2003

and represents the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way in which there is neither falling into emptiness nor
going to the extreme of existence. Emptiness and existence are the two "extremes." To be unattached to either
of the two extremes is the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way.

Why do we say that the lotus flower represents the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way, the Great
Teaching,_Perfect and Sudden?

We say this because the lotus flower's blooming and bearing fruit simultaneously represents the non-duality
of_cause and effect. As the cause is thus, thus is the effect. If the cause planted is one of Buddhahood, the
effect will be one of Buddhahood.

The lotus blooming and bearing fruit simultaneously also represents the "opening of the provisional to
manifest the real". The blooming of the lotus represents the "opening" of the provisional dharma.
The lotus seeds which are revealed when the lotus blooms represent the real Dharma. Provisional Dharma
refers to expedient devices and real Dharma is the genuine, "not-false" Dharma, the Principle of the Real Mark.