Cast 09/09/18, Six at 4, Nine @ 6
26. Ta Ch’u / The Taming Power of the Great
The Creative is tamed by Kên, Keeping Still. This produces great power, a situation in contrast to that of the ninth hexagram, Hsiao Ch’u, THE TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL, in which the Creative is tamed by the Gentle alone. There one weak line must tame five strong lines, but here four strong lines are restrained by two weak lines; in addition to a minister, there2 is a prince, and the restraining power therefore is far stronger.
The hexagram has a threefold meaning, expressing different aspects of the concept “holding firm.” Heaven within the mountain gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding together; the trigram Kên, which holds the trigram Ch’ien still, gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding back; the third idea is that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and nourishing. This last is suggested by the fact that a strong line at the top, which is the ruler of the hexagram, is honored and tended as a sage. The third of these meanings also attaches specifically to this strong line at the top, which represents the sage.
THE JUDGMENT
THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Perseverance furthers.
Not eating at home brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
To hold firmly to great creative powers and store them up, as set forth in this hexagram, there is need of a strong, clearheaded man who is honored by the ruler. The trigram Ch’ien points to strong creative power; Kên indicates firmness and truth. Both point to light and clarity and to the daily renewal of character. Only through such daily self-renewal can a man continue at the height of his powers. Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honored, as in the case of the strong personality entrusted with leadership by the ruler, it is an advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one’s bread by entering upon public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great water, succeed.
THE IMAGE
Heaven within the mountain:
The image of THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity and many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his character thereby.
Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and deeds of the past there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.
THE LINES
Nine at the beginning means:
Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.
A man wishes to make vigorous advance, but circumstances present an obstacle. He sees himself held back firmly. If he should attempt to force an advance, it would lead him into misfortune. Therefore it is better for him to compose himself and to wait until an outlet is offered for release of his stored-up energies.
Nine in the second place means:
The axletrees are taken from the wagon.
Here advance is checked just as in the third line of THE TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL (9). However, in the latter the restraining force is slight; thus a conflict arises between the propulsive and the restraining movement, as a result of which the spokes fall out of the wagon wheels, while here the restraining force is absolutely superior; hence no struggle takes place. One submits and removes the axletrees from the wagon—in other words, contents himself with waiting. In this way energy accumulates for a vigorous advance later on.
Nine in the third place means:
A good horse that follows others.
Awareness of danger,
With perseverance, furthers.
Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
The way opens; the hindrance has been cleared away. A man is in contact with a strong will acting in the same direction as his own, and goes forward like one good horse following another. But danger still threatens, and he must remain aware of it, or he will be robbed of his firmness. Thus he must acquire skill on the one hand in what will take him forward, and on the other in what will protect him against unforeseen attacks. It is good in such a pass to have a goal toward which to strive.
Six in the fourth place means:
The headboard of a young bull.
Great good fortune.
This line and the one following it are the two that tame the forward-pushing lower lines. Before a bull’s horns grow out, a headboard is fastened to its forehead, so that later when the horns appear they cannot do harm. A good way to restrain wild force is to forestall it. By so doing one achieves an easy and a great success.
Six in the fifth place means:
The tusk of a gelded boar.
Good fortune.
Here the restraining of the impetuous forward drive is achieved in an indirect way. A boar’s tusk is in itself dangerous, but if the boar’s nature is altered, the tusk is no longer a menace. Thus also where men are concerned, wild force should not be combated directly; instead, its roots should be eradicated.
Nine at the top means:
One attains the way of heaven. Success.
The time of obstruction is past. The energy long dammed up by inhibition forces its way out and achieves great success. This refers to a man who is honored by the ruler and whose principles now prevail and shape the world.
Alternate Means
The rulers of the hexagram are the six in the fifth place and the nine at the top. These are the lines referred to when it is said in the Commentary on the Decision: “The firm ascends and honors the worthy.”
The Sequence
When innocence is present, it is possible to tame. Hence there follows THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Holding fast to heavenly virtue is the prerequisite for innocence. On the other hand, innocence is the indispensable condition for being able to hold fast to pristine heavenly virtue.
Miscellaneous Notes
THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT depends on the time.
The movements of the two trigrams are toward each other. The Creative below presses powerfully upward, and Keeping Still above holds it fast. The nuclear trigrams Chên and Tui also have a tendency to rise, the upper more so than the lower. These are the latent forces that are intensified by the holding fast. The two weak lines occupying the ruler’s and the minister’s place restrain the strong lines below, while showing recognition and liberality toward the strong line above. This hexagram is the inverse of the preceding one.
THE JUDGMENT
THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Perseverance furthers.
Not eating at home brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
Commentary on the Decision
THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT. Firmness and strength. Genuineness and truth. Brilliance and light. Daily he renews his virtue.
The firm ascends and honors the worthy. He is able to keep strength still; this is great correctness.
“Not eating at home brings good fortune,” for people of worth are nourished.
“It furthers one to cross the great water,” because one finds correspondence in heaven.
