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Gosho Study

Our Lives Are Majestic Treasure Towers

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You may think you offered gifts to the treasure tower of the Thus Come One Many Treasures, but that is not so. You offered them to yourself. You, yourself, are a Thus Come One who is originally enlightened and endowed with the three bodies. You should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with this conviction. Then the place where you chant daimoku will become the dwelling place of the treasure tower. 

—“On the Treasure Tower,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 299

“My life is a treasure tower!” I firmly believe that the time has come for this spirit of universal respect for life and human dignity found in the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism to spread throughout the world. 

The tower resplendent with seven kinds of treasures symbolizes our own essential dignity and nobility. Our life itself is a majestic treasure tower.

Nichiren teaches us: “If we examine the nature of Myoho-renge-kyo, we see that the treasure towers are none other than all living beings, and all living beings are none other than the complete entities of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 230). 

One who sees the treasure tower within can see others as treasure towers as well. It’s neither a treasure tower for oneself alone nor for others alone. Those who are awakened can cause treasure towers of many people to appear. The true significance of the appearance of the treasure tower lies in the appearance of an unceasing number of treasure towers. 

Let’s bring forth the treasure tower within us and help many others do the same. The brilliance of the tower’s seven treasures reflects the radiance of our human revolution. Those making efforts always shine. The lives of those dedicated to the great vow for kosen-rufu emit an undying light.

Each SGI member is a valiant hero of kosen-rufu possessing a mission to cause great treasure towers of human dignity and respect to appear all around the world—something for which all humankind is yearning. That time when people around the world shine as treasure towers has come at last! (The Teachings for Victory, vol. 3, pp. 127–28)

From the August 2024 Living Buddhism

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