Gospel koan 80.6

Towards responsibility

Koan 80.6

Every being: 'action to be' is responsible: 'able to promise back' regarding reciprocity within the limits of its own power: 'ability'.

Summary exposition

The mechanism defines ontological responsibility as a being’s inherent capacity to engage in reciprocal exchange, a 'promise back' limited only by its specific powers and nature. A tree, for example, is responsible for reciprocating the sun’s light by producing oxygen and shade, an exchange bounded by its biological capabilities. The implication is that responsibility is not a solely human ethical burden but a universal condition of existence. To be is to be accountable for participating in the cosmic cycle of give-and-take according to one’s own ability.

The Gospel of Being

by John Mackay

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