#1
乾。 元亨。利貞。
彖曰﹕ 大哉乾元,萬物資始,乃統天。
雲行雨施,品物流形。大明終始,六位時成,時乘六龍以御天。
乾道變化,各正性命,保合太和,乃利貞。首出庶物,萬國 咸寧。
象曰﹕天 行 健;君 子 以 自 強 不 息。
潛 龍 勿 用, 陽 在 下 也. 見 龍 在 田, 德 施 普 也. 終 日 乾 乾, 反 復 道 也. 或 躍 在 淵, 進 無 咎 也. 飛 龍 在 天, 大 人 造 也. 亢 龍 有 悔, 盈 不 可 久 也. 用 九, 天 德 不 可 為 首 也.
初九 潛龍。勿用。
象曰﹕“潛龍勿用”,陽在下也。
九二 見龍在田。利見大人。
象曰﹕“見龍在田”,德施普也。
九三 君子終日乾乾,夕惕若。厲,無咎。
象曰﹕“終日乾乾”,反復道也。
九四 或躍在淵。無咎。
象曰﹕“或躍在淵”,進無咎也。
九五 飛龍在天。利見大人。
象曰﹕“飛龍在天”,大人造也。
上九 亢龍。有悔。
象曰﹕“亢龍有悔”,盈不可久也。
用九 見群龍無首。吉。
象曰﹕“用九”,天德不可為首也。
文言曰﹕
元者,善之長也; 亨者,嘉之會也;利者,義之和也;貞者,事之干也。
君 子 體 仁 足 以 長 人,嘉 會 足 以 合 禮,利 物 足 以 和 義,貞 固 足 以 干 事。
君 子 行 此 四 德 者,
故曰﹕“乾。元、亨、利、貞。”
初九曰﹕“潛龍勿用。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“龍德而隱者也。”不易乎世,不成 乎名。遁世無悶,不見是而無悶。樂則行之,憂則違之。確乎其不可拔,潛龍也。
九二曰﹕“見龍在田,利見大人。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“龍德而正中者也。” 庸行 之謹。閑邪存其誠,善世而不伐,德博而化。
易 曰 “見龍在田,利見大人”,君 德也。
九三曰﹕“君子終日乾乾,夕惕若。厲;無咎。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“君子進德 修業。” 忠信,所以進德也;修辭立其誠,所以居業也。知 至 至 之,可與言幾也。
知終終之,可與存義也。是故居上位而不驕,在下位而不憂。故乾乾因其時而惕,雖危無咎矣。
九四曰﹕“或躍在淵。無咎。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“上下無常,非為邪也;進退 無恆,非離群也。” 君子進德修業,欲及時也。故無咎。
九五曰﹕“飛龍在天,利見大人。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“同聲相應,同氣相求。” 水流濕,火就燥。雲從龍,風從虎。聖人作而萬物睹。本乎天者親上,本乎地者親下,則各從其類也。
上九曰﹕“亢龍。有悔。”
何謂也?子曰﹕“貴而無位,高而無民。” 賢人在下 位而無輔,是以動而有悔也。
“潛龍勿用”,下也;“見龍在田”,時舍也; “終日乾乾”,行事也; “或 躍 在淵”,自試也;“飛龍在天”,上治也;“亢龍有悔”,窮之災也。乾元用九,天下治也。
“潛龍勿用”,陽氣潛藏;“見龍在田”,天下文明;“終日乾乾”,與時偕行;
“或躍在淵”,乾道乃革;“飛龍在天”,乃位乎天德;“亢龍有悔”,與時偕極。
乾元用九,乃見天則。
乾元者,終而亨者也。利貞者,性情也。乾始能以美利利天下,不言所利,大 矣哉!
