The Ten Bulls: I Am Catching The Bull

[Empty]

 

I love the description of the "Ten Bull" in zen Buddhism about enlightenment. I realized that I am still in stage 4, catching the bull. I think "my" bull will easily surrender as soon as I overcome my psychological problems. Well, hopefully 

 

I. The Search for the Bull  

The seeker looks for the bull (symbolic of his or her true nature, the ‘Buddha-mind’). This is the beginning of the path. It is usually heralded by a fundamental disappointment with one’s life, and a recognition, however dim, that we have been living a life governed by endless distractions leading us down endless garden paths of empty conventions, fads, and general nonsense. The search for the real meaning of our life begins: we are now seeking, however uncertainly, the bull. In the context of meditation, this can be thought of as marking our initial efforts as we sit. 

2. Discovering the Footprints 

The footprints of the bull are spotted. This is the point when the seeker’s confidence in the reality of the bull—in the real possibility of awakening—begins to grow. It could be said to represent the conviction that the possibility of salvation or liberation from the bondage of the mind and its powerful delusions is real. In meditation, it marks the progress that is noted as the mind begins to focus more clearly.   

3. First sight of the Bull  

The bull is spotted! The bull appears far away, perhaps even hiding behind a bush, but now there is no doubt that it is real. Visual confirmation has happened. This stage marks the first glimpse of the underlying principle of mysticism, that all that is perceived is ultimately not separate from the mind that perceives it. This can be likened to an initial awakening, usually called satori or kensho in Zen. It is an incomplete realization -- symbolized by the fact that the seeker only sees the bull's hindquarters, not its entirety -- because it is going to require sustained discipline and a great passion for truth in order to deepen this realization and begin to integrate it into one's daily life.    
 

4. Catching the Bull  

The bull is ‘caught’, but the seeker’s relationship with him is rocky. What this implies is that even after an initial glimpse into our true nature, unruly mental states—in particular, strong feelings and emotions—still arise. In many cases, these difficult mind states arise even more strongly after our initial awakening, because the mind is putting up its natural resistance to change. The bull is ‘wild’. Despite our initial glimpse, we are still very much in the grips of our unconscious mind with its habits and agendas. This is a crucial step, one in which many seekers of truth fail to successfully pass through.

5. Taming the Bull 

If we successfully negotiate the previous stage -- by applying real discipline and commitment to our path -- we now reap the benefits. The 5th stage refers to the important realization that all thoughts arising in the mind are manifestation of our true nature. All is as it is, and must be seen that way (as opposed to being ‘made wrong’—‘this should not be the way it is’). With this realization, our mind begins to settle and to work with us, rather than against us. 

6. Riding the Bull Home  

The sixth stage represents a deepening of understanding, and the corresponding tendency to disengage from exhausting mental struggle. Krishna, in the Bhagavad Gita[14:24-25] makes reference to this state when he remarks to Arjuna,  ‘Who dwells in his inner self, and is the same in pleasure and pain; to whom gold or stones or earth are one, and what is pleasing and displeasing leave him in peace; who is beyond both praise and blame, and whose mind is steady and quiet; Who is the same in honor or disgrace, and has the same love for enemies or friends…’ It is here where we begin to move beyond duality, and all the reactive states (attraction-repulsion) and subsequent sufferings that arise from that.

7. The Bull Transcended (Bull Forgotten, Self Alone)  

This stage marks the classic definition of enlightenment, when it is finally and directly understood that the seeker (the egoic self) and the bull (the Buddha-mind, our real nature) are not separate, and never have been. Prior to this the journey of awakening has been an ‘experience’—requiring a ‘me’ to experience this 'awakening'. At the seventh stage, the central illusion of this separation is radically realized. There is no bull, and there never has been. We then begin to understand that enlightenment is not an experience. It cannot be, as experiences arise and fall away. Enlightenment is simply the direct recognition of our true nature -- already here and now -- which is unqualified and unconditioned and does not arise and fall away. This stage is sometimes characterized by the recognition that our meditation practice cannot 'get' us anything, as ordinary reality is already the case, and is already our true nature. Thus, we do not meditate to get anywhere, we meditate to enjoy what is already the case. 

