superior man contemplates great man

[terry]

   In the yi jing we frequently encounter “the superior man” and occasionally “the great man.” Regarding the key fifth nine in hexagram one, legge says: “In the fifth line, undivided, we see the dragon on the wing in the sky. It will be advantageous to meet with the great man.” Of this line confucius says, “Thus the sage arises, and all creatures follow him with their eyes.“

 

   The superior man is the object of the yi jing, the person whom the oracle is advising. The great man is all of society, all of sentient being. So we are dealing with the microcosm and the macrocosm. The superior man is invited to contemplate the great man, and so become perfect.

 

   Each hexagram illustrates this as each represents a human being. The first line is the toes, the second the calves, the third the thighs and groin, the fourth the belly and liver, the fifth the lungs and heart and the sixth the senses and brain. The toes are our aspirations, the head our inhibitions. The second line indicates passion, the fifth action. the third is controlling, the sixth is letting go.

 

   The upper trigram is the field of virtue. The lower trigram is the world.

 

   The superior man, through contemplating the great man, actualizes the will of heaven. In this the superior man is the line, the great man is the hexagram.

 

   While the individual may be inferior or superior, the great man is always great.

[zerostao]

Nice

[Cobie]

 ‘superior man’

This is a translation of 君子 jun1zi3.

(In the ITjing) a person of high status by birth (son of the King)

His nature is known by society. He has to keep his nature ‘pure’.

 

‘great man’

This is a translation of 大人 da4ren2.

(In the ITjing) a person of high status through his own efforts (big person).

He has to proof his nature to society.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Cobie

[terry]

aloha cobie,

 

   Thanks for the translations. 

 

terry

 

 

 

from the way of chuang  tzu, trans merton:

 

 

MEANS AND ENDS

 

The gatekeeper in the capital city of Sung became such an
expert mourner after his father's death, and so emaciated
himself with fasts and austerities, that he was promoted to
high rank in order that he might serve as a model of ritual
observance.
As a result of this, his imitators so deprived themselves
that half of them died. The others were not promoted.

 

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish, and when the
fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.
The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits. When
the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.
The purpose of words is to convey ideas. When the ideas
are grasped, the words are forgotten.
Where can I find a man who has forgotten words? He is
the one I would like to talk to. 

 

[terry]

It seems to me, friend cobie, that these terms are traditionally pretty flexible. When confucius was editing the spring and autumn annals he engaged in a process called "the rectification of the names." Where the original text would say something like "the ruler compelled the sage to appear at court" confucius would write, "the prince went to visit the tyrant." And so on. Unless I have that wrong.

 

In the lower exoteric world the "masters" make the rules. In the upper esoteric world, the (true) masters make the rules.

 

t

[Cobie]

8 hours ago, terry said:

aloha cobie,

 

   Thanks for the translations. 

 

terry

 

…

 

 

You’re welcome.