大哉乾乎!剛健中正,純粹精也; 六爻發揮,旁通情也; 時乘六龍,以御天 也; 雲行雨施,天下平也。
君子以成德為行,日可見之行也。潛之為言也,隱而未見,行而未成,是以君 子弗用也。
君子學以聚之,問以辯之,寬以居之,仁以行之。 易曰﹕“見龍在田,利見大 人。”君德也。
九三重剛而不中,上不在天,下不在田,故乾乾因其時而惕,雖危無咎矣。
九四重剛而不中,上不在天,下不在田,中不在人,故或之。或之者,疑之也, 故無咎。
夫大人者,與天地合其德,與日月合其明,與四時合其序,與鬼神合其吉凶。
先天而天弗違,後天而奉天時。天且弗違,而況于人乎?況于鬼神乎?
亢之為言也,知進而不知退,知存而不知亡,知得而不知喪,其唯聖人乎?
知 進退存亡,而不失其正者,其唯聖人乎!
English translation:
Chien: The original and creative, the greatest, the benevolent, the loyal.
• F9 -- A hidden dragon, not to be employed.
• 9two -- Seeing the dragon in the field. It is beneficial to see a great man.
• 9three -- A time to work all day and wary at night. No regret.
• 9four -- A time to leap into the abyss again. No error.
• 9five -- The dragon is flying in the sky. It is beneficial to see great persons.
• T9 -- At the peak, the dragon has regret.
• U9 -- Seeing a group of dragons without a leader. This is auspicious.
The kwa signs:
• How great is the creativity of heaven! All things originate from it, and it rules nature. Clouds move, rain provides, all forms of life and things arise.
• Knowing the end and the beginning, representing nature sequences with six yao, that is, ruling the nature by riding six dragons.
• The power of Chien's transformations gives proper nature to everything. Preserving unity with universal harmony; so it is beneficial to be correct.
• With the emergence of true leaders, all nations have peace.
The yao signs:
• The action of heaven is constant. People with leadership qualities use it to unceasingly grow strong themselves.
• The hidden dragon is not to be employed, because it still sits below others.
• Seeing the dragon in the field, means that the exercise of kindness to others.
• Working all day, a way to ultimate Tao.
• By leaping in the abyss, one can then move ahead without error.
• The dragon is flying in the sky, refers to the attainment of human greatness.
• At the peak the dragon has regret, means that fullness cannot last forever.
• Using yang, the perfection of heaven cannot be achieved.
The book says:
• The creativity is the source of goodness, the greatness is the collection of goodness, the benevolent is the harmonization of duty and righteousness, the locality is the foundation of accomplishments.
• When leaders fully understand and embody humanity, this gives them the means to develop other people. When the varieties of goodness combine, this makes it possible to behave impeccably. To benefit all things and other people makes it possible to harmonize duty and meaning. Loyalty and sincerity makes it possible to effectively accomplish what is to be done.
• True leaders exercised these four qualities, so it is said, "Chien means the creative, the greatest, the benevolent, the loyal."
• The F9 says not to employ the hidden dragon. What does this means?
Confucius said, "Hidden dragons refer to those whose virtues are like a dragon but are concealed, not changed by society, not making a name for themselves, unknown to the world, untroubled in mind, not opinionated, free from worry, doing what is pleasant, avoiding what brings grief. They certainly cannot be made to work for a ruler -- they are hidden dragons."
• The 9two says that when seeing the dragon in the field, it is beneficial to see a great person. What does this means?
Confucius said, "This refers to dragon qualities in correct balance. The trustworthiness of balanced words, the prudence of balanced actions -- these stop aberrations and preserve truthfulness and sincerity. They make the world good without killing; their virtues are far-reaching and exert a civilizing influence. This line of the I-jing refers to the qualities of true leaders.
• The 9three says that a leader works all day and is wary at night; there is danger but no error. What does this means?
Confucius said, "Leaders develop their inner qualities and do their work. They develop inner qualities through faithfulness and truthfulness. They keep their works by cultivating their speech and establishing their honesty. Knowing the goal and reaching it, they can see things through; knowing the end and concluding it, they can preserve its meaning. Therefore they are not proud when they are in high positions and do not worry when they are in low position. Therefore they work diligently, and by wariness at the proper times they make no error even in danger."
