The ox herding pictures represent the process of awakening
as described in Zen Buddhism. Each image is a metaphor that reveals the
internal stages of meditation – how awakening looks from the inside. In this
series we’ll look at each picture and explore what they mean, but first a bit
of background.
The original drawings and commentary are attributed to
Kakuan Shien, a 12th century Zen Master, but there are earlier
versions taken from an old Taoist story of the ox and the oxherd. Kakuan
updated it and created the verses that accompany each image. Originally there
were only five or eight pictures which ended with the circle of Oneness. Kakuan
added two more pictures to make the classic ten we have now, showing the return
to the world after realisation. This makes the teaching more complete and
brings it back down to earth.
The version found in D.T. Suzuki’s Manual of Zen Buddhism has ten pictures but the verses are slightly
different and the images show the ox changing colour as you progress through
the series. The ox starts out black and slowly turns white, symbolising the
gradual transformation of the mind. The series also ends with the empty circle.
You can read the verses for these images here: Manual of Zen Buddhism (Sacred
Texts)
There are many different versions and translations, but they
all point to the same truth. The ox is the ultimate reality, Buddha nature, the
ground of existence. The oxherd is the self – the small self, or ego – who
starts out separate from the ox, but then slowly learns to see that the self
and the True Self are one.
First you must find the ox and then catch and tame it. Then
you befriend it and learn from it, only to discover its truth was yours all
along. Buddha mind is your ordinary mind, and ordinary life becomes
extraordinary. Ultimately, there is nothing that is not Buddha nature – and
this is the realisation of enlightenment.
Enlightenment is called satori in Zen, and is the moment of
realisation of your true nature. Satori happens in a flash of insight, but the
process leading to it tends to progress through stages. These are shown in the
pictures. But it’s important to remember that the path isn’t linear. You may
cycle through the stages many times as your understanding grows and deepens.
It’s more of a spiral path. You come to the same lessons over and over until
you attain full realisation. The ox herding pictures dramatise this process and
reveal that the ordinary self is the Buddha.
The pictures also show the misunderstanding at the heart of
suffering: that the self and Buddha nature are two different things. The ox and
the oxherd are separated at the start and slowly come together. But in reality
the ox isn’t lost and you don’t really need to search for it because you are
the ox! It’s the equivalent of looking for your glasses even though you’re
already wearing them.
Of course, enlightenment and the realisation of emptiness
and the true nature of the mind can’t be expressed in words or images. So the
Ox Herding pictures are designed to point to a truth you must work to
understand in your practice – not just meditating on your cushion, but also
while going about your day.
Enlightenment isn’t about sitting around contemplating profound
truths. It’s about how you act in every moment. The Ox Herding pictures are
really about answering the question: who am I? If you can understand your true
nature, then your actions will come from a deeper place. Instead of acting from
the level of ego or the small self, you will be able to act from your Buddha
nature. Then the path and the goal and how you act become one.
Explore the Ox Herding Pictures starting here: Seeking the Ox
Illustrations from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, ed. Paul Reps
