Portrait Buffalo Zen.

THE "ZEN MOUNTAIN Monastery".

 
     Ten paintings "Portrait Buffalo" in this section is professor of Japanese art Gyokusei Jikihara Sensei, who in 1982 painted a visit to Zen Mountain Monastery Monastery in Mount Tremper, New York, (USA). Painted monastery monks painted to donate.      recite poems the teacher's original writing Guo Am the 12th century. Recite poems are here translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi and John Daido Loori, then return to excellence by Daido Loori desire to create the images and metaphors to add variety to the landscape around the monastery River Mountain Zen Mountain Monastery. Zen Daido Loori is the spiritual leader and abbot of the monastery.      Daido Loori Zen master said:      "The road to enlightenment is a spiritual journey to discover the true nature, the truth of our nature. But the time right from the beginning there was something for us to achieve both collectors. Right from the beginning we were perfectly round and full, we do not lack for nothing. During this spiritual journey, joining then undergo a special practice we only test myself and realize that the only perfection. "..." In the Zen school days, I and all All other students really want to know whether you have achieved and what you will be experiencing many challenges in the future anymore. For this reason in our monastery, we were planning a training program seems somewhat arbitrary but useful, based on a series of paintings from the ancient China. It was "The Ox Toys". Illustrations to the mental development of a student since the beginning steps of learning to train the mind, until the completion of training ... "      The teacher's Daido Loori tell if a Japanese side who want to learn martial arts teacher to find time. Students will be in uniform and tied a white belt. During the workout, the traditional white belt this time not to be washing. After years of using this belt will go dirty and can only be called a "black belt". When graduates were also honored at the "black belt". Later on in the West when martial arts students learning people also want to mark each student's progress and therefore rely on the black belt of ancient Japan that put out the kind of "yellow belt", " green belt "," brown belt "etc ... in addition to the" white belt "of the new students start learning martial arts and" black belt "of the training participants were mature.        Daido Loori teacher      concluded: " The set of ten images of Am Guo teacher is the most competitive to be used. In the monastery, we used this painting and poetry teacher Guo Am ... In my time training people better when they are clear about each step of the achievements they have been "..." Ten buffalo paintings and poems are accompanied by a series of road signs. For some ten times that very useful picture. For some others the ten paintings that can become obstacles. Please do not let the picture herd becomes the obstacle of you. Use them to illuminate your path. Then let go of the war there. "      Does not need to let go of the "ten paintings herd" is also the period which he had passed to the other shore, carrying in need of "a raft "again ...! ten buffalo painting and English words in the next section following is quoted in the original book is "PATH OF ENLIGHTEMENT" Stages in a Spiritual Journey (published by the Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt.Tremper , NY, 1999.) The English writers have been translated into Vietnamese.














    
 
    
 

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1. SEARCHING FOR THE OX

 

Vigorously cutting a path through the Brambles,

you search for the ox;

Wide rivers, eternal mountains, the path Seems endless.

With strength depleted,

and mind exhausted, you can not find it.

There is only the gentle rustle of maple leaves,

and the cicadas' song evening.

1. FIND Buffalo

 

Aggressive way through the wild thorn bushes

you find buffalo;

Large rivers, rolling mountains, the trail is almost endless.

With power breakdown,

drain and place, you can not find buffalo.

Only gently rustle of maple leaves,

and the sound of crickets afternoon wine.

2. TRACES OF FINDING THE OX

 

Along the river, deep within the forest,

You find the traces;

Leaving behind the Fragrant grasses,

You study the subtle signs.

The tracks, Distant suddenly as clear as the sky,

Lead you into the endless mountains.

There is no place to hide.

 

2. TRACES FOUND Buffalo

 

Along the river, deep in the forest,

you find the trail;

Skip the scented grass in the back,

you observe the subtle traces.

The path suddenly as clear as the sky in the distance,

Takes you to the endless mountains.

Nowhere is hiding.

3. Seeing THE OX

 

The song of the yellow oriole

Echoes in the forest.

Warm sun, gentle breeze,

green willows along the shore.

The ox has no place to turn

In the Brambles.

 

3. SEE Buffalo

 

Oriole's song

rang out in the woods.

Warm sun, soft breeze,

blue willow along the banks.

Ox no way to turn around

in the wild bush.

 

 

4. Catching THE OX

 

Through extraordinary effort

You Seize the ox.

Still, its will is forcefull,

And its spirited body.

Sometimes it runs high into the mountains,

other times it disappears into the mist.

 

4. CAPTURED Buffalo

 

Thanks to the extraordinary efforts

you hold the buffalo.

However, the buffalo will still vivid

And the buffalo itself was intense.

Sometimes it runs up into the mountains,

sometimes it disappears into the fog.

 

 

5. Taming THE OX

 

The whip and tether can not be put aside

Or the ox may wander into mud-filled swamps.

When patiently trained to trust, it Becomes gentle

and can be unfettered.

Then, Freely,

sau it your way.

 

5. Herd

 

Can not take the whip and wire

Lest buffalo can run raid

into the swamp mud.

When the patient is trained to create trust,

Buffalo became gentle and can be forced off course again.

At that time, freedom,

buffalo in your heels on the street.

6. RIDING THE OX HOME

 

Following the winding road

you ride the ox home.

The flute sound rustic của

Pervades the evening haze.

Each note, each song: feeling unbounded.

Beyond lips and mouth.

 

6. RIDING ON THE OX

 

Follow the winding road

you riding on the buffalo.

Sound tube of your rustic stars

rang out in the afternoon fog.

Each note, each song: endless love.

Beyond the limits of lip and mouth

.

 

7. Forgetting THE OX

 

Astride the ox, you reach home.

Now at rest, the ox is forgotten.

With the bright sun high in the sky,

you are in blissful Repose.

Whip and tether are abandoned

Smoking behind the thatched.

 

7. FORGET Buffalo

 

Riding a buffalo, you reach home.

Now rest in peace, people forget buffalo.

With the sun high in the sky in the morning,

You rest in the ultimate happiness.

And wire whip lifted

after thatched hut.

 

 

8. Transcending THE OX

 

Whip, tether, self, and ox

all have merged, no traces Remains.

The VAST blue sky can not be reached by thoughts;

Abide how can a snowflake in a raging fire?

Having reached home,

you are in accord with the ancient way.

8. NO LONGER Buffalo

 

Whip, rope, person, and buffalo

all incorporated, no more traces saved.

Vast blue sky can not be reached by ideology;

How may a snowflake exist in raging fire?

Back to home

you with direct ancestry.

9. Returning TO THE SOURCE

 

Having trả to the source,

effort is over.

The intimate self SEES nothing outside,

hears nothing outside.

Still, the endless river flows tranquilly on,

the flowers are red.

 

9. BACK source

 

Return to the source,

efforts were finished.

The ego is no longer set themselves more visible on the outside,

hear no more external

Only endless river still flows down quietly,

the red flowers.

10. Entering THE MARKETPLACE

 

Entering the marketplace

barefoot and unadorned.

Blissfully smiling, though covered with dust

and ragged of clothes.

Using no supernatural power,

You bring the Withered trees into bloom spontaneously.

 

10. THE FAIR

 

At the fair,

barefoot and grooming.

Smiling happily, though covered with dust

and ragged clothes.

Do not use the force,

You make withered trees suddenly bloom.

END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.19/9/2013.NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).