Chapter 53: The Great Way is Plain (第53章：增怨)

使我介然有知，行於大道，唯施是畏。
大道甚夷，而人好徑。
朝甚除，田甚蕪，倉甚虛；
衣文綵，帶利劍，厭飲食，財貨有餘；
是謂盜夸。非道也哉！
☸

Translation

If I have even a little knowledge, I will walk on the Great Way,
And my only fear will be of straying from it.

The Great Way is very plain and smooth,
Yet people love the by-paths (shortcuts).

When the court is well-kept,
The fields are full of weeds,
And the granaries are empty.

Wearing embroidered robes, carrying sharp swords,
Gorging on food and drink, possessing excess wealth;
This is called "the arrogance of thieves."
It is certainly not the Dao!

✦ ◆ ✦

📜 Liuren Perspective

This chapter is a warning about Spiritual Corruption in Liuren Fajiao. The "Great Way" (大道) is the simple, ethical path of the Immortal Master. The "By-paths" (徑) are the shortcuts of flashy magic, dark spells, or rituals performed purely for vanity and wealth.

A practitioner who wears "embroidered robes" (seeks worldly recognition) and carries "sharp swords" (seeks power over others) while their "fields are full of weeds" (neglecting internal cultivation) is committing "The Arrogance of Thieves" (盜夸). They are stealing the sacred authority of the lineage for personal gain.

We "fear straying" from the plain path. True magic is simple, clean, and serves the natural order. Anything that seeks to dazzle or dominate through excess is "Not the Dao" (非道). We focus on the "Granary" of the spirit rather than the "embroidered robes" of the world.

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