• The 9four says one may leap in the abyss without error. What does this mean?
Confucius said, "It is normal to be in and out of office if he not a yoyo. Not being a yoyo, in and out of office, one does not separate from the masses. A leader develops inner virtues and cultivates work so as to meet the needs of the time; therefore there is no error."
• The 9five says the dragon is flying in the sky. It is beneficial to see a great person. What does this mean?
Confucius said, "Harmonization -- response and attraction of what is alike (great persons attract one another). Water is wet, fire is hot, clouds follow dragons, wind follows tigers. Sages make, myriad beings watch. Those based in heaven are going up; those based on earth are moving below; so each follows its kind.
• The T9 says the dragon has regret at the peak. What does this mean?
Confucius said, "Sitting at peak without position, holding high honor without subjects. The wise are in low positions, and have no helpers; therefore regret accompanies activity."
The hidden dragon is not to be employed, means lying low. Seeing the dragon in the field, means everything has the right timing. Working always, means carrying out tasks. Sometimes leaping in the abyss, means self-testing. The flying dragon is in the sky, means the leadership is itself properly governed. At the peak the dragon has regret, means the calamity of going to extremes. U9 , positive energy, the creative basis, means the whole world is functioning harmoniously.
• The hidden dragon is not to be employed, means the positive creative energy is hidden in storage. Seeing the dragon in the field, means the land is civilized. Working all day, means carrying on activities in accord with the time. Sometimes leaping in the abyss, means the course of creativity is revolutionized. The flying dragon is in the sky, means attainment to higher qualities. At the peak the dragon has regrets means coming to an end with the time. U9 implies seeing higher law.
• The creative basis is that which makes beginnings and successfully carries them through. Benefit and correctness are nature and sense. Creative beginnings can benefit the world with beautiful advantages, yet without it being said what is gained. This great indeed.
• How great is heaven! Firm, strong, balanced, upright -- it is the pure essence of vitality. The activity of the six yaos conveys mental state indirectly.
• At the appropriate times it drives the six dragons to rule nature. Clouds roll, rain falls, the land is peaceful.
• Leaders make it their work to perfect qualities; this is work that can be seen daily. What submergence refers to is obscurity, not yet emerging, work that is not complete. This is why leaders "do not employ" it.
• Leaders study to assemble it, question to clarify it. They live by it broad-mindedly, carry it out benevolently. When the I-jing says, "Seeing the dragon in the field, it is beneficial to see a great person," this refers to the qualities of leadership.
• The 9three is doubly hard, and not balanced. It is not in the sky above, it is not in the field below. Therefore one works and is wary according to the time. Then there is no error in spite of danger.
• The 9four is doubly hard, and unbalanced. It is not in the sky above, not in the field below, not in the person in between. Therefore there is hesitation. Hesitation means doubt; by hesitating, there is no error.
• The great person is one follows the virtues of heaven and earth, one shines as sun and moon, one obeys the order of the four seasons, one accepts the good and bad luck brought on by hidden forces. Nature does not oppose the Primordial (It); the temporal must follow the sequences of nature. If even nature does not oppose It, how much less do people, hosts, or spirits oppose It?
• The word "peak" refers to knowing how to go forward but not knowing how to retreat, knowing how to stay but not knowing how to withdraw, knowing how to gain but not knowing how to give. Only sages know how to go forward or retreat, how to stay or withdraw, always doing the right thing at the right time.
卦 德 (virtue of the hexagram): 剛 (uprightness ceaselessly), 潛 (humble)
Reflections in 論 語 (Analects):
曾 子 曰: 吾日三省乎吾身。 為人谋而不忠乎? 與朋友交而不信乎?傳不習乎? (Chapter 1-4)
(曾 子 曰 [one of Confucius’ student said] :I reflect (introspect) and examine of my conducts three times a day. Am I not sincere while helping others? Am I not honest and keeping my words to my friends? Did I not study after learning from my teacher?)
