- Significance of Ten Ox-Herding Pictures: The Ten Ox-Herding Pictures of Zen is an ancient metaphor used to illustrate the stages of spiritual awakening or enlightenment. It first originated about a thousand years ago in China and have since evolved into various versions. The pictures and their interpretation that are discussed in this video is based on the book "Lectures on the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures" by Yamada Mamon, making it a valuable resource for those interested in non-duality. The model serves a map guiding individuals through different stages or levels of spiritual awakening, a concept that can be found in several religious traditions, rather than being unique to Zen.
- Preparing for Spiritual Awakening: The highest wisdom or enlightenment requires an individual to be prepared and at a suitable stage in life, with most people not yet ready to embark on this path. The journey to awakening necessarily starts with a strong desire and commitment to attain enlightenment, it is not considered wrong to seek enlightenment, but rather it is an essential characteristic for beginners who truly want to awaken.
- What is Enlightenment?: The Ox in the model metaphorically represents enlightenment, the individual's true nature, and the absolute truth. It serves as the answer to various fundamental life questions like the purpose of life, the nature of suffering, reality, death, and God. Enlightenment comes with different names across various traditions but conveys the fundamental concept of consciousness, or an awareness of God/absolute infinity/void/nothingness.
- Dualistic Worldview: Individuals are often entrapped in a discriminatory dualistic mode of viewing the world, characterized by binaries like happiness/sadness, win/loss, good/bad. The Zen master argues that such discriminative thinking only leads to more discrimination, causing confusion and suffering.
- First Stage of Awakening: The first step on the path is where individuals are confused and lost, trying to figure out life, its purpose, and how to free themselves from societal conditioning and misleading influences. An essential part of this first stage is affirming the vow to attain enlightenment, which symbolizes a dedication to the journey towards awakening, even though this step in itself does not constitute enlightenment.
- Importance of Approaching Spiritual Growth Seriously: Leo Gura emphasizes that approaching the spiritual journey like climbing Mount Everest is necessary. It demands investment of time, attention, and enduring hardships. Doing spiritual practices only occasionally will result in achieving nothing.
- Seeing the Ox's Footprints: Many people who have heard about awakening and have a mild interest but have not yet experienced it are at the stage of seeing the footprints of the Ox. Yet, skepticism can deter people from truly beginning their journey.
- Self-Delusion Through Intellectualization: Gura advises caution among those who learn about non-duality and enlightenment purely through reading and watching videos without practicing, as they may delude themselves through intellectualization, mistaking their imaginary understanding of non-duality for enlightenment.
- Importance of Reading and Studying: The Zen master quoted by Gura emphasizes the importance of reading scriptures and learning from the experiences of ancient teachers. Mere self-inquiry without studying can lead to the wrong direction. Even a minor experience of Satori (awakening) should not lead to swell-headedness or an assumption of understanding the entirety of the journey.
- Extent of Buddha Dharma: The Zen master emphasises that Buddha Dharma is not confined to isolated spiritual practices, but extends to everyday activities such as business, farming, temple work, and politics. Regardless of spiritual experiences or awakenings, engaging in these activities with clear understanding and insight is true reality.
- Dangers of Misinterpreting Awakening Experiences: Leo warns against becoming overconfident after minor breakthroughs or experiences. He reminds viewers that understanding the nuances and depths of spirituality is a lifelong commitment, and without comprehensive study and understanding, there is a risk of delusion, the creation of harmful cults, or potential misinterpretations of the awakening experience.
- Importance of Consistent Effort and Dedication: Leo Gura discusses the importance of approaching spiritual growth with seriousness and dedication. Gura emphasizes that true progress requires consistent effort and a willingness to endure challenges and suffering.
- Pitfalls of Skepticism and Self-Delusion: Gura warns against skepticism and self-delusion, which can hinder progress towards awakening. This self-delusion can stem from merely reading about non-duality, without practicing it, leading to an inaccurate understanding of enlightenment.
- Awakening is not a Matter of Probability but Dedication: Gura's response to people doubting their chances of awakening emphasizes that assurance comes from one's seriousness and commitment, not chances or probability. He stresses that those on the spiritual path must be persistent and committed, avoiding common traps.
- First Glimpse of the 'Ox': Described as a profound mystical experience, the first sighting of the "ox" (a symbol of awakening) heralds a new understanding of spirituality. This rare and overwhelming glimpse can incite fear but also presage serious spiritual work and a deepened yearning for the Ox.
- Challenges in Communicating Enlightenment: Gura mentions the difficulty in communicating and grasping the essence of awakening. He explains that language, being limited and dualistic, fails to completely capture the non-dualistic concept of the Ox.
