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Email: Why Did Xu Yun Use "11" Poems to Explain the "10" Level Ox-Herding Pictures? (25.5.2025)

5/25/2025

Five Ranks of the Caodong School!

Dear F

Your question: Why does Xu Yun use '11' and not the usual "10" Ox-Herding Poems?

The 8th Ox-Herding picture is an empty circle. That is, a black circumference (boundary) surrounding an empty space. Within the Caodong roundel imagery of the Five Positions of Prince (void) and Minister (Form), this symbol co-relates to the 4th position of Prince and Minister (the form interfacing with the void - but not yet "integrated"). The 5th Caodong roundel represents the full integration of the form and void - a limitless mind-awareness within which all material reality arises and passes away. Obviously, the 10 Ox-Herding schema only covers 4 of the 5 Caodong ranks of enlightenment - and is incomplete (the 9th and 10th Ox-Herding Symbols are unclear in what they are supposed to be saying). The Ch'an masters who comprised this structure probably intended for their students to be guided beyond the limitation of the symbols. The 5th roundel of the Caodong school is "missing" in theory (despite the 9th and 10th Ox-Herding equivalents) so that a student is forced to seek the answer elsewhere - rather than become stuck in attachment to a symbolism the meaning of which they have not yet have fully penetrated with a direct insight.

Xu Yun knew of this deficiency and therefore comprised an "1tth" position which equates with position "5" of the Caodong school (this moves the 9th and 10th Ox-Herding symbolism on to the next level [a new "11th"] - which is not fully obvious in the received text). What does Xu Yub do to achieve this? Well, he simply "removes" the "boundary" of the roundel that represents the "8th" Ox-Herding Picture - and converts it into the "5th" Caodong school roundel (which subsumes the 9th and 10th Ox-Herding roundels - dissolving each into the all-embracing mind ground). The "8th" roundel of the Ox-Herding Pictures represents the form interfacing with the void - prior to their integration - which requires a further phase of study. Due to it incomplete nature - the 10 Ox-Herding Pictures are not used that frequeently within China. Indeed, the Caodong does not use it at all as its 5 ranks teaching is superior and complete. Xu Yun simply adjusted himself to circumstances when the students of Gushan College asked him for his opinion. Xu Yun is not endorsing (or rejecting) the 10 Ox-Herding Pictures but merely exercising his prajna aspect of mind. After-all, this method is not mentioned anywhere else in his biography or teaching. Think for yourself.

Peace in the Dharma

Adrian

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Email: Xu Yun's Ox Herding Poems - Explaining the Ideogram "白" (Bei)! (23.5.2025)

5/23/2025

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Master Xu Yun - Seven Historical Poems Written on a Fan - 1937

Dear C

In reference to:

Xu Yun Poem:

欲將白棒碎虛空。

Stick of purity - great void split.

You ask "Why a 'pure stick' and not a 'white stick" when translating the ideograms - "白棒" (Bei Bang) - with regards to Master Xu Yun's 11 Ox Herding Poems? This is a good question. Translations can be carried-out on a word for word basis (literal) - or via a thought for thought process (transliteral). The former is simplistic (used by automatic translators) and often does make any proper sense - whilst the latter requires skill and familiarity with the subject matter at hand - in short "experience". Speaking in general terms, there is no such thing as a "white stick" idiom used within the everyday Chinese language. Yes - a "white stick" may exist - but this is in relation to sticks of all kinds of hue - and many other colours. The "whiteness" of the stick is not special but casual. Looking more specifically, there are such idioms in the Chinese language as a "White Crane" (白鶴 - Bei He) - a very famous type of crane found in different parts of China - which is often linked to martial arts styles. In this sense, the "whiteness" refers to the colour of the feathers - whilst the hidden code implies that the style is to be taught during daylight hours, for everyone to see. A "Black Crane" (黑鶴 - Hei He) does signify a rare bird (and its plumage) in China - but when "black" serves as a prefix to a gongfu style - it invariably suggests that the style should be practiced at night, and away from the general gaze. Now, with regards to Chinese Buddhism, there is no such special idiom as a "white stick". In fact, such a statement makes no contextual sense within the field of Buddhist philosophy. When the ideogram "白" (Bei) is used, it can casually refer to the colour "white" when referring to a natural occurrences such as clouds or snow (used in temple names) - but when used within abstract philosophical discourse, then "白" invariably assumes its connation of "purity" (a quality of something "white" and "unsullied"). Furthermore, Chinese Buddhist and Daoist texts often talk of a meditator experiencing a "streak of lightning" flashing through their minds during intensive meditation practice. This light smashes apart all previous obstacles and hindrances - and (although described incidentally as "white") is earned through the practice of upholding the strictest morality and standards of virtuous self-discipline. Xu Yun does not care about random colours of sticks - but he does care profoundly about upholding the Vinaya Discipline for all to see!

