
|
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. |
 |
→ |
 |
  50. Holding (dǐng). The CauldronAdvise
Burning the old in the name of holy sacrifice, they acquire new - the fire leads to creation. But, throwing into the fire for fun, they risk losing and burning everything.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Caldron. Supreme good fortune. Success.
The Image
Fire over wood: The image of the Caldron. Thus the superior man consolidates his fate by making his position correct.
- A ting with legs upturned. Furthers removal of stagnating stuff. One takes a concubine for the sake of her son. No blame.
- There is food in the ting. My comrades are envious, but they cannot harm me. Good fortune.
- The handle of the ting is altered. One is impeded in his way of life. The fat of the pheasant is not eaten. Once rain falls, remorse is spent. Good fortune comes in the end.
- The legs of the ting are broken. The prince's meal is spilled and his person is soiled. Misfortune.
- The ting has yellow handles, golden carrying rings. Perseverance furthers.
- The ting has rings of jade. Great good fortune. Nothing that would not act to further.
Prediction
The direction is correct.The main work is done inside: knowledge turns into understanding, wisdom grows, and talents develop of abilities. For the sake of acquiring new forget old - the victim will not be vain. But do not sacrifice for the sake of self-interest - it does not bring goodness. Things are going well. But do not forget to share with others the fruits of your labor. If you have an illness, wait for recovery.
The six lines construct the image of Ting, THE CALDRON; at the bottom are
the legs, over them the belly, then come the ears (handles), and at the top the
carrying rings. At the same time, the image suggests the idea of nourishment.
The ting, cast of bronze, was the vessel that held the cooked viands in the
temple of the ancestors and at banquets. The heads of the family served the
food from the ting into the bowls of the guests.
THE WELL (48) likewise has the secondary meaning of giving nourishment,
but rather more in relation to the people. The ting, as a utensil pertaining to
a refined civilization, suggests the fostering and nourishing of able men,
which redounded to the benefit of the state.
This hexagram and THE WELL are the only two in the Book of Changes that
represent concrete, men-made objects. Yet here too the thought has its
abstract connotation.
Sun, below, is wood and wind; Li, above, is flame. Thus together they stand
for the flame kindled by wood and wind, which likewise suggests the idea of
preparing food.
THE JUDGMENT
While THE WELL relates to the social foundation of our life, and this
foundation is likened to the water that serves to nourish growing wood, the
present hexagram refers to the cultural superstructure of society. Here it is
the wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is
visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible.
Thereby it receives its true consecration and clarity and takes firm root in the
cosmic order.
Here we see civilization as it reaches its culmination in religion. The ting
serves in offering sacrifice to God. The highest earthly values must be
sacrificed to the divine. But the truly divine does not manifest itself apart
from man. The supreme revelation of God appears in prophets and holy
men. To venerate them is true veneration of God. The will of God, as
revealed through them, should be accepted in humility; this brings inner
enlightenment and true understanding of the world, and this leads to great
good fortune and success.
THE IMAGE
The fate of fire depends on wood; as long as there is wood below, the fire
burns above. It is the same in human life; there is in man likewise a fate that
lends power to his life. And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to life
and to fate, thus bringing the two into harmony, he puts his fate on a firm
footing. These words contain hints about fostering of life as handed on by
oral tradition in the secret teachings of Chinese yoga.
1
If a ting is turned upside down before being used, no harm is done-on the
contrary, this clears it of refuse. A concubine's position is lowly, but because
she has a son she comes to be honored.
These two metaphors express the idea that in a highly developed
civilization, such as that indicated by this hexagram, every person of good
will can in some way or other succeed. No matter how lowly he may be,
provided he is ready to purify himself, he is accepted. He attains a station in
which he can prove himself fruitful in accomplishment, and as a result he
gains recognition.
2
In a period of advanced culture, it is of the greatest importance that one
should achieve something significant. If a man concentrates on such real
undertakings, he may indeed experience envy and disfavor, but that is not
dangerous. The more he limits himself to his actual achievements, the less
harm the envious inflict on him.
3
The handle is the means for lifting up the ting. If the handle is altered, the
ting cannot be lifted up and used, and, sad to say, the delicious food in it, such
as pheasant fat, cannot be eaten by anyone.
This describes a man who, in a highly evolved civilization, finds himself in
a place where no one notices or recognizes him. This is a severe block to his
effectiveness. All of his good qualities and gifts of mind thus needlessly go to
waste. But if he will only see to it that he is possessed of something truly
spiritual, the time is bound to come, sooner or later, when the difficulties will
be resolved and all will go well. The fall of rain symbolizes here, as in other
instances, release of tension.
4
A man has a difficult and responsible task to which he is not adequate.
Moreover, he does not devote himself to it with all his strength but goes
about with inferior people; therefore the execution of the work fails. In this
way he also incurs personal opprobrium.
Confucius says about this line: "Weak character coupled with honored
place, meager knowledge with large plans, limited powers with heavy
responsibility, will seldom escape disaster."
5
Here we have, in a ruling position, a man who is approachable and modest in
nature. As a result of this attitude he succeeds in finding strong and able
helpers who complement and aid him in his work. Having achieved this
attitude, which requires constant self-abnegation, it is important for him to
hold to it and not to let himself be led astray.
6
In the preceding line the carrying rings are described as golden, to denote their
strength; here they are said to be of jade. Jade is notable for its combination of
hardness with soft luster. This counsel, in relation to the man who is open to
it, works greatly t his advantage. Here the counsel is described in relation to
the sage who imparts it. In imparting it, he will be mild and pure, like
precious jade. Thus the work finds favor in the eyes of the Deity, who
dispenses great good fortune, and becomes pleasing to men, wherefore all
goes well.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThis hexagram specifies that now there is all preconditions resolutely to incur a role of the leader to achieve positive results. There will be people who will envy your successes; do not pay attention to these people. Do not incur more, than can give, and do not promise it is more, than in a condition to execute. Strong influence on you and on your relations with associates the figure renders "three". Business to which you were accepted, together with two adherents, will lead you to success. Your desire will be executed, though and not absolutely how you initially conceived. Pay attention that you spend for entertainments and on a hobby too much.
