Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Seeking together
Helping to Create
A Planetary Vision
Satsang
A Universal Heart
In most Spiritual Traditions, our time in this body-psyche life, is often described as a
‘ Journey’. And, like all journeys, it has a beginning point and a ‘goal’ Another
important aspect of our human traditions, is the place of story, parables, poetry and
pictures and how these can often express concepts, feelings and emotions that are
somehow beyond our normal capacity to adequately outline.
Accordingly, the following pages give an outline of the Ox-herder Story and contain
some notes which are based on our experiences. These notes, to the best of our
knowledge, convey the spirit of Ishpriya’s comments on this story. They are
reflections based on our current understanding of the parable. Parables are like
jewels are many faceted. Each time we return to them another aspect is revealed.,
But first some general background information on the origins and content of the story.
This is a Spiritual Masterpiece from the Zen Buddhist Tradition. It comprises ten
pictures which represent a parable of the spiritual journey. They are normally
accompanied by ten poems reputably composed by the Chinese monk K’uo-an Shih-
yuan in the 12thth century c.e. or in the 18th Century of the Buddhist Tradition.
In this parable, the Ox represents our ‘true nature’ Initially, for most of us , the
‘Ox’ is our untamed and unruly mind . The ten pictures, and the accompanying
poems, symbolise the ten stages that the individual passes through on the path to
‘enlightenment’. Or in Buddhist terms , nirvana. There are many different sets of
pictures and often different accompanying verses. The one shown on the following
pages is one used by Ishpriya and is very popular. In this version the individual
spiritual seeker ( the Ox-Herder) is portrayed as a little boy.
Before viewing the ten pictures and comments, several points are made.
The ‘Ox ‘ is our true nature, a nature which we are often unaware of.
The ‘little boy’ is ourselves – paradoxically lost to our true ( Ox ) nature but also at a
deeper ‘felt sense’ level aware that we need to find the ‘ Ox’
The ‘rope’ and the ‘whip’ , used by the boy , are the means which we think and feel
are necessary to ‘ capture’ and then ‘tame’ the unruly ‘Ox’
Although, the Journey is shown in ten pictures as a pursuit, capture , taming and
bringing home of the ‘ Ox’ . In truth the Journey is one deep within. It is a journey to
the very centre of our being; one that takes us back to our Source in the Cave of our
Hearts.
Each picture and commentary requires long and constant reflection. In Zen
Buddhism it is often given by a Master to a disciple as a means of deep reflection.
The ultimate paradox of this ‘search’ is this; the ‘Ox’ was never lost, we are merely
unaware of its presence. !
We hope that the pictures and notes will be both of benefit and of interest.
Love – Peace – Joy on the Journey and watch out for the ‘ Ox ‘!
3. SEEING THE OX
The ‘little boy’ catches sight of the tail end of
the Ox , who seems ‘caught’ in the brambles
of a bush with no place to turn.
5. TAMING THE OX
The boy eventually realises that he must put
a rope through the ring on the Ox’s nose and
then he can begin to control the Ox and lead
him towards home. (This is a state of
minimum control) . However, the Ox can still
pull away.
9. RETURNING TO THE
SOURCE
The world returns but the boy (who
represents us) sees it differently. He is
in harmony with the World.. His sense
perceptions wake up! And he sees the
real nature of existence.