| 1. The Search for the Bull | | | | Comment: Mediocrity is gone. Mind is clear of |
| In the pasture of this world, I endlessly push aside | | | | limitation. I seek no state of enlightenment. |
| the tall grasses in search of the bull. Following | | | | Neither do I remain where no enlightenment |
| unnamed rivers, lost upon the interpenetrating | | | | exists. Since I linger in neither condition, eyes |
| paths of distant mountains, My strength failing and | | | | cannot see me. If hundreds of birds strew my |
| my vitality exhausted, I cannot find the bull. I only | | | | path with flowers, such praise would be |
| hear the locusts chirring through the forest at | | | | meaningless. |
| night | | | | 9. Reaching the Source |
| Comment: The bull never has been lost. What | | | | Too many steps have been taken returning to |
| need is there to search? Only because of | | | | the root and the source. Better to have been |
| separation from my true nature, I fail to find him. | | | | blind and deaf from the beginning! Dwelling in one's |
| In the confusion of the senses I lose even his | | | | true abode, unconcerned with that without -- The |
| tracks. Far from home, I see many cross-roads, | | | | river flows tranquilly on and the flowers are red. |
| but which way is the right one I know not. Greed | | | | Comment: From the beginning, truth is clear. |
| and fear, good and bad, entangle me. | | | | Poised in silence, I observe the forms of |
| 2. Discovering the Footprints | | | | integration and disintegration. One who is not |
| Along the riverbank under the trees, I discover | | | | attached to "form" need not be "reformed." The |
| footprints! Even under the fragrant grass I see his | | | | water is emerald, the mountain is indigo, and I see |
| prints. Deep in remote mountains they are found. | | | | that which is creating and that which is |
| These traces no more can be hidden than one's | | | | destroying.ten bullsten bullsten bulls |
| nose, looking heavenward. | | | | 10. In the World |
| Comment: Understanding the teaching, I see the | | | | Barefooted and naked of breast, I mingle with the |
| footprints of the bull. Then I learn that, just as | | | | people of the world. My clothes are ragged and |
| many utensils are made from one metal, so too | | | | dust-laden, and I am ever blissful. I use no magic |
| are myriad entities made of the fabric of self. | | | | to extend my life; Now, before me, the dead |
| Unless I discriminate, how will I perceive the true | | | | trees become alive. |
| from the untrue? Not yet having entered the | | | | Comment: Inside my gate, a thousand sages do |
| gate, nevertheless I have discerned the path. | | | | not know me. The beauty of my garden is |
| 3. Perceiving the Bull | | | | invisible. Why should one search for the footprints |
| I hear the song of the nightingale. The sun is | | | | of the patriarchs? I go to the market place with |
| warm, the wind is mild, willows are green along | | | | my wine bottle and return home with my staff. I |
| the shore, | | | | visit the wineshop and the market, and everyone |
| Here no bull can hide! What artist can draw that | | | | I look upon becomes enlightened.ten bulls |
| massive head, those majestic horns? | | | | OTHER ZEN STORIES |
| Comment: When one hears the voice, one can | | | | Noticing that his father was growing old, the son |
| sense its source. As soon as the six senses | | | | of a burglar asked his father to teach him the |
| merge, the gate is entered. Wherever one enters | | | | trade so that he could carry on the family |
| one sees the head of the bull! This unity is like salt | | | | business after his father had retired. |
| in water, like colour in dyestuff. The slightest thing | | | | The father agreed, and that night they broke into |
| is not apart from self.ten bullsten bullsten bulls | | | | a house together. |
| 4. Catching the Bull | | | | Opening a large chest the father told his son to |
| I seize him with a terrific struggle. His great will | | | | go in and pick out the clothing. As soon as the |
| and power are inexhaustible. He charges to the | | | | boy was inside, the father locked the chest and |
| high plateau far above the cloud-mists, Or in an | | | | then made a lot of noise so that the whole house |
| impenetrable ravine he stands. | | | | was aroused. Then he slipped quietly away. |
