DDokkodo (獨行道), roughly translated means “The Path of Walking Alone,” “The Path of Independence,” or “The Lone Path”/ Although the English translation does not give the title much justice, it is should be noted that this refers not to a path of nihilistic abandon, nor a path of misanthropy. Misanthropes who have crossed beyond a certain point will not be able to adhere to it unless they have the discipline and fortitude for it. It is a demanding way and requires that the person choosing the path be able to endure its precepts, including those such as being in the world, without being of it in the sense of being drowned in ‘worldliness.’ Such a concept is paralleled the Christian injunctions that “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4) and “Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12). Similar concepts exist in the Qur’an, namely, “Do not let your wealth or your children distract you from the remembrance of God”. When the “Eastern” Daoist and Buddhist veneers are stripped away, we find something not at all that different from monotheistic teachings. It is worth examining this code for relevance to augment understanding of the world.
