
The wise heathen
have no knowledge; they just
keep their mind continually set on the Way.
There are no big shot Buddhas in nature,
and ten thousand sutras are distilled
in a single song.

The wise heathen
have no knowledge; they just
keep their mind continually set on the Way.
There are no big shot Buddhas in nature,
and ten thousand sutras are distilled
in a single song.

In the
very center of each
of us there dwells an innocent
and divine spirit. If we allow ourselves to
be guided by it in every situation, we can never
go wrong. Wu Wang comes to remind us that
we must actively disengage our egos
before we can obtain the vast
rewards that come from
living in a state of
innocence.
The nature
of the ego is that when
we exercise it, it takes us out
of the present. When we engage in
ambitions, anxieties, or anticipations,
our ego is skipping ahead, and we miss the
guidance of the Creative in the present moment.
When we engage in anger, judgment, and condemnation —
whether toward ourselves or others — our ego is looking
backward, and we cannot see the Sage’s clear solution
to the present situation. In either case, the result is
misfortune. Only by stilling the ego and accepting
life in its entirety can we become innocent.
In this state we are receptive to the
help of the Higher Power and
can meet with good fortune
wherever we go.
You are
advised now to stop
looking forward and backward,
to abandon your ambitions, to disengage
from judgments and critical thinking. If a thought,
attitude, or action is not in accord with the principles of
acceptance, equanimity, humility, and gentleness,
do not indulge in it. The I Ching encourages you
to actively practice innocence. Because
the ego is strong, you must make a
conscious and conscientious
effort to be innocent.
If you
willfully unstructure
your attitude, open your heart
to the Deity, and allow yourself to be
guided by that which is innocent
and pure, you will meet with
success in the coming
time.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 25, Wu Wang / Innocence (The Unexpected)
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There is an obstacle
to the expression of truth.
allows the Sage to
moderate.
Unity has been broken by one who is not being true to proper principles. This may be another, or an element in one’s own personality, or both. In any case, serious misfortune may result if the appropriate response is not made. The I Ching is very clear about what our proper action is when confronted with an obstacle of this nature: withdrawal into contemplation and a turning over of the matter to the Higher Power for resolution.
This is a time when aggressive action or intervention can only compound the misfortune. Use your strength to clearly separate yourself from incorrectness and realign yourself with the Sage. It is always our responsibility to acknowledge where something has gone wrong, but never our right to punish. The administration of justice is the sole province of the Deity.
The I Ching teaches us to forgive but not to forget. This does not mean one who reveals himself as inferior today should be regarded as such tomorrow. It means that we are wise to pay conscientious attention to the waxing and waning of truth in oneself and others. When truth predominates, we can progress. When it is eclipsed, we are obligated to withdraw and surrender the matter to the Sage.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 21, Shih Ho / Biting Through
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If once you can
go through the Cloud-pass,
Then South, North, East, West,
you can go freely in any direction.
Resting at night, travelling by day,
all subject or object forgotten.
Wherever you plant your foot,
there is purity and coolness.
Go through the Cloud pass and
there is no more the old road.
The sky is blue and the sun bright,
the mountains are your home.
The wheel of the world turning and changing,
hard for men to attain truth!
But he who moves through it with folded hands,
is noble ~ a golden dragon indeed.

jacob wrestling with the enemy
One learns to understand
that there is a world in one’s self,
that in one’s mind there is a source of happiness
and unhappiness, the source of health and illness, the source of light
and darkness, and that it can be awakened, either mechanically or at will,
if only one knew how to do it. Then one does not blame his ill fortune
nor complain of his fellow man. He becomes more tolerant,
more joyful, and more loving toward his neighbor,
because he knows the cause of every thought
and action, and he sees it all as the
effect of a certain cause.
A physician would not
revenge himself on a patient in an asylum,
even if the patient hit him, for he knows the cause.
Psychology is the higher alchemy, and one must not study
it only without practicing it. Practice and study must
go together, which opens the door to
happiness for every soul.