<p><strong>Meta-answer</strong></p>

<p>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?</p>

<p><strong>Answer -- re. political power</strong></p>

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

<p>And that good and evil acts have consequences.</p>

<p>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).</p>

<p>A vivid or extreme example of that was illustrated in <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/23830/254">this answer</a> about the Holocaust.</p>

<p>And as well as like "good and evil" there is also "ignorance" (see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Three poisons</a>) -- and "good" might be subdivided, into "virtuous" or moral, and, "skilful".</p>

<p><strong>Answer -- re. <a href="/questions/tagged/psychic-powers" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;psychic-powers&#39;" rel="tag">psychic-powers</a></strong></p>

<p>...</p>

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

<p>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,</p>

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

<p>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).</p>

<p><strong>Time is a tourniquet for scars but what heals the injury?</strong></p>

<p>The better injury is none, and maybe the best behaviour should cause no injury.</p>

<p>From an earlier answer, this might help with injury:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>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.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And loving-kindness -- the <em>brahma-viharas</em>.</p>

<p>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 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Flower Sermon</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-15T12:26:27.590Z
2020-01-15T12:43:29.480Z
2020-01-15T12:43:29.480Z
ChrisW
<p>I have been through 34 years of life and am beginning to understand some things I couldn’t before. Not everyone is good and not everyone is bad, at least some of the time. Time is a tourniquet for scars but what heals the injury?</p>

<p>Is power good, bad or necessary for both?</p>

<p>If you feel lost, you can just answer the title question, no problem.</p>

<psychic-powers>
What do Buddhists think of the premise that power is a necessary good and a necessary evil?
# What do Buddhists think of the premise that power is a necessary good and a necessary evil?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-15)

I have been through 34 years of life and am beginning to understand some things I couldn’t before. Not everyone is good and not everyone is bad, at least some of the time. Time is a tourniquet for scars but what heals the injury?

Is power good, bad or necessary for both?

If you feel lost, you can just answer the title question, no problem.

**Tags:** psychic-powers


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-01-15. Score: 0

**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](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/23830/254) about the Holocaust.

And as well as like "good and evil" there is also "ignorance" (see [Three poisons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons)) -- and "good" might be subdivided, into "virtuous" or moral, and, "skilful".

**Answer -- re. [psychic-powers](/questions/tagged/psychic-powers "show questions tagged 'psychic-powers'")**

...

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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon).


---

