생생주역,영문. 주역 상편.1.重乾天(중건천)-9.(3)

[홍승주]

1 1. Hexagram Qian /  Double Heaven(중건천). ䷀ ......9.(3)

    Therefore, Contucius firmly declared : "The principle of Heaven standing supreme above

     all created things [首出庶物,수출서물 - Shouchu shuwu] and a sovereign reigning over all citizens

     to govern the world in peace[萬國咸寧,만국함령 -Wanguo xanning] are both implied within 

     'Yuan, Heng, li, Zhen' of the Qian Hexagram [乾卦,건괘],"

      Seo Geo-jeong′s(徐居正,서거정) poem Sinryongsa(A Hymn to the Divine Dragon),

     which praises the Qian Hexagram, is truly splendid.

      Here, Confucius assigned the infinte responsibility to the great reproductive power

      of the male/ yang principle to continuously give life to all creation[生生,생생 - Sheng Sheng]

      and lead peace throughout the universe.

      This is precisely the place where Confucius, bold and broad-minded, confidently revealed

       the grand essence of Qian(the primordial Yang principle)―where Heaven exists, Yang exists,

       and the male force leads the world.

       Next, let us examine 'Qianyuan(乾元,건원 - Great Origin of Heaven)"

       from the Wenyan Zhuan(Commentary on the Words of thr Rext),

       as further elaboreted by Confucius.

      "Qianyuan" is that which sows the seeds of all creation and brings success through 

        smooth flow[乾元者 始以亨者也,건원자 시이형자야 - Qianyuan zhe shi yi heng zhe ye].

      "Lizhen(利貞,이정)"  is that which gathers and completes the innate nature and essence through

        the proper and upright way[利貞者 性情也,이정자 성정야 - Lizhen zhe xingqing ye].

        Therefore, "Qianyuan" can beautifully fulfill the principles of Heaven and Earth

         [乾始能以美利, 건시능이미리 - Qianshi neng yi melil] and bring benefit to all under Heaven

         [利天下,이천하 - Li tianxia].

         Hurthermore, because it does not claim all these virtues and merits solely for itself

         [不言所利,불언소리 - Bu yan suo li], its beauty is immeasurably grand and astonishing

         [大矣哉,대의재 - Da yi zai !]

         For this reason, a true noble person(Junzi) must :

        ● Imbue benevolence(仁,인)  into their very being to become an exemplary adult

           [元者善之長也,원자선지장야 - Yuan zhe shan zhi chang ye],

        ● Condense beauty to serve as a role model human affairs

            [亨者嘉之會也,형자가지회야 - Heng zhe jia zhi hui ye].

        ● Unite with righteousness(義,의) that brings benefit to all creation

            [利者義之和也,미자의지화야 - Li zhe yi zhi he ye].

        ● And become the eternal trunk and root of all things and all matters

           [貞者事之幹也,정자사지간야 - Zhen zhe shi zhi gan ye].

        This is the profound reason why this is called the "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen" of Qian(Heaven).

        [故曰乾元亨利貞,고왈건원형이정].

        (Therefore, it is said : Qian is Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen)

        in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty(Joseon Wangjo Sillok),

       "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen" is recorded as follows :

       "Benevolence(仁,인) is the virtue of the mind and the principle of love;

         virtue of the mind is the substance of Benevolence, while the principle of love

         is its manifestation." 

         In terms of the Heavenly Way(天道,천도), Benevolence corresponds to Yuan(元,원),

         while Heng(亨,형), Li(利,리), and Zhen(貞,정) are contrined within it.

         Furthermore, in the Way of Heaven, Yuan Progresses to Heng, Heng to Li,

         and Li reaches Zhen―and upon reaching Zhen, it returns once again to Yuan.

         Therefore, Heaven[乾,건 -Qian] is :

          ● The source of production [☳(震,진 - Zhen), 元(원 -Yuan)],

          ● The smooth energy that nurtures and grows all creation [☲(離,리-Li), 亨(형 -Heng)],

          ● the embodiment capable of granting any benefit [☱(兌,태 -Dui), 利(리 -Li)],

          ● and the core stem that guides all affairs along the proper path[☵(坎,감 -Kan), 貞(정-Zhen)],

         When analogized to the four seasons :

          ● Yuan(元,원) is the vital energy of Spring waking to life,

          ● Heng(亨,형)  is the flourishing energy of Summer opening up creation abundantly,

          ● Li(利,리) is the energy of Autumn securing benefits just as one reaps fruits,

          ● And Zhen(貞,정) is seen as the energy of Cold Winter, storing nutrients firmly within.

          Here, we can see that when Father Heaven, the lord of creation,

          joins with Mother Earth as a spouse to give birth to and nurture all life,

          there is an esssential benefit that must be gained―a theme famously echoed

          by 'Ko' searching for a mate in the Story of Chunhyang.

          Therefore, all Ten Realms(十界,십계) achieve grand flow and Success.

          ● The Three Evil Realms(三惡,삼악) become unrighteous(邪,사),

              while the Three Good Realms(三善,삼선) become righteous(正,정);

          ● The worldly state laden with defilement in the Six Realms(六道,육도) becomes unrighteous,

              while the Bodhisattva′s act of saving sentient beings(度人,도인) becomes righyeous;

          ● The Two Truths(二諦,이체 - Ultimate Truth and Conventional Truth)

              of the Expedient Vehicle(權乘,권승) become unrighteous, while the Middle Way(中道,중도)

              of the Buddha Realm(佛界,불계) becomes righteous;

          ● Distinguishing between the center(中,중)  and the extremes(邊,변) becomes unrighteous,

              while realizing that everything without excception is the Middle Way becomes righteous.