- Need to Own and Tame the 'Ox': Gura highlights the importance of not only spotting the Ox but also taming and owning it. The Ox represents inner realization and the Buddha nature, and any attempt to use it for personal gains or confining it to doctrines are acts of selfishness and misunderstanding.
- Importance of Letting Go and Surrendering: Emphasizing surrender and the letting go of ego, Gura speaks about the "great death" or samadhi as necessary to truly tame the Ox. Interferences from ego might perform detrimental roles such as fueling cult-like behavior.
- Continued Spiritual Work Post-Awakening: Contrary to the belief that awakening is the end of the spiritual journey, Gura elaborates that true masters continue to purify themselves of selfishness, desires, and psychological barriers.
- Practice and Challenges of Mindfulness: In the modern world filled with distractions, Gura stresses the importance of continuous concentration on the present moment. Achieving mindfulness aids in personifying the awakening.
- Misinterpretation of the Awakening Process: Pointing out the frequent misunderstanding of the awakening process, Gura states that ongoing work on the path is essential, contrary to what beginners often believe. The seeking of awakening and enlightenment should rise above the need for material gain or external validation.
- Understanding of Self and the Dharma: Shedding light on the interconnectedness of self and the Dharma, Gura uses the Ox as a symbolic teaching device. Reaching enlightenment involves realizing the nonexistence of self, ultimately leading to a state of pure positivity.
- Surrendering Oneself Completely: Gura charts the journey towards reaching a point of complete surrender, where one attains unconditional happiness. This step requires letting go of external attachments and being content in all circumstances.
- Eliminating the Concept of Good and Bad: Gura details the process of forgoing judgement, doing away with the notions of good and bad to achieve a higher form of goodness.
- Dangers of Spiritual Delusion and Fake Gurus: Highlighting the pitfalls on the spiritual journey, Gura warns about false spiritual figures who might mislead their followers.
- Highest Form of Enlightenment: Gura elaborates on the highest form of Satori or enlightenment as the collapse of all distinctions and boundaries, leading to the recognition of the universe's source as nonexistent. He also mentions returning to the source as the final but challenging stage of enlightenment.
- Limitations of the Linear Progression Model: Discussing the non-linear nature of the spiritual journey, Gura encourages trust in the personal spiritual path. He adds that it may take years or decades to fully embody and understand the spiritual path.
- Non-Duality and Oneness: Gura describes the final stages of non-duality realization as reaching the understanding that everything is one. This realization becomes embodied at the cellular level, transforming behaviors and relationships. The challenge then is to find a balance between active seeking and doing nothing.
- True Masters Blend In While Retaining Humility: Dispelling the illusion that enlightened individuals stand out or hold significant worldly possessions, Gura highlights true masters integrate with ordinary life, exhibiting remarkable yet authentic humility.
- Old Monk's Journey and Teachings: Gura describes the old monk as a guide to awakening who supports others in discovering their own light. Achieving the highest awakened state is to see the world and oneself as pure and divine, leading a path of awakening that involves acknowledging the existence of obstacles and suffering.
- Emphasizing the Desire for Truth and Awakening: As a final note, Gura advises viewers to trust and follow their path, even if it means facing fears. He recommends episodes related to spiritual awakening and encourages pursuing the path despite the daunting challenges that lie ahead.
- Emphasizing the need to surrender self and ego to attain enlightenment: Leo Gura explains that one's egotism obstructs the path to enlightenment (the Ox). People often approach spirituality superficially, with fantasies of elite status, social recognition, and material gain, unaware this will not lead to genuine spiritual awakening. The self-interested approach to spirituality results in delusion, misinterpretation, and misuse of spiritual concepts.
- The dangers of half-hearted awakening: Gura warns that partial spiritual awakening can create problems. Although one might have experienced an awakening (catch the Ox), ego-driven behaviors and desires could still linger, which could mislead people into harmful actions like starting cults or manipulating others for personal gain.
- The need to tame the Ox: Gura emphasizes the importance of taming the Ox, which refers to thoroughly integrating and embodying the realization of enlightenment. This process often involves acknowledging and surrendering deeply ingrained selfish tendencies and desires, which can be challenging and time-consuming.
- The significance of post-awakening practice: According to Gura, attaining awakening, or Satori, is just the beginning. Consistent post-Satori practice is necessary to train and make the Ox one's own. Genuine transformation and purification require ongoing self-reflection and spiritual work to recognize and overcome one's ignorance and selfishness.
