Wiki I Ching

Duration 32.3.4 → 7 Discipline

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32
Duration
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Discipline

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Duration 32
Consistency brings endurance.
Stay true to your path, create lasting habits, and cultivate patience for sustainable success.

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Line 3
Lack of consistency in one's character results in ongoing shame and dishonor.

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Line 4
Efforts may be fruitless if not aligned with the right time or place.

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Discipline 7
Strategic alignment leads to victory; discipline and structure ensure success.



32
Duration


Other titles: Duration, The Symbol of Constancy, The Long Enduring, Constant, Persevering, Standing Fast, Continuity, Constancy in the Midst of Change, Holding Firm, "Get yourself into a fixed routine like the orbiting planets." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge:Consistency means successful progress without error through firm correctness. Movement in any direction is advantageous.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Duration. Success. No blame. Perseverance furthers. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

Blofeld: The Long Enduring. Success and freedom from error! Righteous persistence brings reward. It is favorable to have in view some goal or destination.

Liu:Duration. Success. No blame. It benefits to continue. Going anywhere is advantageous.

Ritsema/Karcher:Persevering, Growing. Without fault. Harvesting Trial. Harvesting: possessing directed going. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of continuity and endurance. It emphasizes that continuing on and renewing the way you are following is the adequate way to handle the situation. To be in accord with the time, you are told to persevere!]

Shaughnessy: Constancy: Receipt; there is no trouble; beneficial to determine; beneficial to have someplace to go.

Cleary (1):Constancy is developmental. Impeccable. It is beneficial to be correct. It is beneficial to have a place to go.

Cleary (2):Constancy comes through without fault, beneficial insofar as it is correct. It is beneficial to have a place to go.

Wu: Constancy indicates pervasion. There will be no blame. It also indicates advantage of being persevering and having undertakings.


The Image

Legge: Thunder over wind -- the image of Consistency. The superior man stands firm and does not change his method of operation.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder and wind: the image of Duration. Thus the superior man stands firm and does not change his direction.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes thunder accompanied by wind. The Superior Man stands so firmly that he cannot be uprooted.

Liu: Thunder and wind symbolize Duration. The superior man stands firm without changing direction.

Ritsema/Karcher: Thunder, wind, Persevering. A Chun tzu uses establishing, not versatility on-all-sides.

Cleary (1): Thunder and wind are perpetual. Thus does the superior person stand without changing places.

Cleary (2): Thunder and wind are constant; so do developed people stand without changing place.

Wu: A combination of thunder and wind forms Constancy. Thus the jun zi establishes himself by not changing his post.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Consistency means long continuance. The dynamic trigram of Thunder is above, and the magnetic trigram of Wind is below. Docility and Motive Force are in sympathetic communication because their dynamic and magnetic lines all correspond. When the motive power is spent it will begin again -- hence movement in any direction is advantageous. The sun and moon are consistent in their illumination, and the four sequential seasons are consistent in their cycles of growth. The sages are consistent in their work and all under heaven are transformed. When we examine this consistent perseverance the natural tendencies of heaven and earth are revealed.

Legge: The subject of the hexagram is perseverance in what is right, or in continuously acting out the law of one's being. It is seen as a sequel to the previous hexagram,Initiative. As that figure deals with the correct relations

between husband and wife, so this figure treats of the continuous observance of their respective duties. Initiativeconsists of the trigrams symbolizing the youngest son and youngest daughter and shows how the attraction and influence between the sexes is strongest in youth. Consistency on the other hand, consists of the trigrams symbolizing the oldest son and oldest daughter. This couple is more staid. The wife occupies the lower place, and their relationship is characterized by her submission. Given two parties, a magnetic and a dynamic in correlation, if both consistently observe what is correct and natural (i.e., the magnetic submissive and the dynamic firm), then good fortune and progress may be predicted for their course.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: The will to maintain the consistency of the Work assures progress in whatever direction it may take.

The Superior Man holds fast to the principles of the Work.

Wilhelm's title for this hexagram is Duration. I feel that the word Consistency best evokes the meaning of the figure. In an existence consisting of continuous change the only things that have duration are the principles upon which change is based. To adhere to these principles is to maintain consistency. Implicit here is a consistent balance of forces. Consistency in the Work means neither consistent action nor inaction, but an appropriate combination of the two principles as required by changing circumstances. The Confucian commentary alludes to this characteristic of the Work when it mentions the sun, moon and changing seasons as examples of forces which maintain their consistency within a context of continuous change.

Just as the moon at night reflects the light of the hidden sun, so in the Work the ego is always magnetic in relation to the dynamic Self. A moon that thought that it was the source of its light would be egregiously deluded, despite superficial appearances to the contrary; so too the ego that thinks that its powers come from anywhere but the Self.

