The Treasure Tower

I prepared this as a study point for my discussion meeting.
Two years ago, The Gosho on The Treasure Tower was at the centre of the study movement for the Young Women. I must have read it a hundred times, in my head, out loud, at meetings, alone, etc.
I thought I understood it, but as it is with many things in Buddhism, I only understood with my head, and not with my heart. Last year I have gone through the most painful time of my life, largely because I did not fully understand this Gosho. I did not believe I was the Treasure Tower. 
Maybe this will help someone not to suffer as much as I have.

The Treasure Tower. (Jpn hoto)

The term “Treasure Tower” can refer to any of a variety of jewelled stupas (a dome-like structure built to house the relics of the Buddha) depicted in Buddhist scriptures. 

The best known, however, is the treasure tower of Many Treasures Buddha that appears in the "Treasure Tower" (eleventh) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. 

Quote from New Human Revolution, volume 10

To quickly break the long silence in a very cheeky way, here is a quote from the New Human Revolution, Volume 10, page 72-3 of the New UK edition.

I had read the first four volumes ages ago in Italian, then again in English as part of my Taplow Dedicated Lilac training. In September, I decided to read one of these volumes a month until I finish them all.

Here it is. 

The Soka Gakkai spirit is having the courage to discard the shallow and seek the profound. It is selfless dedication to propagating the law even at the cost of one's life. It is to strive with unceasing devotion as taught in the lotus sutra. It is to exert oneself bravely and vigourously with passion and resolve. It is to possess the great power of perseverance that enables one to withstand any persecution with composure. It is to practice in accord with the buddha's teachings, working for Kosen Rufu just as the Daishonin instructs. It is the spirit of refuting the erroneous and revealing the true, giving no quarter to injustice. It is the path of the oneness of mentor and disciple, the very lineage of correct faith. It is the firm unity of many in body, one in mind. It is the spirit of showing others the same respect as one would a Buddha.

Buddhist quotes - November

Another month has gone. Today I went for a lilac activity at the Ikeda Peace Centre, where I knew I was going to be a team of one lilac.
I didn't mind it though. I am going through so much stuff at the moment, that having to sit in the Butsuma to chant for three solid hours was pretty much the one thing I needed.

I need to be kind to myself, I need to chant to fully appreciate myself, and I need to do it now.
It only took me about fifteen minutes of chanting to understand that the searing hot pain in my heart has very little to do with what happened to me in the past year, and everything to do with my karma. That one realisation made it all better, made me believe that I can transform it, because it is inside me, not outside.

It still hurts, like a pride of lions devouring me from the inside, but I can now see the contingency as a distraction from the real problem.

You must rise and greet [them] from afar...

I wrote this experience for an Education Division meeting. Once again, I ended up not sharing it, but hey. The experience proper happened in the last three-four years, as in, my first years in the teaching profession, however in order to understand where I am coming from, I have to, once again, start with my childhood. There will be some overlap with other experiences, since the childhood was the same!

Here we go!

Buddhist quotes - October

Soooo, my journey to hell is coming real soon.

In the meantime, here is a little quote from The Opening of the Eyes Gosho.

I recently went through all my Buddhist books and wrote inside the front cover when I read them and, if applicable, as part of what study programme.

Lectures on the Opening of the Eyes is one of the books I am studying as part of my LIPC Dedicated Lilac training.

Last Committee meeting (a study/feedback meeting with all the team leaders), I was asked to feedback on Chapter 14 of this book.

This little quote stuck with me: