To others, the lotus may be regarded as the Flower of Enlightenment, but to you, it shall be the Flower of Compassion of your Heart. For its blooming shall be the result of the compassion that you have for others, especially those who are in misery and pain! Like the lotus whose roots are in the mud and yet its flower is untainted, the Flower of Compassion of your Heart too has its roots deeply embedded in the samsaric soil, and yet its purity is unaffected by it!
(1987 Short Teachings, p1)