Wiki I Ching

Wealth 14.3.4.6 19 Approach

From
14
Wealth
To
19
Approach

Behaving in a deviant way
One hase seen why others do not want to partner with just anyone.
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Wealth 14
Abundance is present.
Use your resources wisely and share generously.
Celebrate success with humility and grace, knowing that true wealth comes from balance and integrity.


Line 3
Generosity and nobility of spirit are rewarded, beyond the reach of the small-minded.


Line 4
Maintaining clear boundaries and self-awareness leads to a blameless life.


Line 6
Divine favor and alignment with higher principles ensure success in all endeavors.


Approach 19
Openness and approachability bring success.
Embrace others with sincerity and attentive leadership.
Seize opportunities with confidence while recognizing the temporary nature of influence.



14
Wealth


Other titles: Possession in Great Measure, The Symbol of Great Possession, Sovereignty, Great Having, Great Possessing, The Great Possessor, Great Wealth, Abundance, Having What is Great, "Often means things other than material possessions or achievement. Count your blessings for they are many." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge:Wealth means great progress and success.

Wilhelm/Baynes:Possession in Great Measure. Supreme success.

Blofeld: He who possesses much -- supreme success!

Liu: Great Possessions. Great Success.

Ritsema/Karcher: Great Possessing, Spring Growing. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of your relation to an overriding concern or central idea. It emphasizes that organizing all your efforts around this idea is the adequate way to handle it...]

Shaughnessy: The Great Possession: Prime receipt.

Cleary (1): In great possession are creation and development.

Cleary (2): Great possession is great success.

Wu: Great Wealth is primordial and pervasive.

 

The Image

Legge: Fire over Heaven -- the image of Wealth. The superior man represses evil and nurtures virtue in accordance with the benevolent will of heaven.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Fire in heaven above: the image of Possession in Great Measure. Thus the superior man curbs evil and furthers good, and thereby obeys the benevolent will of heaven.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes fire in the heavens. [When the trigram for heaven is above, whatever is below may be separated from it; when it is below, it indicates fusion or intermixture with what is above. The significance here is that the splendor of a very great man lights up the heavens.] The Superior Man suppresses those who are evil and upholds the virtuous. Most gladly he accords with heaven and carries out its commands.

Liu: Fire over heaven symbolizes Great Possessions. The superior man suppresses evil and honors virtue, and thus follows the will of heaven and waits upon destiny.

Ritsema/Karcher: Fire located above heaven. Great Possessing. A chun tzu uses terminating hate to display improvement. A chun tzu uses yielding-to heaven to relinquish fate.

Cleary (1): Fire is in the sky;great possession.Thus does the superior person stop evil and promote good, obeying heaven and accepting its order.

Cleary (2): … Leaders obey nature and accept its order by stopping the bad and promoting the good.

Wu: Fire above and heaven below form Great Wealth.Thus the jun zi suppresses the evil and promotes the good; he abides by the will of heaven to enrich his life.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge:Wealth shows the magnetic line in the central ruler's place, and honored by the dynamic lines above and below. The figure is composed of the trigrams of Strength and Clarity. The central line of Clarity responds to the central line of Strength, eventuating in timely action. This indicates great progress and success.

Legge: Wealth means "great havings," and symbolizes a kingdom, family or individual in a state of prosperity. The danger in such a position arises from the pride it is likely to engender. Here however, everything is against that: the place of honor is occupied by a magnetic line, so that the ruler will be humble, and all the dynamic lines will respond to her with sympathetic allegiance. The ruler's seat is in the central position of the trigram of Clarity, and hence her strength is directed by intelligence, and all her actions are timely, like the seasons of heaven.

Fire above the sky shines far -- symbolizing the vastness of the territory of wealth. To develop virtue and repress evil is in accordance with the will of heaven, which has given to all men a nature fitted for goodness.

Cleary (2): All states of being have this essence inherent in them and are indeed made of this essence, but all states other than that of complete enlightenment are out of harmony with this essence in some way. Buddhahood is when you accord with this essence.

Wu: As the sun shines brightly high in the sky, both the good and the bad will be exposed. The responsibility of the jun zi is to discriminate between them. He acts in accordance with the nature of goodness (the will of heaven) to enrich his life.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: The greatest kind of Wealth accrues from furthering the Work.