  38. Polarising (kuí). OppositionAdvise
Strife is always connected with the community. Loneliness is more dangerous than hatred.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Opposition. In small matters, good fortune.
The Image
Above, fire; below, the lake: The image of Opposition. Thus amid all fellowship the superior man retains his individuality.
- Remorse disappears. If you lose your horse, do not run after it; It will come back of its own accord. When you see evil people, Guard yourself against mistakes.
- One meets his lord in a narrow street. No blame.
- One sees the wagon dragged back, the oxen halted, a man's hair and nose cut off. Not a good beginning, but a good end.
- Isolated through opposition, one meets a like-minded man with whom one can associate in good faith. Despite the danger, no blame.
- Remorse disappears. The companion bites his way through the wrappings. If one goes to him, how could it be a mistake?
- Isolated through opposition, one sees one's companion as a pig covered with dirt, as a wagon full of devils. First one draws a bow against him, then one lays the bow aside. He is not a robber; he will woo at the right time. As one goes, rain falls; then good fortune comes.
Prediction
There is no clear understanding of what the good is and what harm? Until you understand, you will stagnate or fail. The differences are everywhere: there is no coordinated work; the initial idea contradicts the ultimate goal. There is misunderstanding among the relatives. Junior need advice of senior, otherwise there may be dangerous errors. Intervention of a wise man, head is necessary. Success is possible only in small and insignificant things.
This hexagram is composed of the trigram Li above, i.e., flame, which burns
upward, and Tui below, i.e., the lake, which seeps downward. These two
movements are indirect contrast. Furthermore, LI is the second daughter and
Tui the youngest daughter, and although they live in the same house they
belong to different men; hence their wills are not the same but are
divergently directed.
THE JUDGMENT
When people live in opposition and estrangement they cannot carry out a
great undertaking in common; their points of view diverge too widely. In
such circumstances one should above all not proceed brusquely, for that
would only increase the existing opposition; instead, one should limit oneself
to producing gradual effects in small matters. Here success can still be
expected, because the situation is such that the opposition does not preclude
all agreement.
In general, opposition appears as an obstruction, but when it represents
polarity within a comprehensive whole, it has also its useful and important
functions. The oppositions of heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and
woman, when reconciled, bring about the creation and reproduction of life.
In the world of visible things, the principle of opposites makes possible the
differentiation by categories through which order is brought into the world.
THE IMAGE.
The two elements, fire and water, never mingle but even when in contact
retain their own natures. So the sutured man is never led into baseness or
vulgarity through intercourse or community of interests with persons of
another sort; regardless of all commingling, he will always preserve his
individuality.
1
Even in times when oppositions prevail, mistakes can be avoided, so that
remorse disappears. When opposition begins to manifest itself, a man must
not try to bring about unity by force, for by so doing he would only achieve
the contrary, just as a horse goes farther and farther away if one runs after it.
It it is one's won horse, one can safely let it go; it will come back of its own
accord. So too when someone who belongs with us is momentarily estranged
because of a misunderstanding, he will return of his own accord if we leave
matters to him. One the other hand, it is well to be cautious when evil men
who do not belong with us force themselves upon us, again as the result of a
misunderstanding. Here the important thing is to avoid mistakes. We must
not try to shake off these evil men by force; this would give rise to real
hostility. We must simply endure them. They will eventually withdraw of
their own accord.
2
As a result of misunderstandings, it has become impossible for people who by
nature belong together to meet in the correct way. This being so, an accidental
meeting under informal circumstances may serve the purpose, provided
there is an inner affinity between them.
3
Often it seems tot a man as though everything were conspiring against him.
He sees himself checked and hindered in his progress, insulted and
dishonored. However, he must not let himself be misled; despite this
opposition, he must cleave to the man with whom he knows he belongs.
Thus, notwithstanding the bad beginning, the matter will end well.
4
If a man finds himself in a company of people from whom he is separated by
an inner opposition, he becomes isolated. But if in such a situation a man
meets someone who fundamentally by the very law of his being, is kin to
him, and whom he can trust completely, he overcomes all the dangers of
isolation. His will achieves its aim, and he becomes free of faults.
5
Coming upon a sincere man, one fails to recognize him at first because of the
general estrangement. However, he bites his way through the wrappings that
are causing the separation. When such a companion thus reveals himself in
his true character, it is one's duty to go to meet him and to work with him.
6
Here the isolation is due to misunderstanding; it is brought about not by
outer circumstances but by inner conditions. A man misjudges his best
friends, taking them to be as unclean as a dirty pig in and as dangerous as a
wagon full of devils. He adopts an attitude of defense. But in the end,
realizing his mistake, he lays aside the bow, perceiving that the other is
approaching with the best intentions for the purpose of close union. Thus the
tension is relieved. The union resolves the tension, just as falling rain
relieves the sultriness preceding a thunderstorm. All goes well, for just when
opposition reaches its climax it changes over to its antithesis.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThis hexagram speaks, that now your life is deprived harmony. It seems to you, as if all around carp at you, are set up aggressively. You are deduced from themselves even with the most insignificant events. Take itself in hands, be not nervous, position will soon change. Sympathizing people to you now to find difficultly. A certain woman gets on to you nerves. Supervise the words, acts, and be not accepted for what new. Those events, things which are now in a field of your interests, in practice at all does not correspond to your true desires.
|
Richard Wilhelm's commentary