looking for lost golf balls at the edge of the ponds, I would admire the water lilies and imbibe their divine fragrance. I was amazed with the way the leaves sat on the water without seeming to be wet! The way the bees wove in and out between the pistels was magical to watch, as were the rapidly darting guppy fish under the water’s surface and the miraculously hovering dragon flies. My father liked to play golf very early in the morning, so I was able to watch the lilies opening up in realtime. This amazed me. Only later in life did I learn that the lotus was a symbol of purity and transcendence in Buddhism.
When in High School at the age of fifteen I had really wanted to continue with the study and practice of art, but financial constraints at home led me to choose Theatre Arts instead. That way no expensive paints, brushes or paper would be required. But when I turned fifty in the year 2022, I noticed that I had an office with a large desk, and with no building project pending, and no retreat on the horizon to teach, I suddenly found myself with some spare time. With the support of some of my students as a birthday gift I decided to pick up a hobby, and to nourish a long forgotten childhood dream. I would teach myself how to paint, using watercolour paints. I decided to make lotuses the main theme. I made the vow to paint 100 lotus paintings, and to complete 1000 hours of practice. (I am somewhat prone to making vows and counting things!) I am happy to share some of the results with you here now.
After completing the vow I continued with the hobby, adding additional some subjects. Pine branch, peony, bamboo, magnolia etc. With other projects and my meditation practice vying for time and attention the pace has slowed of late, but I still enjoy the relaxing pastime whenever it is possible.
– Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu
