Chapter 30: Use of Force (第30章：儉武)

以道佐人主者，不以兵強天下，其事好還。
師之所處，荊棘生焉。大軍之後，必有凶年。
善有果而已，不敢以取強。
果而勿矜，果而勿伐，果而勿驕，果而不得已，果而勿強。
物壯則老，是謂不道，不道早已。
☸

Translation

He who assists a ruler with the Dao does not use force to dominate the world.
Such actions tend to recoil (Haohuan).

Wherever armies have been, thorns and briars grow.
After a great war, there must be a year of famine.

The skillful achiever attains his result and then stops.
He does not dare to dominate through force.
Achieve, but do not be proud.
Achieve, but do not boast.
Achieve, but do not be arrogant.
Achieve, but only as a necessity.
Achieve, but do not use force.

Things that grow too strong soon age.
This is called "Not the Dao."
What is not the Dao soon perishes.

✦ ◆ ✦

📜 Liuren Perspective

This chapter is a stern warning about Magical Retribution. In Liuren Fajiao, if a practitioner uses aggressive force (兵) to dominate or harm others, their actions will "Recoil" (好還). The spiritual "famine" and "thorns" will grow in the practitioner's own life.

"Achieve but do not dominate" is the rule for defensive magic. We perform rituals to resolve problems (achieve the "fruit" or Guo), but we do not use them to establish dominance or feed our ego. Arrogance after a successful ritual is a sign of "aging" (decaying) power.

Anything that relies on Force (強) is "Not the Dao" (不道). Authentic magic is a natural extension of Virtue and Law. If it becomes forced or aggressive, it will "soon perish." True power is sustainable and avoids the recoil of violence.

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