The Way of Finding the Mind Deepens at Each Stage

Today’s teaching began with Simudo, the ten pictures of seeking the ox. These pictures show, stage by stage, the process of practice that seeks the original nature of the mind.

At first, it is vague even what should be sought. Yet through going out to seek, seeing the footprints, seeing the ox, catching it, and taming it, mind study gradually becomes a concrete path.

Here, the ox is a metaphor for the original mind. What matters is not merely knowing the pictures as information, but examining where my practice is now. I need to look back: am I still searching, have I seen the traces, or am I truly taming the mind?

The monk taught that this process has long been recognized within Korean Buddhism and the Seon tradition as a map of practice. When we look carefully at each scene, we too can set the direction of mind study more clearly.

Today, do not regard mind study as something vague. Look one step at a time. Valuing even a small trace and preparing to move to the next stage is the strength of practice.