Motives and standards of choice are not invented by the ego but are structured by the actualization of archetypal predispositions through personally acquired value standards.
E. C. Whitmont -- The Symbolic Quest

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR MEDITATION

Note that all of the lines in the hexagram are generally unfavorable except two and five, and that when they both change places the hexagram becomes number thirty-one, Initiative. There is a profound lesson here which is best appreciated by meditating on the associations implied. The fact that each hexagram is the inverse of the other should not be forgotten.


Line 3

Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows one who does not continuously maintain his virtue. There are those who will impute this to him as a disgrace. However firm he may be, there will be ground for regret.

Wilhelm/Baynes: He who does not give duration to his character meets with disgrace. Persistent humiliation.

Blofeld: He is not consistently virtuous and therefore meets with disgrace. To continue thus would be shameful.

Liu: If he does not continue to improve his character, he will be disgraced. Continuing (not to improve) brings humiliation.

Ritsema/Karcher: Not preserving one's actualizing-tao. Maybe receiving's embarrassing. Trial: abashment. [Actualize-tao: Ability to follow the course traced by the ongoing process of the cosmos. Linked with acquire, TE: acquiring that which makes a being become what it is meant to be.]

Shaughnessy: Not making constant his virtue, he perhaps receives its disgrace; determination is distressful.

Cleary (1): If one is not constant in virtue, one may be shamed; even if right, one is humiliated.

Cleary (2): Not being constant in virtue may be taken as a disgrace. Even if one is right, one is humiliated.

Wu: The subject does not persevere in principle. He may feel humiliated for his support. Even though he does nothing wrong, he will be remorseful.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: He does not continuously maintain his virtue -- nowhere will he be borne with. Wilhelm/Baynes: He meets with no toleration. Blofeld: Because, then, no one could endure him. [We can bear with an evil man more easily than with one who is liable to behave so inconsistently that we never know what to expect of him.]Ritsema/ Karcher: Without a place to tolerate indeed. Cleary (2): There is no accommodation. Wu: Consequently, he will not be welcome.

Legge: The third line is dynamic in a dynamic place, but has passed the center position of the lower trigram. He is too active, and coming under the attraction of his sixth line correlate, he is impelled to abandon his place and virtue. The K'ang-hsi editors' version of the commentary is: "Nowhere can he bear to remain."

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man does not maintain an inner consistency of character. His vicissitudes lead to troubles from unforeseen quarters.

Wing: Your reactions and moods caused by external situations are as unpredictable as these varying circumstances. This inconsistency within the Self will bring your humiliation. In turn, this creates a cycle of difficulties. Try to center yourself.

Editor: To parody Emerson: "A foolish inconsistency is the hobgoblin of small minds."

There is nothing worse than to begin work on oneself and then leave it and find oneself between two stools.
Gurdjieff

A. Inconstancy and vacillation threaten the Work.

Line 4

Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows a field where there is no game.

Wilhelm/Baynes: No game in the field.

Blofeld: No game in the field.

Liu: No birds in the field. For a long time one is out of place. How can one get birds. [If you receive this line, you should not expect success, even with heightened efforts. Rather, be wary of losing your present position.]

Ritsema/Karcher: The fields without wildfowl.

Shaughnessy: In the fields there is no game.

Cleary(1): Fields, no game.

Wu: He hunts, but his bag is empty.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Going for long to what is not his proper place, how can he get game? Wilhelm/Baynes: When one is forever absent from one's place, how can one find game? Blofeld: How can one who remains long out of place hope to gain his quarry? [ A reference to the unsuitable position of this line. An example of what is implied is furnished by people whose talents and interests incline them towards a profession quite different from the one in which they are employed; with the best will in the world, they cannot do justice to themselves.]Ritsema/Karcher: No lasting whatever: one's situation. Quietly acquiring the wildfowl indeed. Cleary(2): This is not the place for persistence. How can one catch game? Wu: He has not been in the right place for a long period of time. How can he have bagged any game?

Legge: Line four is dynamic in a magnetic place, thus suggesting the symbolism.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: Perseverance alone does not assure success. No amount of stalking will lead to game in a field that has none.

Wing: Be certain your goals are realistic. If you try to achieve things that are unlikely, no matter how vigorously, you will still accomplish absolutely nothing. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your desires.

Editor: There is sometimes an implication in this line that if you would just sit still maybe the game would come to you.

The dead came back from Jerusalem, where they did not find what they were seeking.
Jung -- VII Sermones ad Mortuos

A. You can't find what you seek where it doesn't exist.

B. Your present course of action is fruitless, or your speculation is incorrect.

7
Discipline


Other titles: The Army, The Symbol of Multitude and of Army, Legions/ Leading, The Troops, Collective Force, Discipline, Soldiers, Group Action, A Disciplined Multitude, Ego Discipline, Willpower "Can refer to mourning but its essential meaning is Discipline." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge:Disciplineindicates that with firm correctness and a leader of age and experience, there will be good fortune and no error.

Wilhelm/Baynes:The Army. The army needs perseverance and a strong man. Good fortune without blame.

