Friends,
Life has presented a koan that needs my full attention. And so I've put Ox Herding in "suspension" while I respond to the work ahead.
Thank you for your support!
Barry
Photo: Bruce Turner
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July 06, 2009
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About
- Zen teachers sometimes use the Ten Ox Herding Pictures to describe the path of awakening. Within this metaphorical framework, the ox symbolizes the strong, unruly human mind.
- As for me (Barry Briggs), I have practiced Zen for two decades and am a Bodhisattva Teacher in the lineage of Zen Master Seung Sahn. This weblog reflects my efforts at herding the ox. You can reach me at oxherding [at] mac.com.
- May these posts assist your own efforts with the ox!
My Other Weblogs
Barry on Twitter
Interesting Sites
- 108 Zen Books
- 21awake
- A Monk Amok
- A Raft
- A Sacred Friendship
- Aging As A Spiritual Practice
- Anchors and Masts
- Angry Asian Buddhist
- Breathe
- Buddha of Hollywood
- Buddha Space
- Buddha Torrents
- Buddha Warrior
- BuddhaFrog's Zone
- Buddhist Art News
- Chan Poetry
- Clear Mind Zen
- Coffee Shop Dharma
- d'autre
- Dangerous Harvests
- Destination The Journey
- Dhamma Musings
- Dharma Folk
- Diary of a Bad Buddhist
- Distant Temple Bell
- Dogen and the Shobogenzo
- Enlightenment Ward
- Everyday Zen
- firefly hall
- Flapping Mouths
- Flatbed Sutra
- From the Lone Oak
- Full Contact Enlightenment
- genkaku-again
- Har-Prakash Khalsa
- Hardcore Zen
- He Not Busy Being Born Is Busy Dying
- Hey Bro! Can You Spare Some Change?
- Illusory Flowers In An Empty Sky
- Jack/Zen
- Jerome's Niece
- John Small. Photos.
- Just 1 Foot in Yellow
- Just This
- Killing the Buddha
- Lassie & Timmy
- Life Is Like That
- Marcus' Journal
- Modern Chan
- Monkey Mind
- Mountain Practice
- Musings
- Not2wo
- Notes in Samsara
- Nothing Exists, Despite Appearances
- One Time, One Meeting
- One World At A Time
- Pacific Northwest Seasons
- Perspectives
- Precious Metal
- Puerhan
- Random Thoughts
- Renegade Buddha
- Robert Aitken
- Sacred Texts
- Sand Grain
- Shambhala SunSpace
- Slipping Glimpser
- Slow Zen
- Somewhere in Dhamma
- Sweep the dust. Push the dirt.
- The 10,000 Things
- The Buddha Project
- The Buddhist Blog
- The Buddhist Channel
- The Possible Way
- The Shobogenzo Koan Workshop
- The Silver Creek
- The Wheel of Dharma
- The Worst Horse
- The Zen Community
- The Zen Site
- Think Buddha
- Thus I Have Read
- Tricycle Editor's Blog
- Understanding and Exploring Buddha
- Bodhi Armour
- Wandering Dhamma
- Whiskey River
- White Belt Zen
- Wild Fox Zen
- WZEN
- Zafu Frog
- Zazen
- Zen Mirror
- ZENDOTSTUDIO
- Zenosaurus
Buddhist Magazines
Thanks!
- I extend grateful appreciation to my daughter, Susie, who designed these sites; my wife, Susann, who daily calls me into relationship; Zen Master Seung Sahn, for crossing the ocean; and Zen Master Ji Bong, for patience over many years.
- May we together attain enlightenment and save all beings from suffering.
Copyright
- (c) 2008-2009, Barry Briggs. All Rights Reserved.
Finding the Ox
- Ox Herding Pictures
Images from the outer walls of a hall at Songgwangsa Temple in Korea. - Ox Herding Pictures
In Asia, the Ox Herding Pictures are commonly painted on the exterior of temple buildings. This beautiful set is from Mu Sang Sah, a temple in the mountains of Korea. - Ox Herding Pictures by Shubun
A classic version, in the public domain. - Ox Herding Pictures by Yokoo Tatsuhiko
A beautiful version, painted in the early 1990s. - Ox Herding Pictures
Traditional version, artist unknown. - Ox Herding Pictures
Traditional version, artist unknown. - Ox Herding Pictures
Traditional version, artist unknown. - Ox Herding Pictures by Damien Crowe
Wonderful, modern version of the images. - Ox Herding Pictures
Photographs of a beautifully-painted version. Artist unknown. - Ox Herding Pictures by James Breslin
Modern, personal version. - Ox Herding Pictures
Modern version by unknown artist. - Talk on the Ox Herding Pictures
Talk by Zen Master Ji Bong.
