The two things
in the world that are hardest
to do are crossing the ocean and going
into battle; yet people will do these things without
fearing their difficulties. When it comes to the Way, it has
the ease of being so easy that it is attained upon looking
within, not like the danger of crossing the ocean;
it has the security of the naturalness of
celestial design, not like the peril of
going into battle: yet people
rarely practice it —
why is that?
Once
you’ve begun
to understand the Way,
concentrate upon it without
pause. This is the sunlight
that matures the fruit of
your realization.
Maintaining
your insight through
whatever comes, you make
a Oneness of the world, and
conditions such as “good”
and “bad” drop
away.
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Entering through practice
refers to the Four Practices — all other
practices are contained within these. What are
the Four Practices? First, the practice of repaying wrongs.
Second, the practice of going along with the causal
nexus. Third, the practice of not seeking
anything. Fourth, the practice of
according with the
Dharma.
What is the practice
of repaying wrongs? When receiving
suffering, a practitioner who cultivates the Path
should think to himself: “During countless ages past
I have abandoned the root and pursued the branches, flowing
into the various states of being, and giving rise to much rancor and
hatred — the transgression, the harm done, has been limitless.
Though I do not transgress now, this suffering is a disaster
left over from former lives — the results of evil deeds
have ripened. This suffering is not something
given by gods or humans.”
You should willingly
endure the suffering without anger
or complaint. The sutra says: “Encountering
suffering, one is not concerned. Why? Because one
is conscious of the basic root.” When this attitude toward
suffering is born, you are in accord with inner truth,
and even as you experience wrongs, you advance
on the Path. Thus it is called “the practice
of repaying wrongs.”
Records of the Teachers and Students of the Lanka
A challenge to improvement:
that which has been spoiled through neglect
can be rejuvenated through effort.
Receiving this hexagram is a sign that there is a defect in the attitude of oneself, another, or one’s society that should be corrected. Your task now is to bring conscientious thought and action to an area where stagnation has set in. Perhaps you engage in continual doubt about the wisdom of behaving according to proper principles. Perhaps you indulge in greed, or vengeful thinking, or a harsh manner. In any case, the time has come to root out the decay.
The I Ching counsels us to work energetically at this task, but only after proper deliberation. We are advised to spend three full days in understanding the defect; another day in resolving sincerely to remove it; and then three more days watching carefully to insure that it does not return. This steady application of attention to the matter is the wind that carries away stagnation and brings new life in its place.
It is likely that the problem is an old one, and equally likely that no solution will be immediately evident. We are cautioned not to abandon the cause; only perseverance will reveal the great reward that is concealed within the problem.
Whether the fault lies in yourself, another, or your community, the requirement is the same. Watch closely while remaining quiet, innocent, and sincere. After you have clearly identified the problem, act unswervingly to eliminate it without abandoning gentleness and inner balance in the process. When this course is completed, good fortune will be met.
SIXTH CHANGING LINE
A withdrawal from
the affairs of the world is appropriate
if you use this time not to condemn, but to further
your own development. By improving
yourself you improve
the world.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 18, Ku / Decay (Work On What Has Been Spoiled)
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