Since no readers except Steve Marshall, whose comments were much appreciated, has come forward and made attempts to interpret the so-called ‘short cryptic messages’ given by a Quanzhen heavenly immortal, perhaps it is wise not to hold back the answers and keep readers too much in suspense. With Steve’s deep insight of Yi studies and his knowledge of ancient Chinese customs and thoughts, one had indicated to my Daoist friend beforehand and it had turned out right that Steve would probably attempt the answers. This shows Steve's willingness and sincerity to share his knowledge with those earnest to learn things Chinese and the Yi.
The entry on ‘Short cryptic messages’ was written with the same intention to provide some insights into religious Daoist practices that is on messages transmitted by heavenly immortals and the interpretation of the messages which invariably come in the form of poetry or flowery language, sometimes only to be understood by the recipient, like in this case. This explains why the Daoist disciples could not decipher the messages. In addition, the messages probably provide ‘unwritten’ or ‘unavailable’ insights into ancient Daoist thoughts on Yi studies, where experts and scholars have argued over the ages on usage of the Image(s) and trigrams. Therefore one was lucky to have an immortal provide these insights, and take the opportunity to share them here with you.
Of the six short cryptic messages, one will deal with the easiest and most obvious two. What has first triggered the answers in my mind was the ‘Birds Flying’. What has birds flying or flying birds got to do with my fortune and work? In 1993, one had obtained the ‘Flying dragon in the heavens’ line, left a well paid job and gone into full time shares investment or trading. Then I recalled Hexagram 62 Hsiao Kuo / Preponderance of the Small where in the judgment, it says: ‘The flying bird brings the message’. The flying bird also appears in lines one and six. This was another reason why one has written on a recent entry to this Hexagram that it carries a ‘special’ significance. If you reread that entry probably you may get the gist of why it relates to my fortune or work.
The next not so obvious answer is for ‘Dizhonghai’ or ‘land middle sea’ paraphrased as ‘sea in the middle of land’. As Steve correctly indicated, Dizhonghai is the Chinese for the Mediterranean Sea. But it was not the answer. This was one reason why one has mentioned (in my previous entry on these messages) that Daoist immortals also want to have fun. The immortal was testing my earnestness and sincerity to learn. Firstly he said to follow him to read his ‘real classic’ and not learn the Yi as both classics are the same? He was also concerned that one may drop the Yi studies halfway. Then in reply to the question on my fortune, he gave ‘cryptic messages’ (which turned out) to represent trigrams and hexagrams. Probably he must have ‘sniggered’ when he transmitted the messages (within a couple of minutes).
Dizhonghai, if some readers do not know by now refers to Hexagram 7 Shih / The Army. The trigrams for the hexagram are water below earth. And in the Image, it is written as:
“In the middle of the earth is water: The image of the Army. Thus the superior man increases his masses by generosity toward the people.” [W/B]
Perhaps with two answers provided, readers can attempt the remaining cryptic messages either privately or published their comments in this entry. As always, one suggests you use the Wilhelm/Baynes translation. Have fun.
To be continued.
Relevant entries: ‘Short cryptic messages’- Sept 27; ‘Thoughts on Hexagram 62’ - August 17; ‘Flying dragon in the heavens’ – July 1; and ‘A choice between the Yi and a Quanzhen immortal’ - April 13.
6 comments:
You are right that the Daxiang text does say 'earth middle' (di zhong), which is something that Rutt's translation masks and Wilhelm-Baynes gets right. Literally, it says 'earth middle has water' (di zhong you shui). But essentially you are basing an interpretation on the fact that two characters appear together in the Daxiang text, which does not include the character 'hai' (sea). As I mentioned, Dizhong Hai is the Mediterranean, specifically. What makes you think spirits don't straightforwardly name places?
Hexagrams can be constructed, on the basis of extended trigram correspondence, from absolutely anything. But why would I ignore the proper name of a place in order to make a cryptic hexagram reference of it?
But still, it is your message and one does not like to contradict people who sound so sure, since it may be their fate to be headstrong in the wrong direction.