American Zen
- Kwan Um School of Zen (Korean Zen)
Root Teacher: Zen Master Seung Sahn - Pacific Zen Institute (Japanese Zen)
Root Teacher: John Tarrant, Roshi - Zen Peacemaker Order (Japanese Zen)
Root Teacher: Bernie Glassman, Roshi - Unified Buddhist Church (Vietnamese Zen)
Root Teacher: Thich Nhat Hanh - San Francisco Zen Center (Japanese Soto)
Root Teacher: Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi - Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association (Chinese Chan)
Root Teacher: Master Sheng Yen - Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Japanese Soto)
Root Teacher: Reverend Master Jiyu Kennet - White Plum Asanga (Japanese Soto & Rinzai)
Root Teacher: Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Roshi - Zen Studies Society (Japanese Rinzai)
Root Teacher: Eido Shimano, Roshi
May your practice sustain you! May you be at ease!
with a bow,
Kusa
Posted by: Kusa | July 06, 2009 at 06:29 AM
Wish you well- I enjoyed your posts.
Regards,
Posted by: baskar | July 06, 2009 at 06:36 AM
May you be well and happy.
Posted by: Jordan | July 06, 2009 at 07:56 AM
Thanks Barry for the posts the last year.
peace,
jill
Posted by: jill i | July 06, 2009 at 08:36 AM
Best wishes on your koan practice, Barry!
Posted by: Alice | July 06, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Peace to you, Barry, while you give your full attention to the task at hand. Hope all is well. Look forward to your return.
Posted by: Molly Brown | July 06, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Barry, Good luck with the task. Thanks for all the care and inspiration you have provided in the last months. Its been a great help.
Posted by: Lauren | July 06, 2009 at 04:04 PM
All the best to you Barry! Thank you for all the thoughtful teachings. Look forward to your return.
Nathan
Posted by: Nathan | July 06, 2009 at 07:48 PM
Sending support and care,
Pilar
Posted by: mama p | July 06, 2009 at 08:44 PM
Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and support.
Barry
Posted by: Barry Briggs | July 07, 2009 at 06:21 AM
Dear Barry,
I hope all goes well with you and no cats get cut in the process.
Many thanks for your sharing and practice.
~gassho~
Posted by: puerhan | July 07, 2009 at 01:26 PM
All the best to you and to your family, Barry, and I truly hope all is well and you find a way to deal with your life koan! Thank you for your teachings.
Bowing deeply with palms together,
Uku
Posted by: Uku | July 07, 2009 at 01:33 PM
A Russian Orthodox prayer goes:
Help me to greet the coming day in peace
Help me to accept all things that come to me
throughout the day with peace of soul
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the
day, and all it may bring.
Your posts have helped me do all three with grace and dignity.
Posted by: Bob | July 07, 2009 at 02:26 PM
Thank you, Puerhan, Uku, and Bob, for your lovely comments. I look forward to picking up this work in the future.
Posted by: Barry Briggs | July 07, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Barry,
All the very best to you and your family. Ox Herding has been one of my "must read" sites ever since my transplant and I want you to know how very much I have appreciated you efforts here. Your work here has made a real contribution to the electronic sangha. Please return when you are once again able to, or say hello at fromtheloneoak.
David
Posted by: David Clark | July 08, 2009 at 07:59 PM
I must say that I can fully relate with your post. We must at times, reflect and deal with our lives and put "how may I help you" on hold till the moment arises once again to return. I love you Barry, and I hope all is well with the family, but know that I am here for you brother, as I know you are always there for me.
Paul
Posted by: Paul Lynch, JDPSN | July 09, 2009 at 02:24 AM
David and Paul, I very much appreciate your kind words. I'll be back.
Posted by: Barry Briggs | July 09, 2009 at 06:40 AM
Barry, my best wishes to you. I hope you're hanging in there and living moment to moment. Everything is practice. Be well, be safe.
zensquared
Posted by: zensquared | July 14, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Dear Barry,
Although we look forward to meeting you here again too, we always meet you wherever you go...
Peace,
Ted
Posted by: Ted Biringer | July 22, 2009 at 01:32 AM
Hi Ted,
I've also discovered that wherever I go, I might meet myself.
Of course, sometimes I avoid the encounter...maybe more often than not.
Thanks for your welcoming comment!
Barry
Posted by: Barry Briggs | July 22, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Hello Barry,
Just would like to send some good intentions your way in case you need them.
Hope everything's well!!
Joseph
Posted by: Joseph Bengivenni | August 08, 2009 at 04:03 PM
Hi Joseph, Thank you for your helpful intentions. I plan to return to Ox Herding in about a week and am grateful for the support from so many people.
I hope you've enjoyed a good trip in Canada with your wife and daughter.
Barry
Posted by: Barry Briggs | August 09, 2009 at 07:13 AM