The upper trigram Kên is firm, the lower, Ch’ien, is strong; the upper is genuine, the lower is true: the upper is brilliant, the lower light. Thus the two trigrams complement each other. Through keeping still (Kên), the powers of character (Ch’ien) are so strengthened that a daily renewal takes place. This refers to the effect of the personality. Here the first meaning of the hexagram is given—keeping still and collecting oneself,
The firm element that ascends is the nine at the top. It, mounts above the six in the fifth place—the place of the ruler—and this ruler honors it in its ascent because it is worthy. The upper trigram Kên, Keeping Still, is able to hold fast the lower, Ch’ien, the strong. This explains the words of the Judgment: “Perseverance furthers.” Here we have the second meaning of the hexagram—holding fast and keeping still.
Not eating at home, that is, entering public service, brings good fortune, because the six in the fifth place represents a ruler who nourishes people of worth. This gives the third meaning—holding fast and nourishing.
“It furthers one to cross the great water.” This idea is suggested by the two nuclear trigrams—Chên, which also means wood, over Tui, lake. This dangerous action is possible because the ruler of the hexagram, the six in the fifth place, is in the relationship of correspondence to the nine in the second place, the central line of the lower trigram, heaven (Ch’ien).
THE IMAGE
Heaven within the mountain:
The image of THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity
And many deeds of the past,
In order to strengthen his character thereby.
Heaven (Ch’ien) points to character, virtue. Strengthening is suggested by the mountain (Kên). The means to this strengthening of character are hidden in the nuclear trigrams: the lower, Tui, mouth, suggests words; the upper, Chên, movement, suggests deeds.
THE LINES
Nine at the beginning:
a) Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.
b) “Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.” Thus one does not expose oneself to danger.
This strong line, which is in its proper place, would like to advance. But it is in the relationship of correspondence to the six in the fourth place, which is one of the two obstructing lines. This indicates danger that would hold it back if it should try to advance; but since the line is still just at the beginning, it allows itself to be held back and so escapes the danger.
Nine in the second place:
a) The axletrees are taken from the wagon.
b) “The axletrees are taken from the wagon.” In the middle there is no blame.
Ch’ien is round, hence the image of the wheel. Tui, the nuclear trigram, indicates breaking. The nine in the second place is central, hence able to control itself. It is held back by the six in the fifth place, to which it is related.
Nine in the third place:
a) A good horse that follows others.
Awareness of danger,
With perseverance, furthers.
Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
b) “It furthers one to have somewhere to go.” The will of the one above is in agreement.
Ch’ien is a good horse; the nuclear trigram Chên, in which this is the beginning line, is movement, hence advance. This line stands in the relationship of congruity to the nine at the top, hence the agreement in will between them. But the fourth and the fifth line still create separation and danger, which must be borne in mind. The chariot is suggested by the trigram Ch’ien, the weapons by the nuclear trigram Tui, meaning metal and breaking.
Six in the fourth place:
a) The headboard of a young bull.
Great good fortune.
b) The great good fortune of the six in the fourth place consists in the fact that it has joy.
This line constitutes the horns of the nuclear trigram Tui, which to be sure means sheep and not horned cattle. The line easily restrains the nine at the beginning before it has begun to be dangerous, hence the joy.
Six in the fifth place:
a) The tusk of a gelded boar.
Good fortune.
b) The good fortune of the six in the fifth place consists in the fact that it has blessing.
Another interpretation reads: “The tethering post of a young pig.” The meaning is doubtless that of an indirect check before the danger grows formidable. An old commentary connects the pig of this line, as well as the bull of the preceding line, with sacrificial rites, hence the good fortune and the blessing. In any case, the blessing comes from the relationship of this line to the middle line of the lower trigram, heaven.
Nine at the top:
a) One attains the way of heaven. Success.
b) “One attains the way of heaven.” Truth works in the great.
The top line is honored as a sage by the six in the fifth place. It stands in the relationship of congruity to the nine in the third place, which is, however, the top line of the trigram Ch’ien, heaven. The upper trigram Kên means a way.
NOTE.
In this hexagram, the relationships between the yin and the yang lines are not those of correspondence and furtherance, but, in accordance with the character of the hexagram, those of obstruction. The lines of the lower trigram are obstructed, those of the upper trigram are the obstructors. Only the third and the top line, which, as two yang lines, are in harmony, are free of the idea of obstruction.
The persons represented by the first two lines are still eating at home and still obstructed in crossing the great water. The fourth and fifth lines operate by obstructing the two misbehaving lines—this is easy for the one, more difficult for the other. The third line advances, though with caution and under difficulties. The top line alone has a clear path ahead, and the obstacles disappear. It stands for the person of worth who can achieve great things and who is nourished.
Associated Tao Te Ching
33
Knowing other people is intelligence,
knowing yourself is wisdom.
Overcoming others takes strength,
overcoming yourself takes greatness.
Contentment is wealth.
Boldly pushing forward takes resolution.
Staying put keeps you in position.
To live till you die
is to live long enough.
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