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Above; Dangerous
deep water
Below; Dangerous deep water
This is one of
only 8 trigrams in which the trigram is doubled. In
each trigram a strong yang line has plunged into the
deep between two yin lines and is closed in by them,
as deep water lies in a ravine. This trigram represents
the soul of man enclosed within the body. It represents
light of human reason locked up in the dark of animal
instinct.
Abyss upon abyss,
danger upon danger. But if you are sincere there is
success locked up within you. Whatever you undertake
will be successful.
There is grave
danger, but, as water flows without flooding over,
so a man can cross an abyss without loss of confidence.
Employing his reason he will succeed, and setting
his eye upon a goal to be attained he will win respect
and achieve results.
The dangers sent from heaven none can escape. But
earthly dangers are but mountains, rivers, hills,
and precipices. So too, are the ominous means that
are employed by kings and princes to protect their
realms, both from without and within.
The water flows
ever on and so reaches its destination. The image
of the abyss upon the abyss. So the Superior Man walks
in eternal virtue, instructing others in the conduct
of affairs.
Line 1
Abyss upon abyss.
He falls into the depths. Misfortune.
Growing accustomed
to danger, a man can become hardened to it and his
familiarity may turn to evil ways. He is bound to
be caught and misfortune is the natural result of
his error.
Line 2
The abyss is dangerous
and deep. Taking small steps he only slowly climbs
out.
Beset with dangers,
one cannot quickly overcome them. It is best first
to become accustomed to the situation and then, by
gradual means, to overcome it. A spring at first flows
slowly, moving forward gathering its strength until
it flows out into the open.
Line 3
Forward and backward,
the abyss beneath abyss. He falls deeper into the
pit unable to help himself.
Any attempt to
escape from the danger only increases it. Escape is
impossible. Wasting one’s energy on fruitless
attempts, one finds oneself in greater danger.
Line 4
A flagon of wine
and with it a bowl of rice handed in through a hole
in the rock. There is certainly no blame.
Help is at hand,
but although the fault is not one’s own, very
little can be done about it. The available relief
is rough and ready, for this is not the time to stand
on ceremony.
Line 5
The water does
not overflow the abyss, rising only to the rim. There
is no blame.
The way out of
danger is to follow the line of least resistance.
The way out of danger is to flow as the water flows
away out of the ravine. In normal times a man might
give thought to what he was doing, carefully considering
every step. In great danger it is enough to escape
from it by any means.
Line 6
Bound with black
ropes. Hedged in by thorns. For three years he cannot
find the way. Great misfortune.
Here is a man so
hemmed in by danger that he cannot find a way out
of it. But although his perilous situation will persist,
it is finite and he can plan for his eventual release.
© 1979 Neil
Powell
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