Chapter 27: Skillful Action (第27章：巧用)

善行無轍跡，善言無瑕謫；善數不用籌策；
善閉無關鍵而不可開，善結無繩約而不可解。
是以聖人常善救人，故無棄人；常善救物，故無棄物。是謂襲明。
故善人者，不善人之師；不善人者，善人之資。
不貴其師，不愛其資，雖智大迷，是謂要妙。
☸

Translation

A skillful traveler leaves no tracks.
A skillful speaker leaves no room for blame.
A skillful counter needs no counting rods.

A skillful door-closer needs no bolts, yet it cannot be opened.
A skillful knot-tyer needs no ropes, yet it cannot be untied.

Therefore the Sage is always skillful in saving people, so no one is rejected.
He is always skillful in saving things, so nothing is wasted.
This is called Following the Light (Ximing).

The "good man" is the teacher of the "not good."
The "not good man" is the material for the "good."
Not to value the teacher or love the material,
Though one be clever, is to be greatly lost.
This is called the Essential Mystery (Yaomiao).

✦ ◆ ✦

📜 Liuren Perspective

In Liuren Fajiao, "Skillful action" (善行) refers to rituals performed with such precision and alignment that they leave no "tracks"—meaning no negative karmic residue or spiritual "clutter." The magic is perfectly efficient.

"Closing without bolts" (善閉) describes our Protection and Sealing methods. A master can seal a space using only Fa-intent (心法), and no external force can "open" it. This is magic that works on the level of the formless Dao.

The Sage "rejects no one." In our practice, every situation and every person (even the "not good") is material for spiritual work. A true practitioner does not look down on the suffering or the ignorant but uses their skills to "save" and "transform" whatever they encounter. This is the Essential Mystery (要妙).

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