The Path and the Sword

The great path has no gates, Thousands of roads enter it. When one walks through this gateless gate We move freely between Heaven and Earth.

Mumon Ekai.

The Gateless Gate 1183-1260

The Spirit of the Sword.

Modernities technology has given us an increasing awareness of the social costs of dis-empowering human potential. When injustice is created the flow of events which follow are presented as a necessary expedience. Historically we have no recourse but to dance to a tune that is played by the values of those in power. In terms of a Taoist perspective of history one can argue little has changed. Social difficulties arise out of a struggle to arrive at a level of new "natural order".

Modernity is no different in social structure to the Confucian vision of social order which was defined through family relations, occupational class and position. Whether under a Modern or Confucian order personal freedoms are by no means easily maintained rights.

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