The I Ching or Book of Changes (76 page)

2. K’un / The Receptive

The ruler of the hexagram is the six in the second place. K’un, THE RECEPTIVE, represents the nature of the earth; the number two symbolizes the earth. Furthermore, THE RECEPTIVE demonstrates the nature of the man who serves, and the second place is his station. In addition, this line expresses perfectly the fourfold character of the Receptive: it is yielding, devoted, moderate (i.e., central), and correct (i.e., yielding in a yielding place). For this reason, it is the ruler of the hexagram.
The statements made in the Judgment all refer to the nature of an official: “If he tries to lead, he goes astray; but if he follows, he finds guidance. It is favorable to find friends in the west and south, to forego friends in the east and north.”

This hexagram is linked with the tenth month (November–December), when the dark power in nature brings an end to the year.

Miscellaneous Notes

THE RECEPTIVE is yielding.

THE JUDGMENT

THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,

Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.

If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,

He goes astray;

But if he follows, he finds guidance.

It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,

To forego friends in the east and north.

Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

Commentary on the Decision

Perfect indeed is the sublimity of the Receptive. All beings owe their birth to it, because it receives the heavenly with devotion.

This is the explanation of the word “sublime” in the Judgment. The greatness of the Receptive is characterized as perfect. That which attains the ideal is perfect. This means that the Receptive is dependent on the Creative. While the Creative is the generating principle, to which all beings owe their beginning, because the soul comes from it, the Receptive is that which brings to birth, that which takes the seed of the heavenly into itself and gives to beings their bodily form.

The Receptive in its riches carries all things. Its nature is in harmony with the boundless. It
embraces everything in its breadth and illumines everything in its greatness. Through it, all individual beings attain success.

This is the explanation of the word “success” in the Judgment. Here also there is the contrasting complement to the Creative. While the Creative shields things—that is, covers them from above—the Receptive carries them, like a foundation that endures forever. Infinite accord with the Creative is its essence. This produces its success. The movement of the Creative is a direct forward movement, and its resting state is standstill; the movement of the Receptive is an opening out, and in its resting state it is closed. In the resting, closed state, it embraces all things as though in a vast womb. In the state of movement, of opening, it allows the divine light to enter, and by means of this light illuminates everything. This is the source of its success, which shows itself in the success of living beings. While the success of the Creative lies in the fact that individual beings receive their specific forms, the success of the Receptive causes them to thrive and unfold.

A mare belongs to the creatures of the earth; she roams the earth without bound. Yielding, devoted, furthering through perseverance: thus the superior man has a direction for his way of life.

While the Creative is symbolized by the dragon flying in the heavens, the Receptive is symbolized by the mare (combining strength and devotion) coursing over the earth. Being yielding and devoted must not exclude strength, for strength is necessary to the Receptive if it is to be the helper of the Creative. This strength is expressed in the words, “furthering through perseverance,” appearing in the commentary as the model for the way of life of the superior man. (The punctuation of the commentary deviates from that of the Judgment. Because of the rhyme, the commentary requires the literal translation, “Furthering through perseverance. Thus the superior man has somewhere to go.” In the Judgment, on the other hand, most interpreters make the last words a dependent clause
linked with what follows, and the sentence reads: “If the superior man undertakes something … he goes astray.”
¹
)

Taking the lead brings confusion because one loses his way. Following with devotion—thus does one attain his permanent place.

In the west and south one finds friends, so that he proceeds with people of his own kind. In the east and north one must do without friends, so that he finally attains good fortune.

If the Receptive were to push ahead on its own initiative, it would deviate from its natural character and miss the way. By submitting to and following the Creative, it attains its appropriate permanent place.

The west and south, according to King Wên’s arrangement, are the region in which the feminine trigrams are placed. Here K’un is in the midst of the daughters. But the masculine trigrams (Ch’ien and the sons) are in the east and north, so that the Receptive in this region is alone. But the very fact that it is alone with the Creative is to its advantage. Thus the earth must be alone with heaven, the official must serve only the ruler, the wife must cleave only to the husband.

The good fortune of rest and perseverance depends on our being in accord with the boundless nature of the earth.