The Superior Man manages his forces in accordance with the goals of the Work.

Wealthis the inverse of the preceding figure, Union of Forces. If the thirteenth hexagram depicts a process of uniting, the fourteenth might be seen as the completion of that process. To have one's inner forces correctly united is indeed Possession in Great Measure, which is the title that Wilhelm gives to this figure.

It is emphasized in the Image that this Wealth must be administered in accordance with the "benevolent will of heaven,” which is to say: the principles of the Work must always guide one's choices if one is not to lose equilibrium and become pauperized by illusion.

The superior man considers a rich possession of moral principles to be honor, and peace in his person to be wealth.
Chou Tun-I


Line 3

Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows us a feudal prince presenting his offerings to the Son of Heaven. An inferior man would be unequal to such a duty.

Wilhelm/Baynes: A prince offers it to the Son of Heaven. A petty man cannot do this.

Blofeld: A prince may win rewards from his emperor, but this is beyond an ordinary man's power.

Liu: A duke makes an offering to the emperor. The inferior man is unable to do this.

Ritsema/Karcher: A prince availing-of Growing, tending- towards heavenly sonhood. Small People nowhere controlling.

Shaughnessy: The duke uses aromatic grass to the Son of Heaven; the little man is not capable of it.

Cleary (1): The work of barons serves the son of heaven. Petty people are incapable of this.

Cleary (2): Impartial action gets through to the ruler. Small people, etc.

Wu: A duke has the honor of dining with the king. The little man is unworthy of the honor.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: An inferior man in such a position does himself harm. Wilhelm/Baynes: A petty man harms himself. Blofeld: The little man would only harm himself in the attempt. [This omen suggests that a great goal can be won only by someone very powerful or distinguished; others would be well advised not to attempt it.]Ritsema/Karcher: Small People harmful indeed. Cleary (2): Small people would be harmed. Wu: This will be unfitting to the little man.

Legge: Line three is dynamic in a correctly dynamic place. The top line of the lower trigram is the proper place for a feudal lord. He will humbly serve the condescending ruler in the fifth place. An inferior man in the same position, but without the virtue, would give himself airs.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The superior man places his property and talents at the service of the ruler and the public. The inferior man employs them for his own gain.

Wing: A superior-minded person will place his talents or resources at the disposal of his leader or his community. Through this type of open generosity he is benefited, for he is loyally supported in turn. A lesser man cannot do this.

Editor: This line is often received under painful conditions in which a sacrifice of some kind is demanded. Blofeld and Wu’s versions differ conceptually from the other translators, and may be considered eccentric unless the matter under question supports their interpretations.

Whether your task demands abject poverty of you or gives you the greatest wealth, you must always remember that nothing, absolutely nothing, ever or anywhere really belongs to you. On the contrary, everything is God’s property, and from his property you receive something only for your actual needs, corresponding to your task. Just as it's a matter of indifference to a canal whether more or less water flows through it, because the water doesn't belong to it, you too must regard everything fate gives you as something that comes to you from God, and something you must pass on.
Elisabeth Haich --Initiation

A. Sacrifice your ego-autonomy for the good of the Work. This is impossible for one who has not advanced beyond his own narrow self-interest.

B. A superior man's meat is an inferior man's poison.

C. A difficult sacrifice is called for.

Line 4

Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows its subject keeping his great resources under restraint. There will be no error.

Wilhelm/Baynes: He makes a difference between himself and his neighbor. No blame.

Blofeld: Pride is not involved -- no error!

Liu: He distinguishes between himself and his friends. This brings no blame.

Ritsema/Karcher: In-no-way one's preponderance . Without fault.

Shaughnessy: It is not his fullness ; there is no trouble.

Cleary (1): Repudiate self-aggrandizement and there is no fault.

Cleary (2): Negating self-inflation, there is no blame.

Wu: He who keeps his strength under restraint will not be humiliated.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: His wisdom discriminates clearly what he ought to do. Wilhelm/Baynes: He is clear, discriminating, and intelligent. Blofeld: Implies the possession of very great discriminatory powers. [Such as the power to recognize how very little of our success is really due to our own merits.]Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness differentiating clearly indeed. Cleary (2): Because the understanding is clear. Wu: Because he exercises clear discriminations.

