Jimi Patalano:
Hello DhO,
I found a siiiick description of the Zen "Oxherding pictures" map. Each step has a pretty down-to-earth description as it pertains to actual practice, as well as a sort of analysis or explanation of some classic Japanese poetic verses written on the pictures by a 12th-century Rinzai master.
The author of the page itself I believe is a Roshi, since the description is described as a "Teisho", a term which in Rinzai is reserved only for talks given by someone who has been designated a Roshi. So he at least has some sort of authority/authorization within the Rinzai school, if anyone here cares about that sort of thing.
I mostly mention this because there's not much info on DhO about this map (which is my personal favorite), so I thought the community in general could benefit.
Furthermore, I was hoping maybe some of those who have solid knowledge of some of the Theravada/whatever "Vipassana" maps could try to do some map-matching? Might be an interesting exercise... If no one wants to do it I'll do some reading up on the Vipassana maps, but I might not be very qualified to make comparisons.
Enjoy!
Ten Ox-Herding PicturesJimi
Oo very lots of fun! Thanks for sharing. I caught myself aligning our maps with it - here is what I came up with. The early ones and later ones were easy-ish, middle ones I'm not too clear about. When I say "path" I mean "MCTB Path" not "10-fetter path".
SEEKING THE OX - A&P. You took drugs, had a crazy unitive experience, or whatever, and now you're off on your journey.
FINDING THE TRACKS - You pick up MCTB or read the AF site or whatever, some teaching that works for you, and you decide to do it.
CATCHING SIGHT OF THE OX - Stream Entry. You have had a glimpse of the ox, a taste of nirvana. you are absolutely certain that it is possible, now, but still nothing way too significant has happened (no permanent perceptual shifts, no great insight into subject/object or whatever.. mostly just more concentration and more conviction).
SEIZING THE OX - You work hard, do more Vipassana, start to attain further MCTB paths, as dualism is really deeply entrenched. perhaps 2nd path.
The next four stages would be middle paths or something like that... MCTB Arahat falls somewhere in here. I dont really know how it matches up... Here's my attempt:
TAMING THE OX - 2nd path, early 3rd path. getting a grip on that ox (the stubborn self).
RIDING THE OX HOME - early 3rd path.
OX FORGOTTEN, PERSON REMAINING - late 3rd path. almost seen through it all, now, but subtle things remain.
PERSON AND OX BOTH FORGOTTEN - MCTB Arahat. Seeing through illusion through + through?
At the eighth stage, "person and ox both forgotten"[jingyu gubô], we come to realize the fact that this "I" (person), which has been seeking, and the essential self (ox), which has been the object of our search, did not exist at all.
I dnno though, some MCTB Arahats will have to read the stages and see which one they find themselves at (and they might be mistaken anyway, or misunderstand the stages...) you're still not done, though.
RETURNING TO THE SOURCE - Back to Training in Morality! Now that you're Enlightened, what do you do?
ENTERING THE MARKETPLACE WITH ARMS HANGING LOOSE - Actual Freedom, woot! OK I am biased, but that's what this sounds like.
Nor does he or she make any conscious effort to keep the rules of conduct and teachings of the saints and wise people of old. You simply go where you want, do what you want, and live as you like. And yet you do not stray from the right path. You lead a life of total freedom, a life of natural simplicity without striving to do anything - and yet there arise no problems.
Only after you become such a personality, for the first time you suffer with a suffering person [kaitô-domen: ash-covered head and earth soiled face] and ever so naturally a power to save that person emerges. This is not by any conscious effort of will to do so, but it appears as something you must do as a manifestation of the spirit of compassion.
Richard on the AF site said a few times, "there is no way I could
not tell my fellow human beings about what I've discovered. if that were possible it wouldn't be Actual Freedom."
Word. i wonder how others would place these. especially those middle ones.