With Metta

Adrian (Shi da dao - 释大道)

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Email: Xu Yun [104] Corrects Chiang Kai-Shek Using Ox-Herding Imagery! (22.5.2025)

5/22/2025

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Dear J

I have looked through the Chinese-language biography of Xu Yun and there are scattered references to oxen, cows, bulls, and the like. After-all, Xu Yun often chose to live in a cow-shed rather than the Head Monk's Room. Xu Yun spoke to cows, taught them the Dharma, and often bought cows from the butchers to be released in temple-grounds to live-out their lives. As to the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures - I cannot find any specific reference as of yet. What I did find, which might be of use, is part of Xu Yun's obvious dissatisfaction with the general attitude of Chiang Kai-Shek (he wanted to convert China to Christianity). It looks to me that Xu Yun might well be alluding to the Ten Ox Herding Pictures in his written response to Chiang Kai-Shek - although the story of describing an incomplete animal (I believe an elephant) is found in the Pali Suttas (a group of visually-impaired men touch and describe only one tiny part of the elephant - falsely believing this defines the entire animal). As Xu Yun replaces the elephant with the Ox - I have reason to suspect he is referring to the Ten Ox Herding Pictures. The original letter penned by Xu Yun to Chiang Kai-Shek can be read HERE - although no mention of the Ox is in that (despite the themes of materialism and idealism being present). Charles Luk removed this letter from his English translation - hence its omission in Empty Cloud. I was unaware that an "Appendix" existed - as I originally translated from a separate article and not the biography itself.

民國三十二年癸未一百有四歲

〔附錄〕答蔣公問法書

Xu Yun Biography: Republic of China 32nd Year (c. 1944) - Xu Yun 104 Years-Old

[Appendix] Answers to Chiang Kai-shek's Questions

'Limited vision distorts reality - is a complete Ox perceived - or is one small part of the Ox perceived? Is an Ox defined by the entirety of what it is (the broad view) - or only by the small section that can be seen (the narrow view)? If only the horns are seen - then the description of the Ox is limited to the horns. If only the head is seen - then the description of the Ox is limited to the head. A limited view that is partly right - partly wrong. Definition through omission is a disadvantage because it does not possess the ability to perceive the entire OX - and understand its presence from the complete perspective. The body of the real (entire) Ox is never perceived. The Buddha-Dharma can be traced-back to its pristine origin. If True Reality is clearly perceived - then it is like pointing-out a White Ox. This is continuously viewing the Ox free of himdrance. All strive to perceive the entire reality of the Ox - but "who?" [hua tou] amongst us has achieved this? Do not be limited to the "Mind-Only" or the "Materialist" ideology. Only the Buddha-Dharma correctly investigates and reconciles these two-extremes.'

Thanks

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Email: Gushan College and Xu Yun's '11' Ox-Herding Poems! (22.5.2025)

5/22/2025

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Dear J

This is the required information:

虛雲和尚法彙—詩歌偈贊　虛雲老和尚著

Master Xu Yun's Collected Dharma Teachings - Poems & Gatha Composed By Old Master Xu Yun

