There were "old" features in your gua (hexagram). It means that you have two hexagrams. The first one — is something that the Book tells you at the moment, the second is something it warns you about. |
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  26. Great Accumulating (dà chù). Great TamingAdvise
In the greatness do not neglect small.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
The Image
Heaven within the mountain: The image of the Taming Power of the Great. Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity and many deeds of the past, in order to strengthen his character thereby.
- Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.
- The axletrees are taken from the wagon.
- A good horse that follows others. Awareness of danger, with perseverance, furthers. Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
- The headboard of a young bull. Great good fortune.
- The tusk of a gelded boar. Good fortune.
- One attains the way of heaven. Success.
Prediction
It is a stage of spiritual rebirth. Reserve of inner energy is great. It is time to act. Work hard. Mind the welfare of others. Go beyond self-interest. Do not be tempted by wealth. Be generous and humble. Learn how to enjoy small things.
The Creative is tamed by Kên, Keeping Still. This produces great power, a
situation in contrast to that of the ninth hexagram, Hsiao Ch'u, THE
TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL, in which the Creative is tamed by the
Gentle alone. There one weak line must tame five strong lines, but here four
strong lines are restrained by two weak lines; in addition to a minister, there
is a prince, and the restraining power therefore is afar stronger.
The hexagram has a threefold meaning, expressing different aspects of the
concept "Holding firm." Heaven within the mountain gives the idea of
holding firm in the sense of holding together; the trigram Kên which holds
the trigram ch'ien still, gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding
back; the third idea is that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and
nourishing. This last is suggested by the fact that a strong line at the top,
which is the ruler of the hexagram, is honored and tended as a sage. The third
of these meanings also attaches specifically to this strong line at the top,
which represents the sage.
THE JUDGMENT
To hold firmly to great creative powers and store them up, as set forth in this
hexagram, there is need of a strong, clear-headed man who is honored by the
ruler. The trigram Ch'ein points to strong creative power; Kên indicates
firmness and truth. Both point to light and clarity and to the daily renewal of
character. Only through such daily self-renewal can a man continue at the
height of his powers. Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in
periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the
power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honored, as in the
case of the strong personality entrusted with leadership by the ruler, it is an
advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one's bread by entering upon
public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great
and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great water, succeed.
THE IMAGE
Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and
deeds of the past there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen
and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine
oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this
knowledge, to give actuality to the past.
1
A man wishes to make vigorous advance, but circumstances present an
obstacle. He sees himself held back firmly. If he should attempt to fore an
advance, it would lead him into misfortune. Therefore it is better for him to
compose himself and to wait until an outlet is offered for release of his
stored-up energies.
2
Here advance is checked just as in the third line of THE TAMING POWER OF
THE SMALL. However, in the later the restraining force is slight; thus a
conflict arises between the propulsive and the restraining movement, as a
result of which the spokes fall out of the wagon wheels, while here the
restraining force is absolutely superior; hence no struggle takes place. One
submits and removes the axletrees from the wagon -in other words, contents
himself with waiting. In this way energy accumulates for a vigorous advance
later on.
3
The way opens; the hindrance has been cleared away. A man is in contact
with a strong will acting in the same direction as his own, and goes forward
like one good horse following another. But danger still threatens, and he
must remain aware of it, or he will be robbed of his firmness. Thus he must
acquire skill on the one hand in what will take him forward, and on the other
in what will protect him against unforeseen attacks. It is good in such a pass
to have a goal toward which to strive.
4
This line and the one following it are the two that tame the forward-pushing
lower lines. Before a bull's horns grow out, a headboard is fastened to its
forehead, so that later when the horns appear they cannot do harm. A good
way to restrain wild force is to forestall it. By so doing one achieves an easy
and great success.
5
Here the restraining of the impetuous forward drive is achieved in an
indirect way. A boar's tusk is in itself dangerous, but if the boar's nature is
altered, the tusk is no longer a menace. Thus also where men are concerned,
wild force should not be combated directly; instead, its roots should be eradicated.
6
The time of obstruction is past. The energy long dammed up by inhibition
forces its way out and achieves great success. This refers to a man who is
honored by the ruler and whose principles now prevail and shape the world.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationIn your destiny there has come "pause", therefore do not trifle forces. Do not relax in alertness, wait for its ending, but do not exchange energy on trifles, soon of it there will be more pleasant and useful application. Your desires will be executed, if the height of their rod is installed truly, and is not too high. Those who has faced the problems similar to yours, will assist you. Be patient, do not try to accelerate force a course of events, the result can appear absolutely opposite.
  12. Obstruction (pǐ). StandstillAdvise
Learn how to overcome difficulties. Seek harmony in the relationship, while not neglecting.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Standstill. Evil people do not further the perseverance of the superior man. The great departs; the small approaches.
The Image
Heaven and earth do not unite: The image of Standstill. Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth in order to escape the difficulties. He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue.
