Buddhist Flower Discovered In A Convenience Store

Korean news outlets are reporting that an udumbara -- a legendary flower in Buddhist literature believed to bloom once every 3,000 years -- has sprouted at a humble Family Mart in Seoul, South Korea

Store manager Kim Jong-woo was cleaning when he spotted the 17 tiny flowers growing on the window.
















( Mr Kim Jong-woo in his family mart )

He recognized the flowers, he said, from images on television.

One of the most-searched keywords on August 31, 2011 was "udumbara," and Family Mart reports that the foot traffic to the Mapo Joongang branch has been explosive.

In the Lotus Sutra, the udumbara flower is used to reference how rare it is to meet a Buddha, and is also discussed in the context of enlightenment.

Ever ones to dispel any hint of romanticism, however, snarky netizens are asking if the threadlike stalks aren't simply some kind of mold or fungi.






































All Buddhas come into the world but rarely, and are hard to meet ... like the udumbara flower, in which all take delight." (from the Lotus Sutra)