Concept
The Finger and the Moon
Spirituality & Myth
Business & OrganizationsWhat does "do not mistake the finger for the moon" mean in Issue.4?
The finger and the moon is a Buddhist image of a finger pointing at the moon, traditionally a warning not to take the pointer for what it points to. In Issue.4 it is the title and lesson of a short story the edition calls a zen koan: do not mistake the finger for the moon.
In short
Issue.4 opens with The Finger and the Moon, a short story it calls a zen koan. At the top of the Andes, the Buddhist monk Shifu meets the lone hiker Braveheart, who comes there to gaze at the moon. Shifu points his index finger at the moon and tells her: do not mistake the finger for the moon. One of them is within your reach, whereas the other can only be admired from afar. The author writes that there are times to observe and admire the moon, searching for clarity and inspiration in imagination, and times to be aware of the land below your feet and take immediate action. In 4.2 he admits the edition itself has been staring at the moon, and sends the reader back to the boat, the tsunami and the compass. He closes by saying he explained the difference between the finger and the moon as well as he could, and that it is up to the reader to find the balance.
Key facts
- Who teaches the lesson in Issue.4?
- Shifu, a Buddhist monk, to Braveheart, a lone hiker, at the top of the Andes, in the short story that opens the edition.
- What do the finger and the moon stand for in the edition?
- Shifu leaves it open: "One of them is within your reach, whereas the other one, can only be admired from afar." The author's own pairing: there are times to observe and admire the moon, searching for clarity and inspiration in imagination, and there are times to be aware of the land below your feet.
- Where does the image come from?
- General sources trace the simile of the finger pointing at the moon to the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, a Mahayana Buddhist scripture. This is marked for the author's verification.
What is the finger and the moon?
The finger pointing at the moon is a simile of Buddhist teaching traced to the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, a Mahayana scripture: as someone who grasps the fingertip does not see the moon, those who cling to the letter miss the truth it points to. The image became a familiar teaching of Chan and Zen Buddhism. These details come from general sources and are marked for the author's verification.
How does Issue.4 use it?
In the short story, Braveheart answers that the finger points to a massive, shiny and beautiful moon, the very reason she is there, and then sees only a finger pointing at the moon. Shifu gives the lesson: do not mistake the finger for the moon. The author takes it to leadership. The leader finds his or her fuel by searching for a vision on the moon, but there are also times to be aware of the land below your feet and to take immediate action. The edition ends by leaving the balance to the reader.
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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Also from these editions: terms
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