Blofeld: Persistence in a righteous course brings to those in authority good fortune and freedom from error. [If the enquiry is not concerned with military affairs, we must interpret this hexagram symbolically in the sense that life is a battle.]

Liu:The Army. The army demands perseverance and a strong person (leader). Good fortune. No blame.

Ritsema/Karcher: Legions: Trial. Respectable people significant. Without fault. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of unorganized crowds or bunches of things. It emphasizes that organizing these things into functional units is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to lead!]

Shaughnessy: The Troops: Determination for the senior man is auspicious; there is no trouble.

Cleary (1): For the leader of the army to be right, a mature person is good; then there is no error.

Wu: The Army indicates persevering. Led by the elder man, it will be auspicious.


The Image

Legge: Water in the midst of the earth -- the image ofDiscipline. The superior man nourishes and educates the people, and collects from among them a mighty army.

Wilhelm/Baynes: In the middle of the earth is water: the image of The Army. Thus the superior man increases his masses by generosity toward the people.

Blofeld: The symbol of water surrounded by land. The Superior Man nourishes the people and treats them with leniency.

Liu: Water in the earth symbolizes the Army. The superior man increases his followers by benevolence toward the people.

Ritsema/Karcher: Earth center possessing stream. Legions. A chun tzu uses tolerating commoners to accumulate crowds.

Cleary (1): There is water in the earth, The Army. Thus does the superior person embrace the people and nurture the masses.

Cleary (2): … Leaders develop a group by admitting people.

Wu: There is water underneath the ground; this is The Army. Thus the jun zi receives people and shelters them.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Discipline describes the masses who make up the army, and the firm correctness referred to means a morally correct intent. When the leader uses the masses with such correctness, he may fulfill the ruler's will. The focus of strength in the second line is responded to by his proper correlate in the ruler's place. Although action is dangerous, it accords with the best sentiments of men, and although the leader may distress the country the people will still follow him -- there will be good fortune and no error.

Legge: Discipline is symbolized here by the conduct of a military expedition. The arrangement of the lines suggests the idea of a general surrounded by his troops. The dynamic yang line in the center of the lower trigram has the confidence of the magnetic ruler in the fifth place. Entire trust is reposed in him because he is strong and correct. He is referred to as an old and experienced man, hence all of his enterprises will succeed.

Perilousness is the attribute of the lower trigram, and Docility or Accordance with Others, that of the upper. War is like poison to a country -- painful, and potentially ruinous, and yet the people will endure it on behalf of the sovereign whom they love and respect.

In regard to the Image, Chu Hsi says: "As the water is not outside the earth, so soldiers are not outside the people. Therefore if a ruler is able to nourish the people, he can get the multitudes for his armies."

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Discipline directed by willpower and serious intent advances the Work. Or: With experienced judgment and proper will and intent there will be a good outcome.

The Superior Man trains and nourishes his powers to build an invincible unity.

The English word "infantry," meaning foot soldiers (the backbone of any army), is derived from the French word enfant, meaning infant, or child. This ancient association was made because a good military officer was expected to treat his soldiers as if they were his own children -- with a stern but loving discipline designed to improve their character. This concept is what the Image alludes to when it says: “The superior man nourishes and educates the people, and collects from among them a mighty army.” Psychologically interpreted the idea is that the ego-complex is the general officer in the second line that nourishes, educates and controls the other complexes within the psyche. This can only be accomplished through discipline, and thus I have chosen that name for the hexagram rather than the more usual title of The Army.

With the only dynamic line of the hexagram placed in the center of the lower trigram we have an image of the position of the ego-complex in relation to the rest of the psyche. The magnetic ruler in line five represents the Self, isolated from direct physical involvement and dependent upon the dynamic ego to carry out the Work in the material dimension. The seventh hexagram, therefore, shows the Work from the ego's point of view.

Hexagram number eight, Holding Together, is the inverse of this image, and shows the Work from the Self's point of view outside of spacetime. There it is the dynamic fifth line ruler who is the focal point -- an image of the Self surrounded by its satellites. In that dimension the second line ego-complex is only another magnetic complex in the company of other magnetic complexes. Ideally, the lower complexes within the psyche should be magnetic in relation to a dynamic ego, but the ego is always magnetic in relation to the dynamic Self. From the Self's point of view all of its complexes are its magnetic "children," or "infantry." Hexagrams seven and eight should be studied together as reversed images to get a full comprehension of each.

The images in the lines of Discipline all deal with the management of forces as a coordinated whole -- as long as they are under the firm command of the ego (who is only a general carrying out the orders of the Self), things proceed successfully. If the Discipline breaks down and the ego- general loses control, defeat is certain.

Narutomi Hyogo said, "What is called winning is defeating one's allies. Defeating one's allies is defeating oneself, and defeating oneself is vigorously overcoming one's own body. It is as though a man were in the midst of ten thousand allies but not one were following him. If one hasn't previously mastered his mind and body, he will not defeat the enemy."
Yamamoto Tsunetomo -- The Book of the Samurai