'Hills pour water', as I remarked before, is a very clear indication of a hexagram, namely hexagram 4, but you have already said you regard this as an esoteric technique, so presumably you have ruled this out.
There was no disagreement on the Mediterranean Sea. As indicated in my previous comment, one did consider it back in 1993 but it did not fit into the entire message. The question was what has the Mediterranean to do with one’s fortune? One has never been to that region and has no connections there either.
Places are usually indicated with the eight directions. Exact names of people and places may be given if clarifications are sought. As to naming places and people, one has yet to learn from the Yi.
“Hills pour water’ is also represented by a hexagram. To me it refers to an esoteric ability, not a technique. This was also clarified earlier in the comment section of the previous entry. Otherwise how is one able to reach the four immortals’ door front? I understand why you have indicated Hexagram 4. You may be right just like my Daoist friend. As hexagram 4 indicates one has to seek out the master in this case the four immortals. Maybe I will one day, as one is sure their door is not closed to me. Meanwhile have a look at Hexagram 39.
I can see why you say hexagram 39, since water has to be high up the mountain in order to flow down. However, in hexagram 39 the water is trapped and cannot flow, the hills are not pouring water because the water is obstructed. When in the mountains one is aware of water below the mountain, once it has started flowing and pouring. If you trace the source of rivers high up in the mountains you find that they are supplied by little more than boggy ground and puddles, despite the fact that further down the mountain the water has attained a flow of great force. So the picture of water below the mountain in hexagram 4 seems to represent 'hills pour water' better than in hexagram 39, where the water does not pour but simply stays trapped at the top of the mountain.
For a better perspective, the cryptic sentence we are dealing with is: “When you can do 'hills pour water' then you have reached my four immortals’ door front.”
One would say it requires an ability to do something referred to as ‘hills pour water’. If we use Hexagram 4 / Youthful Folly to represent the verse, then there is no need to do anything, no pouring of water, since water is already below the hills. Furthermore the ‘master’ has already made an offer to the foolish student, before this message. Coupled with the words, ‘door front’ and not ‘door below’, Hexagram 4 may not fit in well with the sentence as compared to Hexagram 39?
You have presented a good argument on Hexagram 39 / Obstruction. It is precisely because of the obstruction or stagnated water that one has to learn how to ‘pour water’. Perhaps one has to sit on a mountain and learn how to. Or like the joke with my Daoist friend; Jack goes up the hill, fetches a pail of water and pours the water over the hill top. There we go, ‘hills pour water’.
By the way, in the additional notes to the Secret of the Golden Flower, it was stated: ‘But adepts can use the means of “overthrowing the Abysmal (Kan)” and the Clinging (Li) only when they have sincere intention in the work….’ (Page 62) [The notes were probably extracted from books on the Elixir of Life.]
Readers can understand the difficulty in deciphering the cryptic message. One is not smarter by any means, just having an unfair advantage of a twelve years’ head start.
The only way to overcome the obstruction presented to the water in hexagram 39 is to wait until it rains and the water overflows the obstructing rocks out of its rockpools to form cascading waterfalls. I have watched this many times sitting in the mountains, from small spouts up in the mountains the mighty river snaking away below is formed.
Sitting in mountains shows you these things clearly enough, there is much to learn from mountains. You don't do anything, you have to allow it to happen. The foolish youth of hexagram 4 wants to learn this as an ability, but it is no-ability, with no-action and no-mind. All the master can teach him is to remove wanting-an-ability. Usually best taught by ignoring the student or sending him away.
What you have said sounds convincing enough. Let me try another way.
Sitting on the tree top, the student is awed by heaven just as when lightning strikes. At times he sees monkeys, squirrels and birds and welcomes them as equals. When the tree is on the mountain, he develops. When it is on earth, he contemplates.
When he is faced with obstructions, he pauses to look inside and builds his character. His friends come as he waits for another; as together they can achieve the work of rescue. With great good fortune obtained as a result.
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