10 oxherding pictures in Zen 十牛图

the ten ox-herding pictures by the twelfth century Linji Chan master Guoan Shiyuan (J. Kakuan Shien 廓庵師遠 n.d.). These ten images sequentially show how the boy-novice tames the unbridled power of the Buddha-bull-mind in meditation (frames 1-6), realizes its fundamental emptiness (frames 7-8), and then re-emerges from the rigors of the experience back into the world as a grown master (frames 9-10).

Many a times when one starts the spiritual practice. one emulates the ‘idea’. We must wear a certain style, speak a certain way, eat certain foods with many shoulds and should-nots to fit into the mould of a spiritual period.

As one walks along the journey,

One comes back to being oneself again.

Nothing has ever changed, but everything has changed. 🙏🏻

namaste