We don’t study koans, we use koans to investigate our life.
~ Maezumi Roshi
Guest teacher Peggy Sheehan from Zen Center Denver says that koans have been a life long practice, for her. In this talk she explores Case 3 from the Gateless Gate, Gutei’s Finger. Peggy’s work as a pediatrician informs her interest in this koan. Babies become interested in their finger from a young age; first simply pointing upward then, then pointing at things they want, expressing curiosity, often expecting a response.
Peggy asks, where is this finger when you are living your life? Don’t underestimate the universe of one finger. Stay with just one; with just this breath, with Mu, with this finger, with just sitting. When going about your daily activitiesy, how do you present one finger?
Images by Mark Petrick.