鼓山佛學院學生請題牧牛頌十一首

一撥草尋牛

欲將白棒碎虛空。借比牧牛吼六通。逐澗沿山尋覓去。不知行跡遍西東。

二驀然見跡

尋遍山邊與水邊。東西南北亦徒然。誰知只在此山內。彷佛低頭自在眠。

三逐步見牛

野性疏慵恣懶眠。溪邊林下露尖尖。微痕一線知尋覓。尋到無尋頭角全。

四得牛貫鼻

驀直當前把鼻穿。任隨□跳與狂顛。飢餐渴飲無虧欠。吩咐牧童仔細牽。

五牧護調馴

養汝辛勤歲月深。不耕泥水只耕雲。晨昏有草天然足。露地高眠伴主人。

六騎牛歸家

雲山何處不吾家。兩岸青青盡物華。隨分不侵苗與稼。倒騎牛背勝靈槎。

七念牛存人

始自郊原遍海涯。歸來倒駕白牛車。畫堂深處紅輪展。新婦原來是阿家。

八人牛雙忘

憶昔寒爐撥死灰。杳無蹤跡枉徘徊。而今凍破梅花蕊。虎嘯龍吟總異才。

九返本還元

物物頭頭別有天。此中消息幾人傳。忽然怒作獅子吼。獨露鬚眉照大千。

十入廛垂手

拽轉乾坤眼界寬。聊將一手挽狂瀾。高懸日月超羅網。聾瞶偏邪返本端。

十一總頌

本無一事可思求。平地風波信筆收。從地倒還從地起。十方世界任優遊。

示劉寬涵

It seems that the students of the Buddhist College on Gushan [鼓山] requested 'that Master Xu Yun compose '11' Poems regarding the Ox Herding Pictures - even though there are only usually '10'. I think this might be a convention in China - but not Japan. In other words, an enlightened Master might compose one more transcending poem to tidy-up, clarify, and link everything together. Finally, there is an interesting "note" at the bottom which says "Show [示 - Shi] - Liu Kuan Han" (劉寬涵). This could mean "Dedicated to Liu Kuan Han" depending upon context (either-way, I do not know who he is). As with "Lu Kuan Yu" (陸寬昱) - Charles Luk - there is the same first-name of "Kuan" (寬) - which I assume is a generational-name - suggesting the two men were around the same age. As regards the translation of the link you kindly forwarded - it is adequate but with a flare for the dramatic. For instance, I would translate the first poem as:

Original Poem:

一撥草尋牛

Offer grass – seek the Ox.

Xu Yun Poem:

欲將白棒碎虛空。

Stick of purity - great void split.

借比牧牛吼六通。

Grazing Ox bellows - six-senses purified.

逐澗沿山尋覓去。

Stream Chased – mountain climbed - seeking.

不知行跡遍西東。

Ignorance everywhere - whereabouts nowhere - East and West.

I suspect that many translators look to previous renditions and work within these (retaining errors and incorrect assumptions) - which means the translations become ever more flowery and depart ever further away from the stark truth of Ch'an. Whatever the case, above is my translation from the Chinese ideograms - it can be compared to that on the link your forwarded - there is a different "taste". This flavour comes from the Chinese characters themselves - I merely relay the meaning.

Best Wishes

Adrian

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Lanakavatara Sutra – Chapter 8 – No Meat Eating! (21.5.2025)

5/21/2025

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The translation work of DT Suzuki is adequate simply because it is readily available in English throughout the West. However, both Dt Suzuki (and his Buddhist teacher) were linked to the political right-wing in pre-WWI and WWII – with both holding anti-Western and anti-Chinese (racialised) viewpoints. An investigation of this reality can be found in Brian Daizen Victoria’s (2006) book entitled “Zen At War”. The Zen advocated prior to WWII in Imperial Japan amounted to preparing young men to kill without any hesitation or thought of regret. Brian Victoria (an Australian by birth) is an ordained Soto Zen monk who lives in Japan, and can fluetly read, write, and speak the Japanese-language. As Suzuki held the (false) view that Chinese Buddhism no longer existed in the 19th and 20th centuries – this distortion is often encountered in his foot notes and skewed interpretations of historical events throughout the entirety of his work. By way of contrast, the Chinese Ch’an Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) lived through the brutality of Imperial Japan’s Occupation of China between 1931-1945 – where he saw “Japanese Zen” in action. Furthermore, Suzuki’s understanding of the Lankavatara Sutra is terminally flawed, highly subjective, and hyper-idealistic. A sound academic corrective for this Suzuki-error can be found with Florin Giripescu Sutton’s (1991) book entitled “Existence and Enlightenment in the Lanakavatara-sutra”. Once these issues are dealt with – then we can make use of the English translation itself without being misled.

