Mumonkan - Case 3: Gutei's Finger

Gutei raised his finger whenever he was asked a question about Zen. A boy
attendant began to imitate him in this way. When anyone asked the boy what
his master had preached about, the boy would raise his finger.

Gutei heard about the boy's mischief. He seized him and cut off his
finger. The boy cried and ran away. Gutei called and stopped him. When the
boy turned his head to Gutei, Gutei raised up his own finger. In that
instant the boy was enlightened.

When Gutei was about to pass from this world he gathered his monks around
him. He said:
  "I attained my finger-Zen, from my teacher Tenryu, and in my whole
   life I could not exhaust it."
Then he passed away. 


Mumon's comment:

Enlightenment, which Gutei and the boy attained, has nothing to do with a
finger. If anyone clings to a finger, Tenyru will be so disappointed that
he will annihilate Gutei, the boy and the clinger all together.

    Gutei cheapens the teaching of Tenyru,
    Emancipating the boy with a knife.
    Compared to the Chinese god who pushed aside a mountain with one hand
    Old Gutei is a poor imitator. 
