The 10 Ox Herding Pictures and Their Use as a Guide to Immortality

The ten ox herding pictures of Ch’an and Zen Buddhism show the path to enlightenment and the challenges brought along the way. This path is used through ‘The Story of Han Xiangzi: The Alchemical Adventures of a Daoist Immortal’ to guide the many characters that journey to become immortals. Laozi, one of the eight Daoist immortals even shows up in the story to guide Han Xiangzi on his part of the journey, riding an ox, himself following the same pathway which is described by the ten ox herding pictures. These pictures seam to be key to Buddhist enlightenment but as Daoism incorporates many different aspects of multiple other religious traditions, it is not against them to also incorporate this into their traditions. This important dao, or path, which may be the natural dao for some, specifically those destined to become immortals, to follow though there are other paths suggested in ‘The Story of Han Xiangzi: The Alchemical Adventures of a Daoist Immortal.’ The path that will be followed through this paper is the path that follows the ten ox herding pictures.

When a person has set themselves to obtain enlightenment there are steps they must take to get there, seen by following the ox herding pictures. To first begin one must start by searching for the ox. To do this one must be truly motivated to seek enlightenment and have removed all attachments. Once this has been done, one will start to see the traces of the ox, the path to follow, from ‘the teachings, models, and stories of others.’ This will be the path one must then follow to find the ox and become enlightened. When the path is followed, based off what one has previously learned about the path, the ox is seen. This is equivalent to seeing where enlightenment will bring oneself, a view of ‘true reality’ showing that one is following the correct path and that enlightenment will come in due course if one is vigilant.

Once the path is truly known it is necessary to then further involve the ox with the journey to enlightenment through catching the ox. In doing this there is a need of discipline of both mental and physical habits. ‘The “reward,” however, is an even greater awakening to Emptiness/Suchness; an ever greater awakening to one’s true situation.’ This then is just a continuation of finding the ox and no real advance has been made in the path to enlightenment other than preparing oneself to lead the ox, once it has been caught. Upon catching the ox the path then is to lead the ox showing a full ‘mastery of body and mind.’ By leading the ox it learns to trust in the path that it is following and will allow the one on the path to ride the ox so that the mind is resting easy and is allowed to wander free. This is the natural mode of living which when the one on the path reaches this they will be in harmony with the natural ox and they will work together as a unit, the searcher riding on the ox.