Amitabha-reciters refer to each other as "Lotus friends," meaning "friends like lotus flowers." This is indeed the most auspicious, beautiful, and honorable way to address one another.

       Having a friend who is like a lotus flower in one's life is a source of great happiness and fulfillment. Being called a friend like a lotus flower by others is the highest form of compliment and praise.

       In the mystical dance of nature, the lotus blooms untainted amidst the mud, a symbol of purity transcending its origins. Reflect on friendships: if companions gather only in your prosperity, yet vanish in lean times, they are ensnared by the allure of wealth. When allies flock to your power but fade when it dwindles, they are shadowed by authority. Should friendship hinge on shared sentiments, be swayed by fleeting emotions, or thrive solely on agreement, it is confined by narrow views. If constant contact is your measure, and absence signals decay, you're captive to time's relentless march.

       A true friend defies these boundaries—unmoved by riches, unmoved by discord. He stands by you, unwavering, through every storm and sunshine. Such a friend is a lotus in your life, unwavering and pure.

       Can we find a true lotus-like friend in this world?

       Imagine a friend as pure as a lotus, untouched by the murky waters of worldly interests. Only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, transcending the bounds of time, space, life and death, embody this ideal. They are untainted by life’s transient challenges and can be considered truly lotus-like friends.

       The Contemplation Sutra says: "You should know that those who recite the Buddha’s name are like Puṇḍarīka (great white lotus flowers which are the finest lotuses) among people. Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas are their noble and true friends." Shakyamuni Buddha refers to those who recite Amitabha Buddha's name as "lotuses", and the two great bodhisattvas are their true friends. Thus, Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas call themselves ‘lotus friends’ of Amitabha-reciters.

       As mere mortals, we are all too often weighed down by worldly concerns. Our minds are choked by the noxious weeds of greed, rage, and delusion. Can we truly claim the pure, unblemished petals of the lotus? What right do we have to call ourselves friends of the great Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta? When I ponder this, I am struck by a profound sense of unworthiness tinged with wistfulness.

       Yet, with a sincere and all-encompassing aspiration, we must ceaselessly strive for all sentient beings to recite Amitabha’s name and attain Buddhahood. We do so regardless of people’s status in life, whether they are rich or poor, benevolent or hostile, obedient or defiant. This must be our steadfast aim. To forever uphold this virtuous intention is the true mark of a lotus, a friend of the great Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta.

(Translated by the Pure Land School Translation Team;
edited by Householder Fojin)