Student Div Mtg @ Taplow Court

Today Woon drove a few Student Div members from Cardiff to Taplow Court (in England) for SGI-UK national student activity. Taplow is about 2 hours drive from Cardiff. Those who have visited Taplow before would agree with me that Taplow Court is the most magnificent and scenic SGI centre in the world.

This is Pippa, the student leader for young women.

New Century Hall, another building at Taplow.

Side view of New Century Hall

这是我第一次看到穿衣服的马。

它们可不是为了爱美才穿衣服，而是为了御寒。

We have Gosho study by SGI-UK Vice General Director Mr.Kazuo, followed by Q&A session. After that we break into small group for dialogue. Mr.Kazuo quoted from a Gosho, one should "become the master of one’s mind rather than let one’s mind master oneself."(为心之师， 勿以心为师）This profound passage may sound a bit confusing, but Mr.Kazuo said he would like to put it in another way for our easy understanding, one should "become the master of one's stupid mind rather than let one's stupid mind master oneself." (This is so true isn't it?!)
One of the member asked about how to juggle with study and buddhist activities. Mr.Kazuo said, it is like a sandwich, study is like bread and chanting is like ham. Only study without chanting is like having bread all the time, so it is no good; only chanting is like only having ham all the time, so the best is to have a good mixture like sandwich - sandwich, ham, sandwich; the formula is study, chanting, study. His guidance is so simple and clear.
After the mtg at abt 3:30pm, we walked around Taplow court and took some pictures. We left Taplow around 5pm and reach home around 7pm.
All in all, it was a beautiful and meaningful day!