- The difference between beginners and masters in spiritual practice: Gura explains that beginners often succumb to the misconception that the spiritual journey ends with the first awakening. However, true masters understand the need for continuous work, constant self-improvement, and enduring moments of self-doubt. They spend decades refining their spiritual understanding by letting their awakening further purify their selves.
- Highlighting no-mind consciousness: The ultimate spiritual goal, Gura points out, is achieving a state of no-mind, a condition completely free of thoughts where one can witness the universe's oneness ceaselessly. Cultivating this no-mind consciousness requires serious spiritual training and practice to ultimately reach a state of "abiding non-dual awareness."
- Caution against false paths to truth: Gura argues that truth does not lie in worldly pursuits but arises from the heart when the heart is sincere. He emphasizes the need to rid ourselves of base thoughts and seek a "spotless mirror" state that reflects reality as it is. Only when the worldly-minded approach to life is abandoned can one truly experience enlightenment.
- The Importance of Consistent Mindfulness Practice: Leo Gurua emphasizes that continued mindfulness practice is key in attaining a persisting state of non-duality. This involves grounding oneself continuously in the present moment, which is increasingly challenging due to numerous distractions in today's world like social media, technology, and various addictions.
- Depicting Embodiment of Awakening: Gurua explores the stage termed riding the Ox home, denoting the attainment and subsequent integration of awakening into an individual's routine life. By this stage, there's no need to discuss the mystical state it has simply become an individual's normal way of life. The non-duality state is reintroduced to the world of duality, thereby achieving a true non-dual state.
- Transcending the chase for awakening/enlightenment: Gurua expounds that true awakening is when one transcends the pursuit of enlightenment, realizing that this very present moment is the awakening they sought. However, the magnificence of this realization is usually underestimated until it is fully experienced.
- Caution against attachment to Satori: Gurua cautions against getting trapped by Satori once it is attained. It may cause individuals to feel superior and indulge in activities that strip them of their freedom. For the awakening to be genuine, individuals must forget about Satori after attaining it the same way they would let go of the snare after catching a rabbit.
- Concluding points: Gurua stresses that the self, the ox, and the path are all interconnected, representing the journey towards enlightenment. Once the self has truly understood the Dharma, the Ox is no longer needed. The objective was not to catch the snare (Ox), but the rabbit (attaining enlightenment).
- Ox as a Means for Awakening: Enlightenment involves realizing Buddha nature with the guidance of the Ox metaphor. Once this level of understanding is reached, the metaphor becomes unnecessary. However, beginners in this journey need this metaphor, much like a hungry person needs food.
- Unconditional Happiness: Leo talks about a radical transformation in attitude, enabling one to experience happiness regardless of external circumstances. He likens the self to relinquishing ego, which results in an infinite, positive state of existence where everything is seen as a bonus. He warns that insisting on conditional happiness leads to suffering.
- Letting Go of Judgments: Surrendering all notions of good and bad forms an essential part of spiritual awakening. Liberation involves getting rid of good and bad dichotomies, leading to a counter-intuitive occurrence where everything is seen as inherently good.
- Sweeping Away Preconceptions: Zen teachings emphasize the importance of eliminating preconceived ideas about good and bad from our thoughts. Retaining such dualistic thinking just adds to suffering. Only by letting go of these notions can we experience a state of unconditional positivity.
- Reframing Reality: Life must be faced without any judgments or bigotry. Individuals who are fully awakened see everything around them as good. This state reflects more than personal bias or preferences; it is a deep understanding of the intrinsic value of all aspects of reality.
- Advanced stages of human development and consciousness: The stages Leo Gura discusses require years of dedicated practice, transformation, and surrender, analogous to becoming a brain surgeon which requires extensive study and residency. The journey is not about a small awakening or casual experiences with consciousness-altering substances, but is about reaching deep, radical levels of non-duality through thousands of hours of work and meditation. This is not meant as a limiting belief but rather a realistic perspective of what spiritual growth entails.
- Transcending the self and the "ox": At some advanced stages, specifically stage 7, all efforts and self notations pass away, leading to a radical form of emptiness. It is a level of realization that nothing in the universe has effectively transpired and everything is purely empty or non-existent. A clear distinction between existence and non-existence, life, and death become unrecognizable. At this stage, all worldly feelings, desires, and attachments vanish completely. If one is still seeking validation, recognition, or praise from others, they have not reached this stage. Truly transcending the self means that one must completely die to their old self and attachments, leaving no trace.
- Returning to the source: At the final stage, you return to the origin or source of everything. At this point, all previous stages and practices become unnecessary as you have stripped everything away and become pure emptiness. The ultimate reward and attainable state, however, is obscured and not fully understood even by Leo Gurua.
