I am content with what I am (have); rich is the person who is content with what he is
A Zen Buddhist saying expressing the virtue of being satisfied with one's present state and possessions. Often inscribed on stone water basins (tsukubai) in Japanese gardens, where the central 口 (mouth) character is shared by all four kanji.
The stone water basin at Ryōan-ji is inscribed with 'I am content with what I am.'
The phrase 'I know what is enough' teaches the importance of being content with what one has.
A more common modern phrase meaning 'to know what is enough' or 'to be content with little.' 吾唯足知 is a classical, Zen-influenced expression that embeds this concept in a four-character maxim.
Most recognized four-character Zen phrase form, often seen on tsukubai (stone water basins).
Expanded grammatical form that makes the meaning clearer; also common in explanations.
A Zen phrase derived from the concept of knowing sufficiency (足るを知る). The four-character form 吾唯足知 is a compact rendering where the central 口 radical is shared by all four characters, symbolizing the unity of the self and contentment.