- When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it. Each according to his kind. Perseverance brings good fortune and success.
- They bear and endure; This means good fortune for inferior people. The standstill serves to help the great man to attain success.
- They bear shame.
- He who acts at the command of the highest remains without blame. Those of like mind partake of the blessing.
- Standstill is giving way. Good fortune for the great man. What if it should fail, what if it should fail? In this way he ties it to a cluster of mulberry shoots.
- Nine at the top means: the standstill comes to an end.
First standstill, then good fortune. Prediction
The great leaves and the little will come. State of affairs is deplorable, relations are violated. Dissatisfaction of senior takes place. There are illusion and delusion. But everything is temporary. The future will bring change. Accumulate experience, watch out - what happens now will affect the future. Do not waste your strength of mind, take the trouble with dignity. Pay attention to people, do push off supporters.
This hexagram is the opposite of the preceding one. Heaven is above,
drawing farther and farther away, while the earth below sinks farther into the
depths. The creative powers are not in relation. It is a time of standstill and
decline. This hexagram is linked with the seventh month (August-
September), when the year has passed its zenith and autumnal decay is setting
in.
THE JUDGMENT
Heaven and earth are out of communion and all things are benumbed. What
is above has no relation to what is below, and on earth confusion and
disorder prevail. The dark power is within, the light power is without.
Weakness is within, harshness without. Within are the inferior, and
without are the superior. The way of inferior people is in ascent; the way of
superior people is one the decline. But the superior people do not allow
themselves to be turned from their principles. If the possibility of exerting
influence is closed to them, they nevertheless remain faithful to their
principles and withdraw into seclusion.
THE IMAGE
When, owing to the influence of inferior men, mutual mistrust prevails in
public life, fruitful activity is rendered impossible, because the fundaments
are wrong. Therefore the superior man knows what he must do under such
circumstances; he does not allow himself to be tempted by dazzling offers to
take part in public activities. This would only expose him to danger, since he
cannot assent to the meanness of the others. He therefore hides his worth
and withdraws into seclusion.
1
The text is almost the same as that of the first line of the preceding hexagram,
but with a contrary meaning. In the latter a man is drawing another along
with him on the road to an official career; here a man is drawing another
with him into retirement form public life. This is why the text says here,
"Perseverance brings good fortune and success," and not "Undertakings bring
good fortune." If it becomes impossible to make our influence count, it is
only by retirement that we spare ourselves humiliation. Success in a higher
sense can be ours, because we know how to safeguard the value of our
personalities.
2
Inferior people are ready to flatter their superiors in a servile way. They
would also endure the superior man if he would put an end to their
confusion. This is fortunate for them. But the great man calmly bears the
consequences of the standstill. He does not mingle with the crowd of the
inferior; that is not his place. By his willingness to suffer personally he
insures the success of his fundamental principles.
3
Inferior people who have risen to power illegitimately do not feel equal to the
responsibility they have taken upon themselves. In their hearts they begin to
be ashamed, although at first they do not show it outwardly. This marks a
turn for the better.
4
The time of standstill is nearing the point of change into its opposite.
Whoever wishes to restore order must feel himself called to the task and
have the necessary authority. A man who sets himself up a capable of
creating order according to his own judgment could make mistakes and end
in failure. But the man who is truly called to the task is favored by the
conditions of the time, and all those of like mind will share in his blessing.
5
The time undergoes a change. The right man, able to restore order, has
arrived. Hence "good fortune." But such periods of transition are the very
times in which we must fear and tremble. Success is assured only through
greatest caution, which asks always, "What if it should fail?" When a
mulberry bush is cut down, a number of unusually strong shoots sprout from
the roots. Hence the image of tying something to a cluster of mulberry shoots
is used to symbolize the way of making success certain. Confucius says about
this line:
Danger arises when a man feels secure in his position. Destruction threatens
when a man seeks to preserve his worldly estate. Confusion develops when a
man has put everything in order. Therefore the superior man does not forget
danger in his security, not ruin when he is well established, nor confusion
when his affairs are in order. In this way he gains personal safety and is able
to protect the empire.
6
The standstill does not last forever. However, it does not cease of its own
accord; the right man is needed to end it. This is the difference between a
state of peace and a state of stagnation. Continuous effort is necessary to
maintain peace: left to itself it would change into stagnation and
disintegration. The time of disintegration, however, does not change back
automatically to a condition of peace and prosperity; effort must be put forth
in order to end it. This shows the creative attitude that man must take if the
world is to be put in order.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou are not indifferent to that happens around, much to you is not clear. To you the people unworthy you last. Try to be vigilant and provident, it is not necessary to begin now any serious affairs. You often do not understand; quarrel with one of your friends, and even without the sufficient bases is probable on that. Your desires in the majority will be executed, but not at once. The State of affairs will soon change; try to listen to advice of the heads, but decisions accept under own discretion.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary