The Power of Morality

That night, the Bạch Đằng River stretched wide and vast, waves lapping softly against the rocky shores. Ngô Quyền stood at the prow of his boat, his gaze sharp and cold as he watched the Southern Han fleet advance into the river mouth. The chill wind whipped through his graying hair, yet his eyes burned with fierce intensity. The wind whistled around the great wooden stakes planted deep in the riverbed—crude weapons, but calculated with precision.

When the tide rose, the Southern Han ships crashed directly into the iron-tipped stakes. The sound of splintering wood, clashing metal, and agonized screams echoed across the sky. Ngô Quyền remained still, unblinking, until the enemy army sank beneath the blood-red waters. Drums of victory sounded, and the people cheered. They called him a hero.

Centuries later, in a dark alley of a bustling city, a tall young man walked with deliberate slowness. His hand rubbed the small Thai knife hidden in his jeans pocket. Earlier that evening, he had argued with a group of drinking companions over a trivial remark about the taste of their alcohol. The memory of that slight heated his heart. He quickened his pace, his eyes scanning the crowd, searching for his perceived enemy.

At the crossroads, the two groups collided. He drew his knife and swung it violently. The dull thud of metal piercing flesh rang out. Blood sprayed onto his face, warm and sticky. He smiled coldly. The next day, the newspaper reported: "A young man kills due to wounded pride." In prison, he felt no remorse. He believed he was merely seeking revenge.

Physical force—the strength of muscle—was essential in early times for human survival among wild beasts. But as wisdom developed, humans began to realize that violence does not always bring good results. When a tribe first decided not to kill one another but to share food instead, that was the moment humanity truly separated itself from wild animals.

Ngô Quyền used strategy—planting stakes at Bạch Đằng—to protect his country from foreign invasion. This action stemmed from love for his homeland and the desire for independence for millions of people. The young man, however, used a knife to satisfy personal anger and selfishness. Both possessed the ability to change the state of others through force, but their purposes were entirely different.

An old teacher once said to his disciple: "You may have knives, guns, or power. But what prevents force from becoming cruel violence? It is morality. And the highest morality is keeping the mind never submissive, nor ever using strength to degrade oneself into an animal."

Morality is the power that keeps force from becoming violence. It transforms a killer into a hero and a weak person into a sage. When humans understand that compassion is more necessary than biting and tearing, they truly become greater than all creatures on earth.