子 曰:“不患无位,患所以立。不患莫己知,求為可知也。” (Chapter 4: 14)
(子 曰: do not worry about without an office (high position), do worry about your qualification. Do not worry about that no one knows about your ability, do worry about what your worth is.)
子 曰:“吾未见剛者。”或對曰:“申伥。”子曰:“伥也欲。焉得剛!” (Chapter 5: 12)
(子 曰: I have never met anyone who upholds a principle without wavering. Someone said, 申 伥 (a student). 子 曰: 申 伥 has many desires. How can he be upholding any principle?)
冉 求 曰:“非不说子之道,力不足也。”子曰:“力不足者,中道而廢。今汝画。” (Chapter 6: 9)
(冉 求 (a student) 曰: “not because that I dislike your teaching, my ability is unable to reach it.” 子 曰: “for lacking the ability, someone drops out at midway. Yet, you gives up at the beginning.”)
Note: 画 means drawing a line about one’s ability at the beginning.
子 曰:“剛毅木讷,近仁。” (Chapter 13: 26)
(子 曰: “Being upright, resoluteness and without a running mouth, it will be close to 仁.”)
孔 子 曰:“君子有三戒:少之时,血氣未定,戒之在色;及其壮也,血氣方剛,戒之在鬥;及其老也,血氣既衰,戒之在得。” (Chapter 16: 7)
(孔 子 曰: “There are three things that 君 子 should avoid. When young, the body [血 (blood) and 氣 (chi, energy) is not mature, he should avoid sex. When grown up [in the prime], the body is strong, he should avoid fighting. When gets old, his body has declined, he should avoid being greedy.”)
子曰:“由也,汝聞六言六蔽矣乎?”對曰:“未也。”“居,吾语汝。好仁不好學,其蔽也愚;好知不好學,其蔽也荡;好信不好學,其蔽也贼;好直不好學,其蔽也绞;好勇不好學,其蔽也亂;好剛不好學,其蔽也狂。” (Chapter 17: 8)
(子 曰: “由, have you heard about six sayings on six ‘faults [bad]’?” Answers: No. Confucius says: “Sit, and I will tell you. 好 (be fond of) 仁 but not fond of learning, the bad is about being foolish; 好 知 (smart) but not learning, the bad is about not solid knowledge [being far out]; fond of 信 (the trustworthiness) but not learning, the bad is about becoming a liar; fond of 直 (uprightness) but not learning, the bad is about being intolerance; fond of 勇 (bravery) but not learning, the bad is about being violent; fond of 剛 (unbending) but not learning, the bad is about no discipline.”)
#2
坤。元 亨。利 牝 馬 之 貞。君 子 有 攸 往,先 迷,後 得 主。 利。西 南 得 朋,東 北 喪 朋。安 貞 吉。
彖曰﹕至 哉 坤 元,萬 物 資 生,乃 順 承 天。
坤 厚 載 物,德 合 無 疆。含 弘 光 大,品 物 咸 亨。
牝 馬 地 類,行 地 無 疆。柔 順 利 貞,君 子 攸 行。先 迷 失 道,後 順 得 常。
“西 南 得 朋”,乃 與 類 行。
“東 北 喪 朋”,乃 終 有 慶。
“安 貞” 之 吉,應 地 無 疆。
象曰﹕地 勢 坤;君 子 以 厚 德 載 物。
初 六。 履 霜。堅 冰 至。
象曰﹕“履 霜 堅 冰”,陰 始 凝 也;馴 致 其 道,至 堅 冰 也。
六二。 直 方 大。不 習 無 不 利。(高 亨《周 易 大 傳 今 注》﹕“大 字 疑 是 衍 文。”)
象曰﹕“六 二” 之 動,“直” 以 “方” 也;“不 習 無 不 利”,地 道 光 也。
六三。 含 章。可 貞。或 從 王 事,無 成 有 終。
象曰﹕“含 章 可 貞”,以 進 發 也;“或 從 王 事”,知 光 大 也。
六四。 括 囊。無 咎 無 譽。
象曰﹕“括 囊 無 咎”,慎 不 害 也。
六五。 黃 裳。元 吉。
象曰﹕“黃 裳 元 吉”,文 在 中 也。
上六。 龍 戰 于 野。其 血 玄 黃。
象曰﹕“龍 戰 于 野”,其 道 窮 也。
用六。 利 永 貞。
象曰﹕“用 六” “永 貞”,以 大 終 也。
文言曰﹕
坤 至 柔 而 動 也 剛,至 靜 而 德 方,後 得 主 而 有 常,含 萬 物 而 化 光。坤 道 其 順 乎,承 天 而 時 行。
