Build a Stupa

Tiny House in the forest….
Tiny House in the forest….

So delighted to stumble upon this tiny work-site shed on wheels while out walking the other day. It is clad all over in wood unlike the ones you see next to holes in the road and building sites in Germany. I guess they are the generic ‘site hut’ where workers brew up and generally commune. I could have put it in my pocket and taken it home! I loved the image so much I’ve used it on my Twitter front page. The hut is calling as a hermitage hut for reflection, rather than it’s real life use. Speaking of hermitages…

As mentioned in the previous post Zen Master Dogen teaching and writing is rich with references to The Lotus Sutra. So much was he inspired by this Sutra that he named the house in Kyoto where he died Lotus Sutra Hermitage. The house was owned by his major lay disciple who was caring for him during the time leading up to his death. Dogen was said to have spent his last days walking around a pillar reciting The Supernatural Powers of the Tathagata, Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra. In this passage the Buddha says that whenever the sutra is kept to/recited a stupa should be built and offerings given. It is understood that in such places the Buddha Dharma will spring up and continue to flourish.

(Reinstated post of 24th April)

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