Noodling with I Ching
Oct. 29th, 2022 08:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
degringolade
New Culture Movement (1915-1926) / Fu Baoshi/ Heaven and Earth Glow Red
Chill morning. Finished off a cup of coffee. Cast the coins for the I Ching to see what is the word for the day.
Cast Hexagram 11. Moving line on the top.
Looks pretty good until I get to the commentary on the moving line. Like all things in the I Ching, the way of thinking is cyclic. The moving line on the top is telling us that we have reached one end of the pendulum swing and now it is looking like the swing is starting back.
Now, I am of the opinion that the I CHing and the Tao Te Ching are related. When you cast Hexagram 11, it would behoove you to read Chapter 18 of Lao Tse. I use two translations Legge and LeGuin (I don’t know if you can call LeGuin a “Translation”, but she does seem to get to the nut of the chapter well.
Le Guin
Second bests
In the degradation of the great way
come benevolence and righteousness.
With the exaltation of learning and prudence
comes immense hypocrisy.
The disordered family
is full of dutiful children and parents.
The disordered society
is full of loyal patriots.
Legge
When the Great Tao ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. Then appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy.
When harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared.
I'll Ponder this some more
Date: 2022-10-31 02:58 pm (UTC)First blush, my take on the chapter is the progression of going from minding your own damn business to sticking your nose into other peoples business and then rationalizing the process to make you look like the good guy.
I will ponder this some more today and maybe write a piece on this as I sip my coffee and think about today's cast. (44)