8. Both Bull and Self Transcended (or Forgotten) 

The eighth stage is a deepening and maturing of the seventh stage; here, all vestiges of what Chogyam Trungpa called ‘spiritual materialism’, or what Zen calls the 'awful smell of enlightenment', the subtle self-consciousness of ‘being awake’—‘I am awake and therefore special’—is extinguished. Roshi Kapleau, in his commentary on this stage, linked it to an old Chinese parable of a man who became enlightened, and experienced birds ‘commemorating’ the occasion by showering him with flowers. As his enlightenment deepened, the birds stopped doing this, ‘as he no longer gave off any aura, even of devotion or virtue’. With the previous stage (the seventh) the bull -- the notion of a 'higher truth' -- is forgotten, as it is radically realized that ordinary reality is the Ground of truth. With the eighth stage, the very self that is realizing all this is also forgotten. All is Reality, empty, whole, and complete. Therefore, all reactive tendencies toward others (attraction or repulsion) are released and freedom from dualistic delusions is realized. 

9. Reaching the Source  

This stage marks resting in the full recognition of the Source as ‘consciousness without an object’. It can be understood as the complete penetration of Ramana Maharshi’s ultimate koan, 'Who am I?' It is the return to the center from which all thoughts and the entire universe arises: pure Consciousness itself, self-radiant without cause or object, unqualified and perfect. Things are as they are: the ‘river flows tranquilly on and the flowers are red’. Nothing is the same because now our eyes are open. And yet nothing has changed -- the entire universe remains as it has always been. The river flows and the flowers are red. We had to seek truth to realize that there is nothing to seek: the very reality that we are immersed in is the truth, and we are that reality.  

10. In the World (Entering the Marketplace with Helping Hands) 

In some of the parables of the tenth stage, the seeker (now a finder) re-enters the world with a gourd, traditionally used for holding wine. The wine can be seen as symbolic of the true sage’s embrace of life and willingness to share their enlightenment with society and the world. It is an echo of an old idea found in many wisdom traditions that any deep spiritual realization must ultimately be shared in some way with the world for it to have lasting value and meaning.

The 10th stage also speaks to the tradition of the 'crazy-wise' teachers, who seek to utilize any means to awaken others—even by entering into, and participating in, their ‘reality-tunnels’ or private dream-worlds. According to Mahayana Buddhist teachings a true ‘crazy wisdom master’ is only one who has reached a profound level of awakening and has been purified of character defilement. This enables them to enter into any dimension of reality without concern of becoming tainted and thereby having their clarity, or motives, for helping others compromised. 

http://www.ptmistlberger.com/the-ten-bulls-of-zen.php

 

Which stage do you think you are experiencing now? 

Thanks  

 

Edited December 30, 2016 by Empty

[Leo Gura]

Yes, good stuff!

I'll be covering this in a video in the future.

It's an important map for folks on this path. It clearly shows you how much more there is to enlightenment than Neo-Advaita will have you believe. Many folks in the West stop at picture #4: catching the bull.

And even all these 10 pictures are is STILL not all there is to spiritual mastery. So buckle in and make yourself comfortable. As simple as enlightenment is, there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Of course, don't create a new identity around being "on the path". Just do the work with silent diligence and don't stop growing.

[Aware]

This is very accurate!

[WelcometoReality]

@Empty Thank you for sharing this.

@Aware It is isn't it. Up 'til the stage I am at, it is very on point.

[AlwaysBeNice]

So funny how the east has doven balls deep into reality relatively so often, and here with are in the west balls deep in arrogance and ignorance. 

Yes, good stuff!

I'll be covering this in a video in the future.

