Finger and Moon

A Zen teacher’s dog loved his evening romp

With his master full of play and pomp

The ball he would bound ahead to bring

Then back he would run

Wagging his tail with lots of fun

And then wait for the next fling

One evening the teacher invited his student

Of all he was the most prudent

An ardent scholar of the Buddhist way

But he was troubled by exceptions and conditions

Coupled with numerous contradictions

So to the teacher his difficulty he ventured to say

The teacher said waving his hand

“You must understand

In the golden way

Words can act only as guidepost

Truth in full splendour they can never host

Howsoever hard we may try to say”

The teacher then pointed to the moon

And asked his dog to fetch it soon

“Where is my dog looking”, the teacher enquired

“Only to your finger he does stare

Of moon he is not aware”

Answered the student who now looked inspired

The teacher who was wise among men

Then explained the art of Zen

“Don’t be like my dog

And if you don’t confuse truth with my finger

Then truth will never linger

Else it will be hidden ever in fog”

Law is just a hint

Of something that lies beyond the print

It is the finger that guides

But to the finger don’t cling

Rather, look at that luminous king

Beneath the clouds who hides