Ten Bulls, Catching the Bull

4. Catching the Bull

I seize him with a terrific struggle. His great will and power are inexhaustible. He charges to the high plateau far above the cloud-mists, Or in an impenetrable ravine he stands.

Comment: He dwelt in the forest a long time, but I caught him today! Infatuation for scenery interferes with his direction. Longing for sweeter grass, he wanders away. His mind still is stubborn and unbridled. If I wish him to submit, I must raise my whip.

To catch the bull is a fight against ignorance and prejudice.

The bull is the eternal principle of life. The ten bulls represent sequent steps in the realization of one's true nature.

New Feature

If you look to the top of the right-hand column you will see a slideshow of the West Wight.

I have used non-copyrighted (I hope) photos from a selection of photographers, if anyone sees their photos there and don't want them used just let me know.

Travelling Buddhists, Update

Just a quick note to let you all know that Wilhelmina's Crew are now posting some pictures from their cycling tour of Thailand.

Help Burma at Amazon

By doing your Amazon shopping via the Burma Campaign UK's website, without costing you a penny up to 10% of the money you spend in that visit will be donated to them by Amazon.

Visit their website http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/
Click on the special Amazon link
Do your shopping on Amazon and you’ll be helping fund their work to bring human rights and democracy to Burma.

New Burma "Dirty List"

Burma Campaign UK have just launched their new edition of the “Dirty List”. It’s the biggest list they’ve ever produced, containing 170 companies that directly or indirectly fund Burma’s brutal regime.

Thanks to your emails over the past year many companies have pulled out of Burma, depriving the regime of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Remember XL insurance? Cotton Traders? Arig insurance? They’ve all pulled out in the past year. So have others like Trailblazer Guides, Jet Gold Corp, CHC and Aquatic.

TAKE ACTION
Please write to a few of these companies right now and tell them to stop bankrolling Burma’s generals: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/dirty_list/dirty_list_details.html

Every single day foreign companies give millions of dollars to the regime; allowing them to buy the bullets, guns and supplies for the army that keeps them in power. These companies are financing a regime that rapes five-year-old girls, shoots peaceful protestors and leaves storm victims to die.

This is your chance to speak directly to the companies that fund the regime. Tell them why what they’re doing is wrong. Tell them why they must respect the wishes of Burma’s democracy movement and pull out of Burma now.

Yet More From the Travelling Buddhists

Wilhelmina's crew, members of the Newport Soto Zen group, are off travelling the World on their trusty tandem once more. If you remember, their previous adventure took them to Australia, now they're off to Thailand and Laos!


You can keep track of their progress on their blog at Wilhelmina's crew. No pictures yet from Thailand but they will be coming soon.

Venerable Robina Courtin

I stumbled across this fascinating video by Venerable Robina Courtin, there's a bit of waffle by the introducer at the beginning but patience (a good Buddhist virtue), it's an excellent talk.

Daizan's Enlightenment Day Talk

For those of you who have been wondering what Daizan has been up to I received an email from him about a talk he is giving today up in London.

"On enlightenment day, December 8th I'm giving a talk explaining what exactly is involved in our achieving our birthright. It's entitled Zen - the Way of Enlightenment, and I'd like to invite you. It's at University College London at 8.30pm. Come to Gordon Street, opposite Euston Station, go into the Bloomsbury Theatre and up to the third floor. There you'll find the dojo where I'll be talking for a bit over an hour. There will be a chance to ask questions and we'll probably practice some meditation together. Please come and join us".