- Realistic commitment and caution in spiritual circles: People who believe that enlightenment can be achieved simply by reading a few books or watching a few videos are warned against creating false teachers and gurus who can lead others astray. These misunderstandings can lead to cult-like behavior and can be harmful to uninformed practitioners. It is essential to examine spiritual teachings with a discerning eye and only follow genuine practitioners who have dedicated their life to this work.
- Understanding the nonlinear progress in spirituality: Lastly, using powerful psychedelic substances for spiritual progress can provide deep mystical experiences, some even exceeding the experiences of Zen monks who have been practising for years. However, these experiences require a significant amount of additional work to embody and integrate into everyday life. Spirituality is not a linear process and differs for every individual, thus creating a varying spiritual path.
- The limitations of a linear progression model in spirituality: Leo Gura emphasizes that despite having deep mystical experiences, which allow him to see the ultimate deepest levels of nonduality, embodying these experiences in daily life is a great challenge. He highlights that even though he has access to powerful tools that facilitate profound glimpses into what spirituality entails, he has a lot of work to do to fully embody such insights in everyday situations.
- The implications of such deep spiritual glimpses: Gura explains that having such deep spiritual insights has an upside and a downside. The upside is understanding the path ahead, the potential traps, and the depth and rarity of reaching the end of the journey. The downside, however, is the frustration and overwhelm that comes from realizing the amount of work required to fully embody these insights.
- Entity and self in Zen: According to a Zen master mentioned by Gura, the self and the universe are identical, representing the foundation of Zen teachings. The universe's fundamental nature, the self, and the universe, all transcended, exist in the pure and immaculate mind where there is no distinction between self and world.
- The ultimate realization of non-duality: Gura explains that the ultimate realization of non-duality occurs in stages. The realizations start with oneself being one with the universe, transitioning to oneself being all people, and finally dispelling the subtle duality between oneself and Christ or Buddha, leading to a fuller understanding of non-duality.
- The challenges of the spiritual path: Gura describes the spiritual path as counterintuitive. Deciding to do nothing leads to being carried away by society, while taking the path leads one step too far from the present moment. He recommends taking the path and later finding a way back to the present moment or 'zeroth step'.
- The humility of true masters: According to Gura, the final stage of the spiritual path is characterized by complete blend-in and humility. True masters are so ordinary and humble that there are no signs of ego or selfishness left in them. They do not flaunt their achievements and often go unnoticed by ordinary people.
- Importance of Humility in Spiritual Journey: Although you achieve the ultimate realm of the absolute, you must not display this enlightenment publicly, but rather demonstrate profound humility that cannot be faked. Genuine teachers or masters can be identified by their genuine humility and how they wear their enlightenment.
- Living Among Ordinary People Post-Enlightenment: After attaining the ultimate state, you forget about the elevated realm and return to ordinary life, clad in simple attire. Embodying modesty and humility like Jesus, becoming completely part of ordinary people is a virtue.
- Avoid Displaying Materialism Post-Enlightenment: Engaging in lavish lifestyles and elitism post-enlightenment is perceived as wrong. True masters are free from worldly possessions or titles and are seen among ordinary people, living simple lives and demonstrating humility.
- Awakening Others towards their Buddhahood: After reaching the highest awakening state, your duty is to awaken others to this enlightened state. This is achieved not through preaching, but by associating with ordinary people, living with them, laughing and singing amongst them.
- Challenges of the Path to Enlightenment: Understanding the spiritual journey and its ultimate purpose may be daunting and seem challenging, causing fear and creating obstacles. However, once you have seen the potential of what you can become and have understood the depths of your existence, there is no going back.
- Trust in the Spiritual Journey: It's important to trust in your spiritual journey regardless of the uncertainties and fears. Having known the ultimate truth and purpose, your heart will guide you to take the path even though it scares you and seemingly endangers your current lifestyle.
- Necessity of Perseverance and Patience on Spiritual Path: The enlightenment path promises liberation from suffering but only after enduring incrementing levels of suffering. Motivation and assurance must be maintained during the highs and lows of your journey.
- Revisiting Wisdom: To stay on the right path, it is recommended to periodically go back and revisit the wisdom from great masters and teachers. This will prevent ideology formation and help maintain direction on the spiritual path.
- Extensions of Awakening: Beyond your initial enlightenment, with sustained effort and dedication, you can reach out and replenish the spiritual wealth by enlightening others. This additional role is seen as an extension of your spiritual growth and fulfillment.