What do Buddhists think of the premise that power is a necessary good and a necessary evil?

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Meta-answer

I find the premise abstract and distant and unrelated to the matter at hand (perhaps aka "daily practice"). What's the good of asking about "power" as an abstract -- how can that help anything?

Answer -- re. political power

I think it's Buddhist doctrine that people have the power -- i.e., the ability -- to do good and evil.

And that good and evil acts have consequences.

And that power isn't as worthwhile as morality and self-control (as you might find summarised in the Dhammapada for example -- or perhaps role models from later traditions).

A vivid or extreme example of that was illustrated in this answer about the Holocaust.

And as well as like "good and evil" there is also "ignorance" (see Three poisons) -- and "good" might be subdivided, into "virtuous" or moral, and, "skilful".

Answer -- re.

...

In conventional life you might want to distinguish between a so-called "power" and a so-called "disability".

I'm reminded of a story -- in the pre-20th-century States (North America), somebody claimed to be Jesus come again, and attracted a following. Eventually he met some immigrants from Germany who asked that he speak to them in their own language -- and then, they reproved him saying, something like,

You claim to be the Son of God, but you can't even speak German? Bedlam is the place for you.

Personally, I once reckoned that a supreme being can or even should also be conventionally well-behaved and socially ept (otherwise the condition is, perceived by others, a disability).

Time is a tourniquet for scars but what heals the injury?

The better injury is none, and maybe the best behaviour should cause no injury.

From an earlier answer, this might help with injury:

Remove oppression (expectations and demands). Provide a safe environment, where a person can't easily hurt themselves. And the necessities of life. And age-appropriate toys or tools. And good friends, some enjoyable group/social activities -- role models.

And loving-kindness -- the brahma-viharas.

But there's more -- Buddhism might identify the injury as caused by the cycle of birth and death, unwise attachments and views and pursuits. And there are a lot of traditions and doctrine, words, about the cure -- perhaps including the Flower Sermon.

Upvote:1

Ask yourself

Who is more powerful?
Someone who can kill millions of wrong-dwellers or someone who can divert/show the billions of wrong-dwellers to right-path.

Who is more powerful?
One who can steal things from anyone , one who steals milk-products or One who never ever claims&steals anything.

Who is more powerful?
One who can marry 16108 girls, still not satisfied and going for others too or One who has destroyed lust within completely.

Who is more powerful?
One who lies in fear to protect images within self and others mind or One who, being detached to everything doesn't lie even if someone kills all those images including himself.

Who is more powerful?
One who drinks alcohal, weeds to satisfy his cravings or One who has won over all cravings/aversions.

Now I ask you

Who is evil?
Those who worship and practice teachings of liar, killer, Sex(ist), thief, drug-addict.
OR
Those who keep faith and practice teachings of not to lie, not to kill, not to sex, not to steal, not to intoxicate.

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