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Conflict6
Conflict arises. Approach disputes with clarity and fairness. Seek resolution over victory. Compromise is key.
↓ Line 1
Avoiding escalation and not engaging in prolonged conflict leads to a positive outcome.
↓ Line 4
Accepting circumstances and adapting leads to peace and positive outcomes.
↓ Line 5
Engaging in conflict with a wise and just leader results in the best possible outcome.
↓ Line 6
Temporary gains achieved through conflict are unstable and quickly lost.
↓ Approach19
Openness and approachability bring success. Embrace others with sincerity and attentive leadership. Seize opportunities with confidence while recognizing the temporary nature of influence.
Original Readings
6 Conflict
Other titles: Conflict, The Symbol of Contention, Strife, Litigation, Quarreling, Arguing, Lawsuit, "It is important to mind one's step at the very beginning then things will have a chance to work out all right." -- D.F. Hook
Judgment
Legge: Stress indicates that despite sincere motivations, one still meets with opposition and obstruction. Maintain an apprehensive caution. To prosecute the contention to the bitter end will produce evil results. It is advantageous to see the Great Man. It is not advantageous to cross the great stream.
Wilhelm/Baynes: Conflict. You are sincere and are being obstructed. A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune. Going through to the end brings misfortune. It furthers one to see the great man. It does not further one to cross the great water.
Blofeld: Conflict. Confidence accompanied by obstacles! With care, affairs can be made to prosper in their middle course, but the final outcome will be disaster. It is advantageous to visit a great man, but not to cross the great river (or sea). [In general, this hexagram indicates that we have little chance of success in any conflict, dispute or lawsuit in which we are now engaged and that retreat is the best policy -- unless line one or five is a moving line, in which case the position is more hopeful. We can profit from the advice of someone truly wise, but a journey of any kind at this time would be disastrous.]
Liu: Conflict; you have sincerity even though obstructed, stop halfway -- good fortune; follow to the end -- misfortune. It is of benefit to see a great man, but not to cross the great water.
Centering significant. Completing: pitfall. Harvesting: visualizing Great People. Not Harvesting: wading the Great River. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of a dispute. It emphasizes that actively expressing your claims and objections is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to argue!] (Sic)
Shaughnessy: Lawsuit : There is a return; pitying and tranquil, it succeeds to be auspicious, but in the end is inauspicious; beneficial herewith to see the great man; not beneficial to ford the great river.
Cleary (1): Contention; there is blockage of truth. Caution and moderation lead to good results, finality leads to bad results. It is beneficial to see a great person, not beneficial to cross a great river.
Cleary (2): …Wariness within leads to good results, but ending up that way is unfortunate … etc.
Wu:Litigation indicates an obstruction of trust. If the subject is vigilant, he will have good fortune. If he is libelous to the end, he will face foreboding. It will be advantageous to see the great man. It will not be advantageous to cross the big river.
The Image
Legge: The image of water moving away from heaven forms Stress. The superior man, in accordance with this, takes good counsel about the beginning of any enterprise.
Wilhelm/Baynes: Heaven and water go their opposite ways: the image of Conflict. Thus in all his transactions the superior man carefully considers the beginning.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes sky and water in opposition. The Superior Man does not embark upon any affair until he has carefully planned the start.
Liu: Heaven and water go in different directions, symbolizing Conflict. The superior man contemplates the beginning before undertaking an enterprise.
Ritsema/Karcher: Heaven associating-with stream, contradicting movements. Arguing, a chun tzu uses arousing affairs to plan beginning.
Cleary (1): When heaven and water go in different directions, there is contention. Superior people plan in the beginning when they do things.
Cleary (2): … When leaders do things, they plan to begin with.
Wu: Heaven and water go in opposite directions; this is Litigation. Thus the jun zi plans well before taking actions.
COMMENTARY
Confucius/Legge: The coming together of Strength and Peril gives the idea of Stress. A dynamic line in the central place in the lower trigram shows how there will be good fortune if one maintains apprehensive caution; but because contention should not be taken to extremes, there will be evil if one prosecutes his contention to the bitter end. The great man sets a value on the due mean. If one attempts to cross the great stream, he finds himself in an abyss.
Legge: The upper trigram of Strength here controls the lower trigram of Peril which is trying to attack it. Or it may also be seen as someone in a perilous situation contending with strong outside forces. The image is of contention and strife. The sincere yang line in the middle of the trigram of Peril gives a character to the whole figure -- an individual so represented will be very cautious and have good fortune. But since contention is bad, even a sincere individual must fail if he pursues it to the bitter end. The fifth line represents the great man, whose agency is sure to be good. His decision in any matter of contention will be correct. The sixth line is also dynamic, but his action is likely to be too rash for a great enterprise, hence the warning about not attempting to cross the great stream.
NOTES AND PARAPHRASES
Judgment: Be careful, don't attempt much, and don't allow the situation to get out of hand.
The Superior Man is judicious about his choices of action to ensure that the situation remains stable.
