Ten Bulls is a virtual forest world which cyclically regenerates
itself. A meandering stream forges a new path through the terrain
with each passing of a visitor to the world. Bridges relocate themselves,
trees reorganize, and a small cabin deep in the forest nestles into
its own clearing. With each new cycle, the visitor finds him or herself
inside the cabin, invited to play the role of an isolated farmer who
has lost one of his or her livestock. The farmer sets out into the
forest to find the Bull in an interpretation of the ancient Buddhist
parable "Ten Bulls", illustrated by Chinese Zen master Kakuan (1100-1200
CE) and popularized in America by Buddhist scholar D. T. Suzuki (1870-1966).
On the journey, the farmer experiences transcendence through conflict
and resolution in leading the bull home again.
When we began discussing uses of virtual reality-
a medium new to all four of us- a variety of interests and backgrounds
surfaced. Katie, a computer science and visual arts major, has interests
in game design. Blake and Leigh, both animation majors, were excited
to explore different techniques for character and environment modeling,
and Jay, a film and digital media major, has interests in digital
cinema and interactive narrative. The project theme became an integration
of all our goals for the course, and use of our complimentary skills.
For a research project he had been working on during
the summer, Jay was reading various histories of Buddhism, and came
upon the ancient 'Ten Bull-Herding drawings' by Chinese Zen master
Kakuan. The group became interested in adapting the illustrations
to a virtual environment as an unique approach to a new medium. Telling
an ancient story, particularly one which unfortunately is so little
known in the west, through an experimental, interactive medium lends
new possibilities to the adaptation. The concepts of Zen, as the literature
has always stated, are not a rigid doctrine but a fluid practice intended
to be lived rather than merely studied. One of the essential precepts
of Buddhist thought is that all things are impermanent; thus while
the Buddha's doctrine is perfected, the Dharma, or means of teaching,
must change with time. Reconstruction of Zen ideas in an immersive
environment allows the viewer a more active and immediate experience
of the story, and creates a new cultural space for one to discover
the Dharma.
Summary Bibliography
Govinda, Anagarika. "Way of the White Clouds: A Buddhist
Pilgrim." Berkeley, CA : Shambhala, 1970.
Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. "Essays in Zen Buddhism, First Series." New
York: Grove Press, Inc., 1961.
Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. "Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism." New York:
Schoken Books, 1963.
Watts, Alan. "The Spirit of Zen: A Way of Life, Work, and Art in the
Far East." New York : Grove Press : Distributed by Random House, 1960.
