坎 → 明夷
Hexagram 29: The Abysmal Water → Hexagram 36: Darkening of the Light
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 5).
Line 1
初六 習坎。入于坎窞。凶。
Six at the beginning means: Repetition of the Abysmal. In the abyss one falls into a pit. Misfortune.
Line 2
九二 坎有險。求小得。
Nine in the second place means: The abyss is dangerous. One should strive to attain small things only.
Line 3
六三 來之坎坎。險且枕。入于坎窞。勿用。
Six in the third place means: Forward and backward, abyss on abyss. In danger like this, pause at first and wait, Otherwise you will fall into a pit in the abyss. Do not act this way.
Line 5
九五 坎不盈。祗既平。无咎。
Nine in the fifth place means: The abyss is not filled to overflowing, It is filled only to the rim. No blame.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
託寄之徒，不利請求。結衿無言，乃有悔患。
Those who lodge as dependents find no gain in making requests. Fastening the collar without a word -- only then comes regret and trouble.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Water upon water, trust is misplaced in those who merely pass through. Dependents and sojourners are not the right people from whom to seek favors — requests directed at transients yield nothing. One fastens one's collar but says nothing, swallowing the words, and regret follows inevitably. The verse warns against asking the wrong person and then compounding the error with silence when speech is needed. From The Abysmal to Darkening of the Light, fire enters the earth and brightness is extinguished. The one who ties the collar shut and holds back words enacts this dimming deliberately: concealing what should be expressed, the light goes underground. In the kingdom of hidden brilliance, knowing when to speak and when to stay silent is everything.
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