Lin

[dobro p]

This term's interesting: it usually occupies the third or sixth line of a hexagram (more often the third), which gives a clue to its character right off. I've been translating it as 'shame' but I'm thinking that 'distress' fits better in most cases. In older works, Karcher calls it 'abashment' but his most recent uses 'distress'.

Whatcha think?

 

[bradford_h]

lin4 4040 475t 30+4 03.3
(a, an, the) embarrassment, disgrace, misery, poverty, humiliation, meanness, baseness, shame, regret, chagrin, inadequacy, wretchedness, deficiency; avarice, stinginess, greed; (to be) embarrassing, disgraceful, poor, humiliating, mean, shameful, regrettable, inadequate, miserly, stingy; miserable, wretched, ashamed, embarrassed, abashed; (too) little, spare, sparing, sparse

Usually related to lack or inadequacy.
Li is distress

 

[dobro p]

"Usually related to lack or inadequacy. "

The first line that pops into my mind when you mention inadequacy is 22.5 and sure enough, lin's there. In 22.5, the inadequacy is a simple lack of resources, and seems to have no connection with conduct.

The second line that pops into my head here is 3.3. In this case, the guy just about screwed up by chasing the stag into the center of the forest. Not inadequate resources, but a lack of discernment, restraint, skill.

So, do you think lin's more along the lines of 'not enough' or is it more along the lines of 'not good enough'?

 

[bradford_h]

Both
Anything to do with that sinking "Loser" feeling.