In Jainism, the lotus (कमल / पद्म) is a very pure and holy symbol. Its main meanings are:

1. Purity in the middle of impurity

- Lotus grows in muddy water but stays clean and beautiful. - In the same way, the soul can live in this world full of passions (anger, pride, deceit, greed) and still remain pure by following ahimsa, self‑control and right faith.

1. Detachment (Vairāgya)

- Water does not stick to the lotus leaf. - This shows how a Jain should live in the world but not attached to it – doing duties, but keeping the mind free from strong likes–dislikes and possessions.

1. Spiritual rise and enlightenment

- The lotus rises upwards from the mud towards the sun. - This represents the soul rising from ignorance and karma towards keval‑jnān and moksha. - A fully open lotus often symbolizes a fully awakened, enlightened state.

1. Symbol of some Tirthankars and deities

- 6th Tirthankar, Bhagwan Padmaprabha, has red lotus (padma) as His symbol, and even His name means “the radiance of the lotus”. ( jainknowledge.com) - In many Jain temples and paintings, Tirthankars are shown seated or standing on a lotus seat, indicating perfect purity and stability of the liberated soul.

1. Lotus in posture (āsana)

- The famous Padmāsan (lotus posture) for meditation is also named after the lotus. - A person sitting steadily in padmāsan, with a quiet mind, is compared to a still, calm lotus on water. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Common meaning in both Digambar and Shvetambar traditions

- Both traditions accept lotus as a symbol of: - Purity of soul - Detachment from worldly dirt - Spiritual progress towards moksha - Differences are mostly in artistic style (how it is drawn in icons, yantras, books), not in its basic meaning.

If you wish to read a simple explanation on Jain lotus symbolism, you can refer to this discussion on JainKnowledge