Appa’s saddle strongly resembles the lotus flower on Buddha statues.
The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower lies pristine above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.
The Airbenders: The people of the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people.
Their enlightenment is reflected in their art, clothing etc which are heavily based on Buddhism. I will point out and provide references for that in later posts.