Legge: The strength of line four is tempered by his position in a magnetic place. Hence he will do no injury to the mild ruler just above him.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man discriminates clearly what should be done. He keeps his strength under control, yields not to competition and envy, and does not injure the mild ruler.

Wing: Quell your pride and envy and do not attempt to compete with others or emulate those in power. Give your full attention to the business at hand and you will avoid mistakes.

Anthony: When we argue, we engage and compete with other people’s inferiors. We should remain disengaged. Even when we mentally argue with or inwardly look at the problem, we remain engaged, thinking of ways to deal with their inferiors. Such looking to the side causes us to deviate from our own direction.

Editor: Wilhelm and Liu both render this line in terms of making a distinction between oneself and others. The distinction to be made is to see the difference between the minister in line four and the ruler in line five -- i.e., don't overstep your authority or aspire above your proper place. The line can also refer to co-dependence to other people's illusions. You have your own unique path to follow: you cannot acquiesce to the unenlightened expectations of others without doing damage to yourself, to them, and to the Work. Choices like this are often extremely painful. This, however, does not absolve the aspirant from doing what the Work demands.

Better is one's own dharma, though imperfectly performed, than the dharma of another well performed. Better is death in the doing of one's own dharma: the dharma of another is fraught with peril.
Bhagavad-Gita
3:35

A. Follow your own path and let others follow theirs.

B. The situation calls for discrimination and restraint.

C. Differentiate the difference between a superior and an inferior element in the situation.

Line 6

Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows its subject with help accorded to him from Heaven. There will be good fortune, advantage in every respect.

Wilhelm/Baynes: He is blessed by heaven. Good fortune. Nothing that does not further.

Blofeld: Those under heaven's protection enjoy good fortune and success in everything. [The top line of a very favorable hexagram is sometimes taken to symbolize heaven. Whoever receives (this line) may expect utmost success.]

Liu: One is blessed by heaven. Good fortune. Benefit in everything.

Ritsema/Karcher: Originating-from heaven shielding it. Significant, without not Harvesting.

Shaughnessy: From heaven blessing it; auspicious; there is nothing not beneficial.

Cleary (1): Help from heaven is auspicious, unfailingly beneficial.

Cleary (2): Good fortune that is a blessing from heaven is beneficial to all.

Wu: With blessings from heaven, there will be good fortune and nothing disadvantageous.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Good fortune arises from the help of heaven. Wilhelm/ Baynes: The place at the top of Possession in Great Measure has good fortune. This is because it is blessed by heaven. Blofeld: The great good fortune presaged by this line is that of being specially protected by heaven. Ritsema/Karcher: Great Possessing the above: significant. Originating-from heaven shielding indeed. Cleary (2): A blessing from heaven. Wu: The blessings come from heaven.

Legge: Even the topmost line takes its character from line five. His strength is still tempered, and heaven gives its approval.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man attains the fullness of blessings. He recognizes the bases for the favorable state of affairs, remains devoted in his actions, and honors the sage who exerted the beneficent influence.

Wing: Here lies the potential for great blessings and good fortune. Know how to keep things in balance; be devoted in your endeavors and openly appreciative to those who help you. In this way you might expect supreme success.

Editor: Of all the lines and hexagrams in the I Ching, this is one of the most favorable combinations that one can receive. If it is the only changing line, the hexagram of Wealth is transformed into the thirty-fourth hexagram of Great Power -- a most energetic combination of images.

I cannot define for you what God is. I can only say that my work has proved empirically that the pattern of God exists in every man, and that this pattern has at its disposal the greatest of all his energies for transformation and transfiguration of his natural being.
Jung -- Letters

A. "God is on your side."

19
Approach


Other titles: The Symbol of Advance and Arrival, Nearing, Overseeing, Condescension, Getting Ahead, Promotion, Conduct, Drawing Near, Becoming Great, The Forest, Advance, Advancing, "Two people advancing together; or a good influence which hasn't been seen or felt for some time, is approaching." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge: Approach means successful progress through firm correctness. In the eighth month there will be evil.

Wilhelm/Baynes : Approach has supreme success. Perseverance furthers. When the eighth month comes, there will be misfortune.

Blofeld:Approach.Sublime success! Righteous persistence brings reward. However, when the eighth month is reached, misfortune will befall. [The eighth moon of the lunar calendar corresponds approximately to September.]

