A tiny, white flower, often considered mystical or even mythical, is popping up all around the world, and in the most unusual places.
The Udumbara flower (Youtan Poluo hua) is no ordinary plant. It is a sacred flower with no leaves — just a minute blossom atop a silky stem.
Ordinarily, the name Udumbara refers to a fig tree, Ficus racemosa. Since fig fruits form with internal flowers, or “inverted inflorescence,” the flowers are never seen. The name thus symbolizes something very rare and precious. In Sanskrit, the word means “auspicious flower from heaven.”
Translated into Chinese, it becomes Youtan Puluo hua, which subtly suggests layers of meaning:
- 優 (yōu) means “superior” or “excellent.”
- 曇 (tán) means “ephemeral” or “cloud”
- 婆 (po) means “an old woman,” but here it is used interchangeably with 普 (pu) which means “universal” or “widespread”
- 羅 (luo) could be “a silky gauze,” or a “net for collecting something”
- 花 (hua) means “flower” or “blossom”
Udumbara (Youtan Poluo) is said to bloom only once in 3,000 years, and according to Buddhist teachings, its appearance is a heavenly sign connected with the coming of a great savior.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
In Shakyamuni’s time, the Buddha told his disciples that a precious chance to cultivate the Way while remaining in the secular world would arrive when the “Holy King of the Turning Wheel descends to the human realm.” They were warned not to miss this singular opportunity.
When asked how to know when the time had come, the Buddha revealed, “At that time, the Udumbara flower will bloom across the earth.” He explained that “this flower is not of the human world. It is a heavenly sign, a blessing, a sacred symbol pointing to the coming of the one who will transmit the Dharma and liberate countless sentient beings.”
“It will be a sign for all, guiding them to the Holy King who teaches and saves people to heaven.” In preparation for this time, the Buddha instructed them to nurture a pure heart and do good deeds. He promised to watch over and protect them until they encountered the Holy King, and that his heart would rejoice with theirs when they received His teaching.
The time has come
In July 1997, the first Udumbara sighting was reported in South Korea. A total of 24 Udumbara flowers appeared on the chest of a golden Buddha statue at Chonggye-sa Temple in Kyungki-Do Province, causing a great stir in the spiritual community.
In the following decade, additional clusters appeared in South Korea: at a Sumi Zen Temple in Gyeongju City, in a rooftop garden in Seoul, on a university window in Seoul, and a large cluster of 48 Udumbara was found west of Kwangju City.
The sightings continued across Asia and into China, often at holy sites or residences of spiritual practitioners. While news and excitement over the flower and its significance spread quickly over the internet, the atheist Chinese Communist regime quickly censored these reports in China, claiming that the flowers were simply the eggs of an insect called lacewing.
Is Udumbara real?
In fact, lacewing eggs do bear a remarkable resemblance to Udumbara flowers; but there are differences that distinguish Youtan Poluo as a real flower.
For one thing, lace wing eggs will hatch within a week or so, leaving an empty shell that turns dark and withers. The flowers, on the other hand, may bloom for weeks, months, or even a year, emitting a heavenly fragrance like sandalwood.
Lacewing insects typically lay their eggs on the underside of leaves, and they can be wiped off with a damp cloth. The flowers have appeared not only on vegetation, but also on metal, wood, plastic, and other materials.
When viewed under a microscope, one can see that the flower has stamens and petals, and the stem adheres securely to the surface with tiny roots.
Here and now
Gradually, people started seeing the flowers outside of Asia, including Australia and the United States. Their most recent sightings occurred during this year’s Shen Yun performances in the Tri-state area.
Besides reviving the extraordinary beauty and culture of ancient China, Shen Yun conveys a powerful message of hope and salvation during troubled times.
In recent years, the global-touring performance has faced transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Since Shen Yun exposes the evil nature of the CCP and its brutal persecution against people of faith, the regime has attempted to silence the group in many ways — including numerous bomb threats to theaters, slashed tour-bus tires, and slanderous, high-profile news articles.
This year, at Lincoln Center in New York, a single Udumbara flower was discovered on a green grape behind the scenes of a Shen Yun Performance. Similarly, a young woman preparing food for the Shen Yun dancers at the New Jersey Performing Art Center in Newark spotted a tiny Udumbara flower on a red grape.
Needless to say, everyone felt the flowers were an auspicious sign and a blessing from Heaven, encouraging them to continue wholeheartedly with their sacred mission.
The red grape and its flower are currently in the trusted care of a Falun Dafa practitioner in New Jersey. I saw it yesterday, more than two weeks after it was discovered, and it still looked fresh — although the grapes are beginning to wither.
How to see Udumbara flowers
Judging by the nature of most sightings, the Udumbara flower seems to reveal itself to the spiritually inclined. If you would like to see it, cultivate virtue and kindness, put your faith in the Divine, and trade your earthly pursuits for higher goals.
Shake off the modern notions that cloud your vision, and see the world through fresh eyes. The Udumbara flower invites you to a Heavenly Kingdom if you open your heart to it.
