On the outer walls of the Main Hall, along with the paintings depicting the life of the Buddha Sakyamuni and other pictures, there are often the ten Oxherding Pictures (called Shim-oo-do in Korean). Coming from the Sung Dynasty (1126-1279) in China, they were con-ceived by Buddhist masters as a teaching device. The pictures represent the training of the mind by the metaphor of tethering an ox; the herder is you, the ox is your mind.

The progressive whitening of the ox indicates the gradual awakening of the oxherd to his true nature; it is a process of purification. The original series ended with an empty circle, for it was inherently understood that the ox herder carried on with life as usual, now an enlightened life. In an effort to dispel the frequent misunderstanding of Buddhism's "enlightenment" as mere emptiness, the series was expanded to include the oxherd's return to the world.

i) Searching for the Ox illustrates the separation of the herder and the ox, and the former's seeming violation of his true nature. The oxherd is dissatisfied with his environment, he is subject to passions, and desire for possessing a satisfactory self-definition and fear of losing that identity have him in a vulnerable position and a painful predicament.

ii) Seeing the Footprints illustrates the awareness gained by the oxherd that there is the possibility of transcending his pain. He has a preliminary under-standing of the origin of his pain. Though he is unable to see the ox, the ox's presence is known.

iii) Perceiving the Ox illustrates the ox-herd's realization that nothing exists outside of himself, and, therefore, that "himself" as an individual entity is non-existent. He is comforted by the loss of objective perception. The herder is free from the need to defend his objective self-definition.

iv) Catching the Ox illustrates the struggle which is the result of incompletely transcending aggression. The oxherd has laid hands on the ox, but has not developed the energy to keep it under his control. He knows his ego to be untrue, but the ego (attempting objectification of the self) struggles to control the herder.

v) Taming the Ox illustrates the oxherd's determined and concentrated efforts to attain wisdom despite his still prevalent vulnerability to confusion, for the ox and herder are not yet one. The herder must keep his whip ready to prevent the ox from wandering, just as the student of Zen must discipline himself to prevent his mind from wandering.

vi) The properly tended ox is pacified. When the fuel of the passions is burned up, the fire is forgotten. The oxherd is pictured Riding the Ox Home. The oxherd's concentration is not subject to the calls of the world. His mind may no longer be deceived, but instead has begun to engage in truly creative activity. He may not be led astray. With a joyful heart, he meanders home.

vii) The Ox Transcended/The Oxherd Alone illustrates that the ox was never real. Not only has the ego no chance of gaining control, but there is no longer even a notion of an individual mind to be deluded by the ego. The light of wisdom shines. The oxherd is no longer born, and no longer dies, the phenomena that previously caused so much pain. He is unborn.

viii) The Ox and Herder Transcended, illustrated by the empty circle, shows only the slightest remaining distance, which is yet an infinite separation, between mind and self. With the nonex-istence of dualism, Buddhism cannot be exclusive or inclusive. At this point, it is not a path to be followed, but a truth to be lived. The oxherd no longer follows, but knows the immediacy of wisdom.

ix) Reaching the Origin, one is not enriched by anything external. It is apparent that one was never in fact enriched, but was eternally pure and compassionate. There is only a "source" or "origin" in the sense of eternally present, inexhaustible, serenity.

x) In the World, the awakened, enlightened being follows no example. He is what he knows to be true and projects his Buddha-nature to those who need his care.