ZEN IRODALOM ZEN LITERATURE
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Oxherding Pictures Index

 

Ten Oxherding Pictures
Verses and Drawings by Genju

[”proudly Canadian, humbly Buddhist”; http://108zenbooks.com ~ Best Female Buddhist Blog 2009]
2010/06/21 - 2010/07/02

 

1. Searching for the Ox



out to pasture

 

searching for the Ox

There are traces everywhere,
dark stains of twisted karma ~

dusty, heavy, dragging back.

The momentum of desire
pitches me forward,
falsely protected

by intellect but
steadied by the breath.

 

 

2. Seeing the Footprints


 

traces

 

finding traces of the Ox

Shadow-lit by fireflies,
imprints in the snow,
dark grass pressed to earth ~

I know you are here.

In my joy,
I startle you away…

wait…

 

 

3. Seeing the Ox

 

first glimpse

 

 

seeing the Ox

sound of the breeze
in the painted pine ~

caught in the paper branches.

I crumple the sheet
to kindle a fire-

vow to free you…

 

 

4. Catching the Ox



connecting

 

 

catching the Ox

blossoms of desire
brew a strong tea
~ firing separation

to be intimate
~ we struggle

mirrored and reflecting

 

 

5. Taming the Ox

 

surrender

 

 

taming the Ox

strike
and i am the anvil

fly
and i am the air

stop
and i am the stillness

when nothing more is possible
we submit

to trust

 

 

 

6. Riding the Ox Home

 

going home

 

going home

here,
in this moment
we tread a path

that not-knowing
stamped out.

familiar
and new,

ordinary
and amazing.

as simple
as
going home.

 

 

7. Forgetting the Ox


 

dissolving

 

dissolving the Ox

found and lost
and
found

again

trust becomes
faith
that -

like salt in air -

you are dissolved

and everywhere

 

 

8. Transcending the Ox


 

gate, gate

 

 

going beyond

drink your tea
wash your bowl
do your work

drink tea
wash bowl
do work

drinking
washing
doing

……….

……..

 

9. Returning to the Source

 

first love

 

 

the stream of all ancestors

carrying the wisdom
of all my teachers

in empty hands,
shaped, hollowed out,

by the stream of
all ancestors

 

 

10. Entering the Marketplace


 

showing up

 

that which you are

what is it
that comes
and goes,

anchoring
past and
present,

seizing
the heart
in this breath

now this

now this

now this

 

Cf.
Zen Oxherding Pictures from Australia by Barbara Wulff
http://www.zenopencircle.org.au/barbara-oxherding.htm

 

Cf.
Minimalism
Jody Brown. "Ten Representations of Minimalism" - November 16, 2011
http://www.coffeewithanarchitect.com/2011/11/16/ten-representations-of-minimalism/
17 Nov 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 11 Feb 2012. http://www.archdaily.com/184994/


Cf.
http://jessevalentineportz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/10-Bulls-Book.pdf
Transcribed by Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps
Illustration & design by jessë valentine portz