The hexagram portrays a high level of tension. Wilhelm points out that the only "favorable" line is the ruler in the fifth place, and that all of the other lines symbolize people quarreling. It should also be noted that lines one through four counsel either retreat from contention or remaining passively in place. Only line five suggests that an active struggle can have a favorable outcome, and line six portrays the sorry fate of those who insist on "demanding their rights." If we turn the hexagram upside down we have Waiting, which suggests some subtle truths about the proper way to handle stress.
He who has a taste for dispute has a taste for blows, the man of haughty speech courts destruction. Proverbs 17: 19
At deciding lawsuits I am no better than anyone else; but what is necessary is to bring about a state of affairs in which there will be no lawsuits. Confucius
Note that Ritsema/Karcher's summation of the Judgment stands in stark disagreement with the general tenor of the figure: I have never received this hexagram when that interpretation has applied.
Line 1
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject not perpetuating the matter about which the contention is. She will suffer the small injury of being spoken against, but the end will be fortunate.
Wilhelm/Baynes: If one does not perpetuate the affair, there is a little gossip. In the end, good fortune comes.
Blofeld: Provided that affairs are not pressed through to the end and that as little as possible is said about them, they will end propitiously.
Liu: One does not continue the affair (conflict). Even if there is some gossip, good fortune in the end.
Ritsema/Karcher: Not a perpetual place, affairs. The small possesses words, completing significant.
Shaughnessy: Not permitting where it serves; there are a few words; in the end auspicious.
Cleary (1): One does not persist forever in an affair. There will be a little criticism, but it will turn out well.
Wu: Contention can never produce results. Although there are small talks about him, the outcome will be auspicious.
COMMENTARY
Confucius/Legge: Contention should not be prolonged. Although she may suffer the small injury of being spoken against, her argument is clear. Wilhelm/ Baynes: One must not prolong the conflict. The matter is finally decided clearly. Blofeld: This implies not dragging on a dispute. Though little should be said, its purport should be clear. Ritsema/Karcher: Arguing not permitting long-living indeed. Although the small possesses words, one's differentiation brightening indeed. Cleary (2): The explanation is clear. Wu: Clarification will bring about understanding.
Legge: Line one is magnetic at the bottom of the figure. She may suffer somewhat in the nascent strife, but will let it drop to good effect.
NOTES AND PARAPHRASES
Siu: At the outset, the man refrains from contention during the initial stages of strife. He suffers little. But he knows that he needs to walk together with his associates and cannot advance alone.
Wing: Your position is such that you must avoid any Conflict or terminate it quickly. Don't try to bring things to a decision or engage yourself in a dispute. You may feel a little victimized, but in the end all goes well.
Editor: This is a clear injunction to abandon the subject of contention or your line of questioning. The "gossip" sometimes refers to the inner clamoring of hurt pride or bruised ego.
As well loose a flood as initiate legal proceedings; break off before the dispute begins. Proverbs 17: 14
A. Drop the subject, or stop what you're doing.
B. Cease and desist -- don't allow the conflict to continue.
Line 4
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows its subject unequal to the contention. He returns to the study of Heaven's ordinances, changes his wish to contend, and rests in being firm and correct. There will be good fortune.
Wilhelm/Baynes: One cannot engage in conflict. One turns back and submits to fate, changes one's attitude, and finds peace in perseverance. Good fortune.
Blofeld: Since the conflict cannot be resolved, it is best to retreat and submit to heaven's will. Peaceful determination brings good fortune.
Liu: One cannot continue the conflict. Returning and changing one's attitude brings peace and good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Not succeeding at the lawsuit; returning and attending to the command, it changes to peace; determination is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Not pressing one’s contention, one abides by the decree of fate: Changing to rest in rectitude leads to good fortune.
Cleary (2): Contending unvictorious, return to destiny, change to rest in rectitude; then the outlook is good.
Wu: He is not to win the litigation. If his mind returns to reasoning and changes for the good, he will find comfort in being correct. It will be auspicious.
COMMENTARY
Confucius/Legge: He does not fail in doing what is right. Wilhelm/Baynes: Thus nothing is lost. Blofeld: Provided we submit to heaven's will, peaceful determination will enable us to win through. Ritsema/Karcher: Not letting-go indeed. Cleary (2): Means not getting lost. Wu: Because there will be no error.
Legge: Line four is dynamic in a magnetic place which is not central -- he has a mind to contend in a position from which he cannot hope to win. Above him is the strong ruler with whom it is hopeless to strive, and below him is his weak ally in the first place from whom no help can be expected. Hence he takes the course indicated, which leads to good fortune. The returning to the study of Heaven's ordinances and changing the wish to contend are not two things, but one. The ordinances are what is right in principle, and since the wish to contend was wrong in principle, it is now abandoned.
NOTES AND PARAPHRASES
Siu: The man thinks that belligerency toward his weaker opponents will succeed. But lacking righteousness, he fails in his endeavors. Returning from the path of strife to one of inner harmony with the eternal law, he finds peace and good fortune.
