Zen Finger Story

    There’s a story in Zen tradition that a zen master directs the moon by his finger but his students take a look at it instead of the moon.

Another story on another popular zen master is he always shows his peter pointer to his visitors in silence whenever he is asked about what the Way is from them: One day when he was away from the temple, one visitor came to see ask him what the Way is. Then a child student of the master reminded how his master   usually answered to that question. So this child directed his peter pointer as exactly as his master always does. When the master returned, he found it out. Becoming very upset with this child student, he cut the finger of this poor child. Then this child was running up to the mountain crying in tears and pain. At this moment the master called out the name of this child. So this child turned around and saw the master showing his finger. Instantly this child suddenly realized what his master’s peter pointer meant and realized the Way.  

     Any of us may see the master’s finger easily but not so many of us can figure out where he directs with his finger and what he means. This is one of the main teachings as well as study not only in zen but also in GiCheon. Perhaps much more than the former. That’s why I believe from quite long years back, the Way seekers (zen monks, martial artists, music students, etc) in Asia (as well as in the west) weren’t reluctant to hit the long road to see a master even for one moment.