It's an important map for folks on this path. It clearly shows you how much more there is to enlightenment than Neo-Advaita will have you believe. Many folks in the West stop at picture #4: catching the bull.

And even all these 10 pictures are is STILL not all there is to spiritual mastery. So buckle in and make yourself comfortable. As simple as enlightenment is, there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Of course, don't create a new identity around being "on the path". Just do the work with silent diligence and don't stop growing.

Then you become more of God, and then you become more of God, and then you become of God, and then the All That Is becomes another All That Is. woooooo-aaaaahhhh-wooooo 

Edited December 30, 2016 by AlwaysBeNice

[Bebop]

Awesome! I was actually wondering about this since Leo mentioned it a while ago, this is very accurate based on my own experiences. I'd say I'm at stage 8, kinda funny looking back on it since the very thing I was searching for was in front of me the whole time haha. Now I finally understand why they tell us that we are already enlightened  

[Extreme Z7]

I would peg myself on a transition between Stage 1 and 2.

[Empty]

@Leo Gura So, as I am catching the bull, I want to tam the bull so I can ride it home . If I raise my meditation daily habit to 5 hours or 6 hours a day, will I  be able to ride the bull home quickly? Or what should I do? 

 

[Bebop]

@Empty I'd say its more about contemplation and mindfulness work rather than meditating, just be completely aware of your thoughts and what you are doing at all times. Meditation just helps you see that more clearly

Stage 7 "This stage is sometimes characterized by the recognition that our meditation practice cannot 'get' us anything, as ordinary reality is already the case, and is already our true nature."

I made it through most of these stages without a sitting meditation habit, but I also had an intense focus on seeing through the ego.

Edited December 31, 2016 by Bebop

[Empty]

@Bebop Aha! 

How did you see through your ego? I hear ppl a lot say " To see through the ego" but I don't quite understand it. 

I am happy you are reaching the source  

 

[Bebop]

@EmptyHaha I'm close but yet it still feels so far away, I've learned to stop chasing it though The fact is that you are the source experiencing itself in the form of a human being. The ego is a tool used to help you navigate though this physical world, while you go through your day just notice your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself where they are coming from? If you can be consistent with this you'll realize that they come and go but one thing remains the same, and that is you  

[Empty]

@Bebop Yes, you are right.   They always come and go, lol. 

 

My problem with my ego is that it stops me from expressing myself. The ego has to die in order for the real self to be born.  

[Bebop]

@Empty Yeah in the stage you are in now there is going to be a lot of purging and negative emotions are going to come up, just keep giving love to yourself. Eventually your authentic desires are going to come out, just keep working on through it and keep growing. Have faith in the process  

[Leo Gura]

6 hours ago, Empty said:

@Leo Gura So, as I am catching the bull, I want to tam the bull so I can ride it home . If I raise my meditation daily habit to 5 hours or 6 hours a day, will I  be able to ride the bull home quickly? Or what should I do?

Firstly, you don't exist.

Secondly, cultivate patience and mastery mindset. This is the last thing on Earth to be rushed. Be serious and steady. Be the wise tortoise, not the foolish hare.

Thirdly, ego cannot die because it is an illusion. Fighting with ego is just more ego. Notice this. Be careful of building up an new anti-ego ego. That's still ego. See through that whole game.

Just work diligently at self-observation, trust the process, and don't stop doing research into spirituality.

[Empty]

@Leo Gura Knowing this fact, I have been lazy lately. I even quit my job. Now, I spend my time at home meditating, being in the forum. I am also experiencing dark night of the soul; reliving the past, and feeling vibrations over my body. 

11 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Thirdly, ego cannot die because it is an illusion. Fighting with ego is just more ego. Notice this. Be careful of building up an new anti-ego ego. That's still ego. See through that whole game.

 

 

Understood! 

So, if I still have problem like money, confidence with girls, fitness, etc. I should go and work on those problems, right? or let's put it this way, I should stillcreate a  great self-actualizing  dream  

Thanks  

Edited December 31, 2016 by Empty