Gospel Koan 70.4

Corruption of Power

Koan 70.4

Power is the universal purpose of existence and thus it is not power: 'ability' itself that corrupts but the competition for it.

Summary Exposition

The koan’s central principle posits that the pursuit and expression of power is existence's core aim, thereby exonerating power itself and identifying the zero-sum struggle over its allocation as the corrupting element. For instance, water’s ability to carve stone is a pure expression of its power without corruption; however, when two roots compete for the same water in arid soil, their struggle distorts their growth and function. The profound implication is that corruption is not an inherent property of ability but a relational dysfunction arising from scarcity and conflict. This reframes ethical failures as breakdowns in the ontological distribution of power, not in its essence.

The Gospel of Being

by John Mackay

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