无污泥，无莲花，
出污泥，难不染。
此秽土，污泥界；
彼净土，莲花界。
— 泥花偈（1-2）Without mud, without lotus flowers, but growing out of mud, it is difficult to not be stained. This defiled land, is mud’s world; while that Pure Land, is lotus flowers’ world.
— Verses On Mud And Lotuses (1-2)
With lotus flowers (莲华) representing spiritual purity,
and mud (污泥) representing spiritual defilements,
some say there are no lotus flowers without mud,
but if so, why are there not many more new Buddhas
arising as this Dharma-Ending Age (末法时期) advances?
It is possible after all,
for there to be too much mud in this defiled land (秽土),
with most lotus seeds drowning in it,
too distracted and overwhelmed by defilements,
to transform them to nutrients.
This is why, with their immeasurable compassion and wisdom,
all Buddhas of all directions most skilfully,
as stated in the Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》,
urge all beings to reach Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛) Pure Land (净土),
where all will spiritually blossom most swiftly.
厌离此，出娑婆；
欣求彼，入极乐。
速不退，回娑婆，
入污泥，而不染。— 泥花偈（3-4）
With revulsed renunciation of this, exit the Sahā World; and with joyful seeking of that, enter the Land Of Ultimate Bliss. Quickly realising non-retrogression, return to this Sahā World, entering the muddy, yet never stained.
— Verses On Mud And Lotuses (3-4)