Liu: Approach. Great Success. It is of benefit to continue. When the eighth month arrives, then there will be misfortune.

Ritsema/Karcher: Nearing, Spring Growing Harvesting Trial. Culminating tending-towards the eighth moon: possessing a pitfall. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of approaching and being approached. It emphasizes that acting without immediately expecting to attain what you desire is the adequate way to handle it...]

Shaughnessy: The Forest: Prime receipt; beneficial to determine; arriving at the eighth month there is inauspiciousness.

Cleary (1):Overseeing is creative and developmental, beneficial if correct. In the eighth month there is misfortune.

Cleary (2):Overseeing is very successful, beneficial if correct. If you go on until the eighth month, there will be misfortune. [If you ride on the momentum of the time and do not know to turn back, at a certain point deterioration will inevitably set in, after flourishing has reached its climax, and there will surely be misfortune.]

Wu:Condescension is great, pervasive, and persevering, etc. [Condescension as used in several judgments has two meanings: to condescend (or to look down from a higher position) and to press forward with authority.]

Hua-Ching Ni: Advance. It is beneficial to go forward with a positive attitude, but be mindful of the cyclical nature of things.

 

The Image

Legge: The earth over a marsh -- the image of Approach. The superior man is inexhaustible in his instruction and unflagging in his nourishing support of the people.

Wilhelm/Baynes: The earth above the lake: the image of Approach. Thus the superior man is inexhaustible in his will to teach, and without limits in his tolerance and protection of the people.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes land rising above a marsh. The Superior Man's teaching and his affection for his juniors are inexhaustible. Nothing hinders him in his care for the people. [The lower component trigram suggests the nourishment which the Superior Man gives joyfully to others. The upper trigram symbolizes the great bulk of those who benefit.]

Liu: The earth above the lake symbolizes Approach. The superior man's will for instruction has no limit. He is boundless in his support and protection of the people.

Ritsema/Karcher: Above marsh possessing earth. Nearing. A chun tzu uses teaching to ponder without exhausting. [A chun tzu uses] tolerating to protect the commoners without delimiting.

Cleary (1): Above the lake there is earth, overseeing. Superior people use

inexhaustibility of education and thought to embrace and protect the people without bound.

Wu: There is ground above the marsh; this is Condescension. Thus the jun zi realizes that there is no limit to the ideas of education and there is no boundary in the protection of people.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In Approach we see the dynamic lines gradually increasing and advancing. The lower trigram is the symbol of Being Pleased, and the upper of Being Compliant. The strong line is in the central position, and is properly responded to. It is the way of heaven to bring progress and success through firm correctness, however the advancing power will decay after no long time.

Legge: Approach suggests the approach of authority -- to inspect, to comfort or to rule. The figure shows two dynamic lines advancing on the four magnetic lines above them. Their action will be powerful and successful, but it must be governed by rectitude and a caution that understands the nature of continuous change.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Two steps forward are followed by one step backward.

The Superior Man remains true to the Work regardless of fluctuations within the psyche.

The meaning of Approach is derived from the two dynamic lines advancing from below to encounter the magnetic lines above. These two are firm allies, and the action of the superior man in the Image suggests that their ascent is one of benevolent regard for the welfare of their subordinates -- only the third line need change for the hexagram to become number eleven, Harmony. We are reminded of the proper relationship between the ego and the Self -- when they advance together, the magnetic forces in the rest of the psyche are eventually transformed.

This hexagram recognizes the inevitably slow progress of the Work (" Rome wasn't built in a day"), and that advances are always followed by retreats. The point is that if one maintains the will to advance, one can be confident that the Work is advancing, regardless of appearances.

(Confucius) tried his best, but the issue he left to Ming. Ming is often translated as Fate, Destiny or Decree. To Confucius, it meant the Decree of Heaven or Will of Heaven ... Thus to know Ming means to acknowledge the inevitability of the world as it exists, and so to disregard one's external success or failure. If we can act in this way, we can, in a sense, never fail. For if we do our duty that duty through our very act is morally done, regardless of the external success or failure of our action.
Fung Yu-Lan -- A Short History of Chinese Philosophy

Without changing lines, the hexagram suggests a progressive advance in the matter at hand. Nature being what it is however, no advance can be sustained indefinitely and an eventual regression can be expected. (This observation is such a truism that we must assume it is more than usually applicable to the current situation.)