 16 May 2010 @ 22:59
JUDGMENT
The accused stands helpless before the judge.
Pen is poised to determine right from wrong.
In one arbitrary stroke,
Life is suddenly decided.
Do judges have Tao? Dispassionate to the point of cruelty, making
distinctions on the basis of arbitrary rules, can they be a part of a
humanistic view of Tao? The answer depends on the context. If you are
speaking of the Tao of nature-loving hermits, the answer is no : No one
has the right to pass judgment on another. If you are speaking of
society, however, those who follow Tao accept the necessity of set
rules.
These laws are the Tao of the society. Once you are in the world of
people and away from the world of nature, you are immersed in dualistic
distinctions. Then concepts such as righteousness and mercy have
meaning. Judgment is the process of comparing ideas in order to find
agreement or disagreement with the Tao of society. The facts must be
thoroughly examined. Judges must clearly and wisely apply distinctions.
That which agrees is the truth.
In the same way, we are all compelled to examine the ongoing
circumstances of our lives. That is part of the responsibility of being
human. Embracing Tao will not exempt you from the need to render
judgments and make decisions. We are both the ultimate judge and the
accused. When your final day comes, you yourself must be the examiner.
Did you do well? Or did you squander your precious existence? You must
decide.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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