Chapter 8 of the Lankavatara Sutra contains details of the Buddha explaining why a sincere practitioner of the Dharma should not eat meat. It is good to remember that Emperor Ashoka in India outlawed meat-eating, as did two Chinese Emperors. This transformed human society for a time into structures that advocated loving kindness, compassion, and wisdom as political tools to guide the development of outer society. Even when these utopic societies collapsed and greed, hatred, and delusion resumed their dominant positions, both lay and ordained practitioners adhered to a strict vegetarian diet. Indeed, as begging was outlawed centuries ago in China – Buddhist monastics have always grown their own vegetables. In other Asian countries, where Buddhist monastics still serenely walk through the villages with their begging bowls on a daily basis, meat is to be discouraged – but waste meat can be given if nothing else is available. The monastic must consume this offering with a still and pure mind. The Buddhist traditions that spread to China, however, are very strict on this point for very well explained karmic reasons. Do not kill – or cause to kill.

Now, this is not a dogma. Eat meat - or do not eat meat – the choice is for the individual and there should be no sense of compelling or criticism, as this contradicts the Buddhist practice of compassion, indifference, and tolerance. After-all, the Buddha was opposed to all forms of war – and yet he was an accomplished martial artist, and he gave Sutras especially for soldiers to study whilst they were in service. Then there are the Tantric teachings which involve all types of world activity whilst adhering to the empty mind ground. Read these extracts, learn from its content, make-up your own mind, and move-on.

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Wall-Gazing at the Lankavatara Sutra! (20.5.2025)

5/20/2025

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Master Xu Yun (1840-1959)

As far as I am concerned, the Caodong Ch'an tradition has its roots in Bodhidharma's "wall-Gazing" technique. The "wall" is the empty mind ground free of all greed, hatred, and delusion, which expands throughout the Ten Directions and is all-embracing. Furthermore, as the enlightened mind is the deluded mind turned the right-way around - as taught within the Lankavatara Sutra. This Sutra explains how the empty mind ground envelops the existing material world - ignore DT Suzuki's mistaken interpretation that "everything is mind" - as the Buddha states time and again that the mind is impermanent. Yes - the essence of perception is "empty" of all content - and yes - material existence is mostly or entirely "space", but this does not mean it does not exist independent of the mind that perceives it. The physical universe pre-exists or birth and post-exists our death. This is the strata of material reality. What Ch'an provides is the realisation of the empty essence of the faculty of perception before it is sullied by the myriad objects of perception. Once the six senses are returned to this pristine (empty) essence - then the senses are permanently purified and no further experience - regardless of its hellish nature - can return the mind to a pre-enlightened state. This is the Mahayana view. When sense objects re-fill the empty (enlightened) mind - they are like clouds floating across the sky. There is no attachment or dualistic degradation. An enlightened being is neither attached to void - nor hindered by phenomena. Now, as DT Suzuki is by far the more commonly available translation of the Lankavatara Sutra - make use of its content - as the translation is adequate. A superior interpretation, however, is that book authored by Florin Giripescu Sutton entitled "Existence and Enlightenment in the Lankavatara Sutra: A Study in the Ontology and Epistemology of the Yogacara School of Mahayana Buddhism (SUNY ... of the Yogācāra School of Mahāyāna Buddhism", SUNY, (1990). This work clearly reveals how the Lankavatara Sutra (which Bodhiharma brought to China from India) possesses content that is far older than the Mahayana - and has its root in Early Buddhism. Whatever the cas, this Sutra sould definitely not be read as assuming the physical is a manifestation of the mind - and does not exist in and of itself.

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Email: Why Did Xu Yun Use "11" Poems to Explain the "10" Level Ox-Herding Pictures? (25.5.2025)

Email: Xu Yun's Ox Herding Poems - Explaining the Ideogram "白" (Bei)! (23.5.2025)

Email: Xu Yun [104] Corrects Chiang Kai-Shek Using Ox-Herding Imagery! (22.5.2025)

Email: Gushan College and Xu Yun's '11' Ox-Herding Poems! (22.5.2025)

Lanakavatara Sutra – Chapter 8 – No Meat Eating! (21.5.2025)

Wall-Gazing at the Lankavatara Sutra! (20.5.2025)

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