HEXAGRAM 40 – Hsieh – Deliverance

HEXAGRAM 40 – Hsieh – Deliverance

Above    CHEN    THE AROUSING, THUNDER

Below    K’AN    THE ABYSMAL, WATER

Here the movement goes out of the sphere of danger.

• The obstacle has been removed,
  
• the difficulties are being resolved.
  
• Deliverance is not yet achieved;
  
• it is just in its beginning, and
  
• the hexagram represents its various stages.
  

THE JUDGMENT

DELIVERANCE.

The southwest furthers.

• If there is no longer anything where one has to go,
  
  • Return brings good fortune.
    
• If there is still something where one has to go,
  
  • Hastening brings good fortune.
    

This refers to a time in which tensions and complications begin to be eased.

At such times

we ought to make our way back to ordinary conditions as soon as possible;

this is the meaning of “the southwest.”

These periods of sudden change have great importance.

Just as

rain relieves atmospheric tension, making all the buds burst open,

so

a time of deliverance from burdensome pressure has a

• liberating and
  
• stimulating
  

effect on life.

One thing is important, however: in such times

we must not overdo our triumph.

The point is not to push on farther than is necessary.

Returning to the regular order of life

as soon as deliverance is achieved

brings good fortune.

If there are any residual matters that ought to be attended to,

it should be done as quickly as possible,

so that

• a clean sweep is made and
  
• no retardation occur.
  

THE IMAGE

Thunder and rain set in: The image of DELIVERANCE.

Thus the superior man

• pardons mistakes And
  
• forgives misdeeds.
  

• A thunderstorm has the effect of clearing the air;
  
• the superior man produces a similar effect
  

  when dealing with mistakes and sins of men
  

  that induce a condition of tension.
  

Through clarity he brings deliverance.

However,

when failings come to light,

he does not dwell on them;

• he simply passes over mistakes, the unintentional transgressions,
  
  • just as thunder dies away.
    
• He forgives misdeeds, the intentional transgressions,
  
  • just as water washes everything clean.
    

THE LINES

Six at the beginning means:

Without blame.

In keeping with the situation, few words are needed.

• The hindrance is past,
  
• deliverance has come.
  

One

• recuperates in peace and
  
• keeps still.
  

This is the right thing to do in times

when difficulties have been overcome.

0 Nine in the second place means:

One

kills three foxes in the field And

receives a yellow arrow.

Perseverance brings good fortune.

The image is taken from the hunt.

The hunter

• catches three cunning foxes and
  
• receives a yellow arrow as a reward.
  

The obstacles in public life are

• the designing foxes who try to influence the ruler through flattery.
  

They

• must be removed before there can be any deliverance.
  

But the struggle must not be carried on with the wrong weapons.

• The yellow color
  
  • points to measure and mean in proceeding against the enemy;
    
• the arrow
  
  • signifies the straight course.
    

If

• one devotes himself wholeheartedly to the task of deliverance,
  
• he develops so much inner strength from his rectitude
  

  that it acts as a weapon against all that is false and low.
  

Six in the third place means:

If a man

• carries a burden on his back And
  
• nonetheless rides in a carriage,
  

He thereby encourages robbers to draw near.

Perseverance leads to humiliation.

This refers to a man who has

• come out of needy circumstances into comfort and
  
• freedom from want.
  

If now, in the manner of an upstart,

• he tries to take his ease in comfortable surroundings
  

  that do not suit his nature,
  

  • he thereby attracts robbers.
    

If

• he goes on thus
  
  • he is sure to bring disgrace upon himself.
    

Confucius says about this line:

Carrying a burden on the back is the business of a common man;

a carriage is the appurtenance of a man of rank.

Now,

when a common man uses the appurtenance of a man of rank,

robbers plot to take it away from him.

If a man is

• insolent toward those above him and
  
• hard toward those below him,
  

robbers plot to attack him.

• Carelessness in guarding things
  
  • tempts thieves to steal.
    
• Sumptuous ornaments worn by a maiden
  
  • are an enticement to rob her of her virtue.
    

Nine in the fourth place means:

Deliver yourself from your great toe.

Then

• the companion comes, And
  
• him you can trust.
  

In times of standstill it will happen that

• inferior people attach themselves to a superior man, and
  

  through force of daily habit
  

• they
  
  • may grow very close to him and
    
  • become indispensable,
    

just as

the big toe is indispensable to the foot because

it makes walking easier.

But when the time of deliverance draws near, with its call to deeds,

a man must free himself from such chance acquaintances with whom

he has no inner connection.

For otherwise

the friends who share his views,

• on whom he could really rely and
  
• together with whom he could accomplish something,
  

mistrust him and stay away.

0 Six in the fifth place means:

If only the superior man can deliver himself,

It brings good fortune.

Thus

he proves to inferior men that he is in earnest.

Times of deliverance demand inner resolve.

Inferior people cannot be driven off by

• prohibitions or
  
• any external means.
  

If one desires to be rid of them,

he must first break completely with them in his own mind;

they

• will see for themselves that he is in earnest and
  
• will withdraw.
  

Six at the top means:

The prince shoots at a hawk on a high wall.

He kills it.

Everything serves to further.

The hawk on a high wall is the symbol of

a powerful inferior in a high position who is hindering the deliverance.

He withstands the force of inner influences,

because he is hardened in his wickedness.

He must be forcibly removed, and

this requires appropriate means.

Confucius says about this line:

The hawk is the object of the hunt;

bow and arrow are the tools and means.

The marksman is man (who must make proper use of the means to his end). The superior man contains the means of his own person.

He bides his time and then acts.

Why then should not everything go well?

He acts and is free.

Therefore

• all he has to do is to go forth, and
  
• he takes his quarry.
  

This is how a man fares who acts after he has made ready the means.

Comments

comments