Annotated Book of Changes · Hexagram 43

夬guai

Breakthrough

See also: Wilhelm commentary for Hexagram 43

卦

Hexagram Statement

卦辭

經 Classic Text

夬乾下兌上 夬，揚于王庭，孚號有厲。告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。 「孚號有厲」者，號，號令也。行決之法，先須號令。夬，以剛決柔，則是用明信之法而宣其號令，如此即柔邪者危，故曰孚號有厲也。以剛制斷，行令於邑可也。若用剛即戎，尚力取勝，為物所疾，以此用師，必有不利，故曰「告自邑，不利即戎」。雖不利即戎，然剛德不長，則柔邪不消。故陽爻宜有所往，夬道乃成，故曰利有攸往也。

Translation

Guai: Qian below, Dui above.

Guai (Resolution): Proclaimed in the king's court. With sincere proclamation there is danger. Announce from the city; it is not beneficial to resort to arms. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go.

"With sincere proclamation there is danger": hao means command. In carrying out the method of resolution, one must first issue commands. Guai resolves the yielding by means of the firm; this means using the method of clear trustworthiness to proclaim commands.

" Using firmness to control and decide, issuing commands in the city is acceptable. But if one uses firmness to resort to arms, valuing force to achieve victory, one will be hated by all.

" Although it is not beneficial to resort to arms, if the virtue of firmness does not grow, then yielding deviance will not be eliminated. "

注 Wang Bi's Commentary

夬與剝反者也。剝以柔變剛，至於剛幾盡。夬以剛決柔，如剝之消剛。剛隕則君子道消，柔消則小人道隕。君子道消，則剛正之德不可得直道而用，刑罰之威不可得坦然而行。揚于王庭，其道公也。

Translation

Guai is the reverse of Bo (Stripping Away). Bo uses the yielding to transform the firm, until the firm is nearly exhausted. Guai uses the firm to resolve the yielding, just as Bo diminishes the firm.

When the firm falls, the Way of the superior person declines; when the yielding is eliminated, the way of the petty person perishes.

When the Way of the superior person declines, the virtue of firm correctness cannot be employed through the straight Way, and the authority of punishments and penalties cannot be carried out smoothly. "Proclaimed in the king's court" — its Way is public.

疏 Kong Yingda's Subcommentary

正義曰：夬，決也。此陰消陽息之卦也。陽長至五，五陽共決一陰，故名為夬也。「揚于王庭」者，明行決斷之法，夬以剛決柔，施之於人，則是君子決小人也。王庭是百官所在之處，以君子決小人，故可以顯然發揚決斷之事於王者之庭，示公正而无私隱也，故曰揚于王庭也。

Translation

The Correct Meaning states: Guai means resolution. This is a hexagram of yin diminishing and yang growing. Yang has grown to five; five yang lines together resolve one yin, hence it is named Guai. "Proclaimed in the king's court" — this clarifies the method of carrying out resolution.

Guai resolves the yielding by means of the firm; applied to people, this means the superior person resolves the petty person. The king's court is the place where all officials are gathered. "

鎖

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Source: eee-learning.com (易學網) · Edition: 武英殿十三經注疏

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