積 善 之 家,必 有 余 慶;積 不 善 之 家,必 有 余 殃。臣 弒 其 君,子 弒 其 父,非 一 朝 一 夕 之 故,其 所 由 來 者 漸 矣。由 辯 之 不 早 辯 也。易 曰﹕“履 霜,堅 冰 至。”蓋 言 順 也。
直,其 正 也;方,其 義 也。君 子 敬 以 直 內,義 以 方 外,敬 義 立 而 德 不 孤。“直 方 大,不 習 無 不 利”,則 不 疑 其 所 行 也。
陰 雖 有 美,含 之 以 從 王 事,弗 敢 成 也。地 道 也,妻 道 也,臣 道 也。地 道 無 成,而 代 有 終 也。
天 地 變 化,草 木 蕃。天 地 閉,賢 人 隱。易 曰﹕“括 囊。無 咎;無 譽。”蓋 言 謹 也。
君 子 黃 中 通 理,正 位 居 體,美 在 其 中,而 暢 于 四 支,發 于 事 業,美 之 至 也。
陰 疑 于 陽 必 戰,為 其 嫌 于 無 陽 也,故 稱 龍 焉;猶 未 離 其 類 也,故 稱 血 焉。夫 玄 黃 者,天 地 之 雜 也﹕天 玄 而 地 黃。
English translation:
Kun, the Earth. The creative is successful. It is beneficial to be loyal like a mare. People with developmental potential have a goal; if they go ahead before this, they will get lost. If they follow, they get the benefit of the director. Companionship is found in the southwest; companionship is lost in the northeast. Stability and loyalty bode well.
The kwa signs:
• Consummate is the creative basis of earth; all beings live on its sustenance, as it goes along in accord with the virtues of heaven.
• Earth is thick and supports beings. Its quality is of boundlessness. Its embrace is far-reaching and great; material things and living beings all succeed.
• The mare is of a creature of earth; she travels the earth boundlessly, gentle, obedient, helpful, faithful. This is how those with potential go to the goal; if they go ahead of others, they lose the way; if they follow behind, they reach attainment.
• To gain companionship in the southwest is to go with one's own kind. Having lost companionship in the northeast, eventually there is celebration. (Either ways, one can success because earth is boundless)
• The good outlook of stability and loyalty corresponds to the boundlessness of the earth.
• The image: The virtue of earth is receptivity. Thus do leaders lead people with rich virtue.
The yao signs:
• F6 -- As you walk on frost, hard ice shows up.
The image: Walking on frost and hard ice represent the first congealing of yin. Following the laws of nature, the hard ice will come after the frosting.
• 6two -- Upright, straight, great; benefiting without effort.
The image: The movement of the second yin is upright and straight. Benefiting without effort is the way of earth.
• 6three -- Hiding embellishments is a way of affirming rectitude. If one works for the ruler with this attitude, there will be good ending even without any accomplishment.
The image: Hiding embellishments and affirming rectitude mean timely activation. Working for the ruler means that he knows that the light of ruler is great.
• 6four -- Closing the bag (preserving the self), no blame, no praise. The image: Closing the bag, so there is no blame, means being prudent so as to avoid harm.
• 6five -- Wearing yellow garment having great good outlook.