The earth is still. It does not act of itself but is constantly receptive to the influences of heaven. Thus its life becomes inexhaustible and eternal. Man likewise attains eternity if he does not strive vaingloriously to achieve everything of his own strength but quietly keeps himself receptive to the impulses flowing to him from the creative forces.

THE IMAGE

The earth’s condition is receptive devotion.

Thus the superior man who has breadth of character

Carries the outer world.

Heaven moves with power; therefore it is said of it that “it moves.” The earth completes within the form; hence, in reference to it, one says “condition.” Earth is doubled, indicating massiveness, which is necessary in order that it may dedicate itself without forfeiting its nature. Thus man too must possess inner strength, weight of character, and breadth of view, that he may endure the world without being swayed by it.

THE LINES

Six at the beginning:

a
) When there is hoarfrost underfoot, solid ice is not far off.

b
) “When there is hoarfrost underfoot, solid ice is not far off.” When the dark power begins to grow rigid and continues in this way, things reach the point of solid ice.
²

The first line contains a warning not to minimize the beginnings of evil, because, left to itself, evil increases as inevitably as the ice of winter follows on the hoarfrost of autumn.

Six in the second place:

a
) Straight, square, great. Without purpose, yet nothing remains unfurthered

b
) The movement of the six in the second place
³
is straight and, because of this, square.

“Without purpose, yet nothing remains unfurthered”: for in the nature of the earth lies the light.

Because the Receptive in its movements adapts itself to the Creative, these movements come to be exactly as they should be. Thus the earth brings forth all beings, each in its own kind, according to the will of the Creator. Square, firm, refers to unchangingness. Each kind of living being has a fixed law of existence, according to which it develops in a way that is unchanging. In this lies the greatness of the earth.

For this very reason the earth has no need of a purpose. Everything becomes spontaneously what it should rightly be, for in the law of heaven life has an inner light that it must involuntarily obey.

Six in the third place:

a
) Hidden lines. One is able to remain persevering.

If by chance you are in the service of a king,

Seek not works, but bring to completion.

b
) “Hidden lines. One is able to remain persevering.” One must let them shine forth at the right time.

“If by chance you are in the service of a king….“
⁴
This shows that the light of wisdom is great.

To hide beauty does not mean to be inactive; it means only that beauty must not be displayed at the wrong time. When the right time arrives, one must reveal oneself. If one does not boast of one’s merits, but sees to it that everything is carried out, it is a sign of great wisdom.

Six in the fourth place:

a
) A tied-up sack. No blame, no praise.

b
) “A tied-up sack. No blame.” Through caution one remains free of harm.

Here there is a yin line in a yin place; that is, the yin power is on the increase, therefore the contraction is as powerful as in the case of a tied-up sack. This naturally brings about a certain isolation, but it frees one of obligations.

Six in the fifth place:

a
) A yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune.

b
) “A yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune.” Beauty is within.

This line resembles in position the six in the third place. Here also the strength inherent in the place is neutralized by the character of the line—hence, in both cases, hidden beauty.

Six at the top:

a
) Dragons fight in the meadow.

Their blood is black and yellow.

b
) “Dragons fight in the meadow.” The way comes to an end.

The six at the top tries to hold firm, although the situation of darkness is already at an end. At this moment the dark principle advances out of the realm of the morally indifferent and becomes positively evil. There ensues a battle with the light-giving primal power coming from without to oppose the darkness, in which both elements suffer harm.

When all the lines are sixes:

a
) Lasting perseverance furthers.

b
) “Lasting perseverance”: it ends in great things.

The sixes change into their opposites; they become light or great lines.

Commentary on the Words of the Text

In contrast to the considerable number of commentaries on THE CREATIVE comprised in the
Wên Yen
, there is only one on THE RECEPTIVE.

On the Hexagram as a Whole

The Receptive is altogether yielding, yet firm in its movement. It is altogether still, yet in its nature square.

The mare is yielding, yet strong. So likewise is the Receptive, for only in this way can it be the peer of the Creative. It is altogether still within, because wholly dependent, yet it is bound immutably to definite laws in its manifestations—the bringing to birth of the different species. “Firm in movement” is the explanation of the text words “sublime success.” “Still, yet square” is the explanation of the text words “perseverance furthers.”