Gutei's Finger
Whenever Gutei was asked about Zen, he simply raised one finger. A young attendant began imitating him.
When Gutei heard of this, he summoned the boy. "
What is Zen?" he asked.
The boy raised his finger.
Gutei instantly seized a knife and cut it off. As the boy ran away screaming, Gutei called his name.
The boy turned his head.
Gutei raised his own finger. At that moment, the boy was enlightened.
Reflection
Gutei's finger koan cautions against mistaking the symbol for reality. When his attendant imitates the gesture without understanding, Gutei cuts off the boy's finger – a shocking act that forces the boy to look beyond the form to the substance. Gutei's own raised finger afterward shows that the true teaching can never be copied; it must be realized directly, for oneself.