The image: Wearing yellow garment with great good outlook -- the culture shines through from within.
• T6 -- Dragons battle in the field. The blood is dark yellow.
The image: Dragons battle in the field -- its power reaches an impasse.
• U6 -- it is beneficial to always be loyal.
The image: Using yin always loyally is the way to a great ending.
The book says:
• Earth is utterly soft, yet its movement is also firm; it is utterly quiet, yet its virtues is upright. By following, it gains direction and has constancy. It houses myriad beings and shines. The path of earth is obedience, being receptive to the communications of heaven and acting on them according to the time.
• Those who accumulate good will have more happiness; those who accumulate evil will have more misfortune. When a minister kills the ruler, or when a son kills his father, this does not happen all of a sudden, but comes from a gradual buildup, with a failure to obey the heavenly virtues early on.
• The I-jing says, "Walking on front, hard ice will show up. Nature must follow the laws of nature." Uprightness is its correctness; straightness is its justice. Leaders make themselves upright within by sincerity, make themselves outwardly straight by justice. When sincerity and justice are established, their qualities are not isolated. "Upright, straight, great, benefiting without effort" -- thus one does not doubt what is done.
• Although yin has beauty, one hides this. Working for ruler in this way, one does not presume upon achievement. This is the path of earth, the path of the wife, the path of the minister. The earth does not claim achievement, but there is a great achievement through its agency.
• Heaven and earth interact; plants and trees flourish. When heaven and earth are closed, the wise hide. The I-jing says, "Shutting the bag, there is no blame, no praise." This means being careful.
• Leaders comprehend a balanced way. While in the correct state, they maintain their bodies. When there is beauty therein, it rises in their limbs and comes out in their work. This is the consummation of beauty.
• Yin at peak without yang will claim itself as a dragon (symbol of yang) and will inevitably leads to battle, that is, yin and yang are not different in kind. So yin is referred to as blood. "Dark yellow (color of blood)" means mixture of both heaven and earth; heaven is dark and earth is yellow.
卦 德 (virtues of the hexagram): 生 (productive), 順 (submissive)
Reflections in 論 語 (Analects):
曾 子 曰: 慎终追遠,民德歸厚矣。 (Chapter 1: 9)
(曾 子 曰:(When people higher up) taking great care for people’s passing away and paying great respect for the ancestors, then people’s morality will become non-villain.)
子 游 問孝。子曰:“今之孝者,是谓能養,至于犬馬,皆能有養,不敬,何以别乎?” (Chapter 2:7)
(子 游 asks about 孝. 子 曰: today’s saying is about providing the parents with a living. Yet, even the dog and horse can have a living. Without sincere reverence, what is the difference (between the two providing livings)?)
子 夏 問孝。子曰:“色難。有事,弟子服其勞,有酒食,先生馔,曾是以為孝乎?” (Chapter 2: 8)
(子 夏 asks about 孝. 子 曰: ‘without giving the parents unhappy-face’. Doing works for them and providing them food, can these be about 孝?)
子 曰:“唯仁者能好人,能惡人。” (Chapter 4:3)
(子 曰: only those who are with 仁 have the capacity to value the good person and to despise the bad person.)
子曰:“我未见好仁者,惡不仁者。好仁者无以尚之,惡不仁者其為仁矣,不使不仁者加乎其身。有能一日用力于仁矣乎,我未见力不足者。盖有之矣,我未之见也。” (Chapter 4 : 6)
(子 曰: I have never met a person who is 仁 while dislike those who are not 仁. How can one be 仁 if he dislike those who are not 仁? Just don’t let the ‘not 仁’ become part of himself. If one can be 仁 one whole day, why can he not be 仁 always? If there is such a person (only being 仁 a short while), I have never met.)
子 曰:“躬自厚而薄则于人,则遠怨矣。” (Chapter 15: 14)
(子 曰: “If one disciplines himself strictly while easy on others, he will stay away from ill-will of others.”)