MEDITATIONS: I CHING; THE BOOK OF CHANGES, CANTO SIX

Contend—Dispute—Plead
|or| Contention

Be on the lookout for any confrontations or disputes that arise. When they occur, end them quickly and with great resolve. Yielding in the face of a greater force is the way of the Tao. Retreat rather than be overwhelmed. (Bright-Fey 41)

In contention there is sincerity; obstructed, be careful to be balanced, for that will lead to good results. Finality leads to bad results. It is beneficial to see a great person, not beneficial to cross great rivers.

Yin 1: When you do not persist forever in an affair, there is a little criticism, but the end is auspicious.

Yang 2: Not pressing your contention, go back to escape among the three hundred families of your village; then you will be free from fault.

Yin 3: Living on past virtues, be steadfast. Danger ends up all right. If you work for the king, you will not accomplish anything.

Yang 4: Not pressing your contention, you return to order and change. Remain steadfast for good fortune.

Yang 5: The contention is very auspicious.

Yang 6: Honors given you will be taken away from you three times before the day is out. (Cleary 22-28)

The sixth hexagram is a progression of the fifth: where “Waiting” was symbolized by creative, heavenly energy within but dangerous and oppressive forces without, now in “Contention” Heaven has crossed over the Water. It is no longer the time to wait but to press forward.

However, when one acts in the world, he inevitably comes into conflict with others. This canto describes the proper attitudes toward contention dependent on an individual’s talents, life-position, or cultivation of character.

The first Yin corresponds to sentiments in Sun Tzu’s Art of War:

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. . . . Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. (Sun Tzu 29)

Protracted conflict is like any other chronic stressor. While an acute bout of exercise, cold water immersion, or extreme heat exposure is beneficial for one’s health, continuous exposure and ardor accumulates damages and inhibits healing and growth.

Interpersonal, social, or business conflicts are no different. If one encounters a conflict, it is best to solve it immediately. If one is not in a position to quickly resolve his conflicts, though he may be seen as cowardly, lazy, or weak, he ought to let the contention go—this requires humility, to leave it to those who are more capable than himself; for if he struggles fruitlessly, he will become stuck struggling and will only get in way—others’ as well as his own.

The aforementioned directive is advisable even when one feels very strongly that he is correct. The justness of one’s cause is not a relevant factor. If one is not in a position to dispense said justice swiftly, then he ought to leave the ground of contention immediately and return to where he can actually make a difference. If he stays within a corrupt country or institution, he will do damage to himself and his purpose. He won’t be able to make his ends fully manifest, and worse, he will be occupying the space in which a true leader should be standing.

Though it is painful to hear, especially after one has waited a long time to act, if one still isn’t up to the task, he should find a lighter burden. Going back to a small village means taking one’s talents to a smaller community or organization. There, he will not find the same corruption, and therefore he will not get caught in a prolonged contention.

If one must remain within a blind, corrupt, or tyrannical institution, he may very well need to further bide his time. One can only accomplish this if he has cultivated many virtues. In this case, one can remain steadfast, uncontaminated by the surrounding corruption of the incompetent or evil institution. Refraining from engaging in confrontation in this way protects one from fault, though also from praise; for when the king commissions a project, it is he who gets the credit, not his men. Though, that also means that the king gets the blame. Therefore, one protects himself by waiting steadfast despite the omnipresent danger.

Ascending within the hexagram from Water to Heaven, one also moves from an internal to an external focus. Hitherto, the guidance provided by the I Ching has been most relevant to one who is in danger because he will not be able to quickly resolve his contention—that is why an internal change is necessary as opposed to an external one. Henceforth, the three Yangs represent an ability to act out one’s desires and to win in contention with others.

The fourth Yang, however, has no contenders. One in this position is able to force his will onto others or the institution, but he finds that neither are actively resisting him. Just like when one cuts through something tough, he should be most judicious with the application of his strength. Here, it is best not to create contention where there is none, and one avoids creating contention by pausing and reevaluating his values and directives. That is to say that, before pressing forward, one should ensure his footing will be solid. By doing so, he is unlikely step on another’s toes and shall remain unopposed as he acts out his will.

Only when one has successfully cultivated his virtues while waiting and has taken the extra time to reevaluate his direction can he enter into contention successfully. This man will be one who others will naturally follow. He will be a leader, and in so being, most contenders will prefer to follow him. Those who do not will be in too weak of positions to successfully resist. This means the contentions will be dispensed with quickly, which in turn maximizes the benefits of one’s actions.

Lastly, there are the words of caution typic of the top of the hexagram. The sixth Yang goes too far. Even if one is wise and talented, and even if he is in a position of leadership, there is always the risk that he will inspire resentment or envy in others. For this reason, even if one can quickly resolve contention, he should not contend more than is warranted. Some fights will be necessary. But there will be many opportunities for conflict after those necessary bouts. Be alert; pay attention; for the leader who contends to excess will be excoriated three times the praises he won through judicious contention.

I Ching; The Book of Changes, with commentaries by Cheng Yi, translated by Thomas Cleary, Shambala Library, 2003.

I Ching: The Book of Changes; An authentic Taoist translation, translated by John Bright-Fey, Sweetwater Press, 2006.

Sun Tzu. The Art of War, translated by William Ridgeway, Sweetwater Press, 2008.