| Comment: He dwelt in the forest a long time, but | | | | Locked inside the chest the boy was angry, |
| I caught him today! Infatuation for scenery | | | | terrified, and puzzled as to how he was going to |
| interferes with his direction. Longing for sweeter | | | | get out. Then an idea flashed to him- he made a |
| grass, he wanders away. His mind still is stubborn | | | | noise like a cat. The family told a maid to take a |
| and unbridled. If I wish him to submit, I must raise | | | | candle and examine the chest. When the lid was |
| my whip. | | | | unlocked the boy jumped out, blew the candle, |
| 5. Taming the Bull | | | | pushed his way past the astonished maid, and ran |
| The whip and rope are necessary, Else he might | | | | out. The people ran after him. Noticing a well by |
| stray off down some dusty road. Being well | | | | the side of the road the boy threw in a large |
| trained, he becomes naturally gentle. Then, | | | | stone, then hid in the darkness. The pursuers |
| unfettered, he obeys his master. | | | | gathered around the well trying to see the burglar |
| Comment: When one thought arises, another | | | | drowning himself. |
| thought follows. When the first thought springs | | | | When the boy got home he was very angry at |
| from enlightenment, all subsequent thoughts are | | | | his father and he tried to tell him the story; but |
| true. Through delusion, one makes everything | | | | the father said: 'Don't bother to tell me the details, |
| untrue. Delusion is not caused by objectivity; it is | | | | you are here- you have learned the art.' |
| the result of subjectivity. Hold the nose-ring tight | | | | During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading |
| and do not allow even a doubt. | | | | army would quickly sweep into a town and take |
| 6. Riding the Bull Home | | | | control. In one particular village, everyone fled just |
| Mounting the bull, slowly I return homeward. The | | | | before the army arrived - everyone except the |
| voice of my flute intones through the evening. | | | | Zen master. |
| Measuring with hand-beats the pulsating harmony, | | | | Curious about this old fellow, the general went to |
| I direct the endless rhythm. Whoever hears this | | | | the temple to see for himself what kind of man |
| melody will join me. | | | | this master was. When he wasn't treated with |
| Comment: This struggle is over; gain and loss are | | | | the deference and submissiveness to which he |
| assimilated. I sing the song of the village | | | | was accustomed, the general burst into anger. |
| woodsman, and play the tunes of the children. | | | | "You fool," he shouted as he reached for his |
| Astride the bull, I observe the clouds above. | | | | sword, "don't you realize you are standing before |
| Onward I go, no matter who may wish to call me | | | | a man who could run you through without blinking |
| back.ten bullsten bullsten bulls | | | | an eye!" |
| 7. The Bull Transcended | | | | But despite the threat, the master seemed |
| Astride the bull, I reach home. I am serene. The | | | | unmoved. |
| bull too can rest. The dawn has come. In blissful | | | | "And do you realize," the master replied calmly, |
| repose, | | | | "that you are standing before a man who can be |
| Within my thatched dwelling I have abandoned the | | | | run through without blinking an eye?" |
| whip and rope. | | | | A distraught man approached the Zen master. |
| Comment: All is one law, not two. We only make | | | | "Please, Master, I feel lost, desperate. I don't |
| the bull a temporary subject. It is as the relation | | | | know who I am. |
| of rabbit and trap, of fish and net. It is as gold | | | | Please, show me my true self!" |
| and dross, or the moon emerging from a cloud. | | | | But the teacher just looked away without |
| One path of clear light travels on throughout | | | | responding. |
| endless time. | | | | The man began to plead and beg, but still the |
| 8. Both Bull and Self Transcended | | | | master gave no reply. |
| Whip, rope, person, and bull -- all merge in | | | | Finally giving up in frustration, the man turned to |
| No-Thing. This heaven is so vast no message can | | | | leave. |
| stain it. How may a snowflake exist in a raging | | | | At that moment the master called out to him by |
| fire? | | | | name. |
| Here are the footprints of the patriarchs. | | | | "Yes!" the man said as he spun back around. |