Wing: You might see where you could improve your position by engaging in Conflict with a weaker element. The fact is, though, that you cannot gain inner satisfaction from such strategies. Returning to a sense of dignity and inner worth coupled with an acceptance of your fate will bring you peace of mind and good fortune.
Editor: Psychologically interpreted, the image suggests a situation in which the ego is not yet ready to encounter certain forces involved in the Work. The lesson is to return to an attitude of receptivity to instruction: “Heaven's ordinances.”
It is proper for a man to overlook all the things of the world, for according to those who understand, everything is vain and empty and not worth taking vengeance for. Maimonides
A. Tame your impulse to act and learn from your restricted situation. "All things come to him who waits."
B. You can't do anything now, so don't even try.
Line 5
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows its subject contending -- and with great good fortune.
Wilhelm/Baynes: To contend before him brings supreme good fortune.
Blofeld: Conflict followed by supreme good fortune.
Liu: Conflict. To submit the conflict to a great man brings great good fortune.
Ritsema/Karcher: Arguing. Spring significant.
Shaughnessy: Lawsuit; prime auspiciousness.
Cleary (1): Contend; it will be very auspicious.
Wu: There is great fortune in Litigation.
COMMENTARY
Confucius/Legge: This is shown by his holding the due mean and being in the correct place. Wilhelm/Baynes: Because he is central and correct. Blofeld: This is indicated by the fitting position of the central line. Ritsema/Karcher: Using centering correcting indeed. Cleary (2): Contention is very auspicious when it is balanced and correct. Wu: Because of its central and correct position.
Legge: Line five has every circumstance in his favor.
NOTES AND PARAPHRASES
Siu: The man acts in moderation. By being in the right place he is on the road to good fortune. A just and powerful arbiter may be invited to mediate. Circumstances are in his favor.
Wing: Bring your Conflict before a powerful and just authority. If you are in the right, the situation will end in good fortune and success.
Editor: Because this is the ruler of the hexagram, it is portrayed as a wise judge who settles the matter of contention justly. If it is the only changing line, the new hexagram becomes number 64, Unfinished Business, with its corresponding line depicting a moral victory. One sometimes receives this figure in situations involving third-party arbitration.
If he attains the virtue of the long sword, one man can beat ten men. Just as one man can beat ten, so a hundred can beat a thousand, and a thousand can beat ten thousand. Miyamoto Musashi -- A Book of Five Rings
A. An affirmation or victory of some sort is indicated.
B. Your argument is persuasive.
C. Seek wise counsel.
Line 6
Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows how its subject may have the leather belt conferred on him by the sovereign, and thrice it shall be taken from him in a morning.
Wilhelm/Baynes: Even if by chance a leather belt is bestowed on one, by the end of a morning it will have been snatched away three times.
Blofeld: If a girdle of honor were bestowed upon him, he would be forced to strip it off thrice within one day.
Liu: Even if he receives an ornamental belt, it will be snatched away three times in one morning.
Ritsema/Karcher: Maybe bestowing's pouched belt. Completing dawn three-times depriving it.
Shaughnessy: Someone awards him a leather belt, by the end of the morning thrice strips it.
Cleary (1): Even if one is given a badge of honor, it will be taken away thrice before the day is out.
Wu: He may have been presented with a leather belt. He flaunts it three times in one day.
COMMENTARY
Confucius/Legge: He receives a reward through his contention, but still he is not deserving of respect. Wilhelm/Baynes: To attain distinction through conflict is, after all, nothing to command respect. Blofeld: Garments of honor obtained through strife do little credit to the wearer. [Note: In divination, garments of honor may be taken to symbolize any of the prizes obtained through a successful dispute.] Ritsema/Karcher: Using Arguing acquiesces-in submitting. Truly not standing respectfully indeed. Cleary (2): Not worthy of honor. Wu: Nothing worthy of respect.
Legge: Line six is dynamic and able to contend successfully, but is there to be no end of striving? Persistence in it is sure to end in defeat and disgrace. The contender here might receive a reward from the king for his success, but if he received it thrice in a morning, thrice it would be taken away from him again.
NOTES AND PARAPHRASES
Siu: The man gains repeated rewards from exhaustive conflicts. But the happiness does not last. The respect is undeserved, and the attacks continue without end.
Wing: If you engage now in forceful Conflict, it is possible you will emerge victorious. However, you will have created a situation of unending contest. Again and again, your position will be challenged. Such triumphs are ultimately meaningless.
Editor: This images a situation in which one may win the battle but lose the war -- a meaningless victory. The line is sometimes received when you are importuning the oracle for information it will not divulge: saying, in effect, "Even if your question were answered, you wouldn't be able to understand it."
For everyone fights for his own falsity and calls it truth ... These, because they can receive nothing of light from heaven, and can therefore inwardly see nothing within themselves, are for the most part ... such as believe nothing but what they see with their eyes and touch with their hands. Hence all the fallacies of the senses to them are truths; and it is from these that they dispute. Swedenborg -- Heaven and Hell
A. An illusory gain is a net loss. It's impossible to win in a no-win situation.
B. You would rather be right than charitable.
C. You are trying too hard -- stop now.
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.)