Chapter 46: Knowing Contentment — 儉欲 | Dao De Jing 道德經

Original Verse

原文

天下有道，卻走馬以糞。天下無道，戎馬生於郊。禍莫大於不知足；咎莫大於欲得。故知足之足，常足矣。
Source: Dao De Jing (道德經), Chapter 46

English Translation

英譯

When the world follows the Dao, horses are used to fertilize the fields.
When the world abandons the Dao, war horses are bred in the suburbs.

There is no greater catastrophe than not knowing contentment.
There is no greater guilt than the desire to gain.

Therefore, the contentment of knowing contentment is eternal contentment.

Liuren Fajiao Commentary

六壬法教注疏

This chapter describes the Internal and External Environment of the practitioner. When a practitioner's heart "follows the Dao," their energy (horses) is used for "fertilizing" (cultivating the spirit and helping others). When they "abandon the Dao" for greed, their energy becomes "war horses"—leading to internal conflict and spiritual strife.

In Liuren Fajiao, the "Desire to gain" (欲得) is a major obstacle. If a practitioner uses magic only to "gain" power, wealth, or revenge, they are inviting "Catastrophe" (禍) into their life. The "guilt" (咎) refers to the karmic debt incurred by misusing spiritual authority.

True "Eternal Contentment" (常足) is the state where the practitioner is satisfied with their connection to the Immortal Master. This internal peace makes the magic stable and beneficial, rather than a weapon of war.