K'an — The Abysmal (Water)
K'an — The Abysmal (Water)
(114)
The Judgement
The Abysmal repeated.
If you are sincere, you have success in your heart,
And whatever you do succeeds.
The Image
Water flows on uninterruptedly and reaches its goal:
The image of the Abysmal repeated.
Thus the superior man walks in lasting virtue
And carries on the business of teaching.
The Lines
Six at the beginning means:
Repetition of the Abysmal.
In the abyss one falls into a pit.
Misfortune.
Six in the second place means:
The abyss is dangerous.
One should strive to attain small things only.
Six in the third place means:
Forward and backward, abyss on abyss.
In danger like this, pause at first and wait,
Otherwise you will fall into a pit in the abyss.
Do not act in this way.
Six in the fourth place means:
A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it;
Earthen vessels
Simply handed in through the window.
There is certainly no blame in this.
Six in the fifth place means:
The abyss is not filled to overflowing,
It is filled only to the rim.
No blame.
Six at the top means:
Bound with cords and ropes,
Shut in between thorn-hegded prison walls:
For three years one does not find the way.
Misfortune.
(Note: the numbers in parentheses below the title of each hexagram refer to the page in the Wilhelm/Baynes 1968 Third Edition of I Ching or book of changes where additional commentary on the individual hexagram can be found.)
