Terence McKenna's quote on I Ching

[ilemacedonia]

McKenna:"The I Ching says: 'Never confront the evil directly. And never name it directly because it finds weapons to defend itself'."

I think that this is his overall interpretation of what the Book of Changes is about in its core. Or am I wrong and there's the same sentence in the IC as above said by TM?
Please give references if you know some.
Thank you.

 

[Tohpol]

McKenna:"The I Ching says: 'Never confront the evil directly. And never name it directly because it finds weapons to defend itself'."

I think that this is his overall interpretation of what the Book of Changes is about in its core. Or am I wrong and there's the same sentence in the IC as above said by TM?
Please give references if you know some.
Thank you.

I think an akido strategy is preferable when coming into contact with evil. This is certainly one overall theme in The Book of Changes. The judgement from H. 43 (Wilhelm / Baynes) seems to be to be the one that McKenna paraphrased above. It's a crystal clear rendering of how evil should be treated: unequivocally defending oneself without undue emotion, without identifying with it, and by employing a defence of negativity as it manifests. How well we have observed such "evil" in ourselves will also determine how well we we can perceive it in the outer world and vice versa:


THE JUDGMENT

BREAK-THROUGH. One must resolutely make the matter known
At the court of the king.
It must be announced truthfully. Danger.
It is necessary to notify one's own city.
It does not further to resort to arms.
It furthers one to undertake something.

Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is
able to oppress superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart
has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side-
therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail.

In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite
rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be
based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with
evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited.

Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. Third, the
struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of
weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose
in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion.

Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons
against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the
sharp edges of the weapons of evil becomes dulled. For the same reasons we
should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them,
they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make
energetic progress in the good.

------------

H63 is also important in thiscontext in the sense that it so often returns because the roots were not erradicated due to igorance and / or complacency. The story of history indeed...

THE JUDGMENT

AFTER COMPLETION. Success in small matters.
Perseverance furthers.
At the beginning good fortune.
At the end disorder.

The transition from the old to the new time is already accomplished. In
principle, everything stands systematized, and it is only in regard to details
that success is still to be achieved. In respect to this, however, we must be
careful to maintain the right attitude. Everything proceeds as if of its own
accord, and this can all too easily tempt us to relax and let thing take their
course without troubling over details. Such indifference is the root of all evil.
Symptoms of decay are bound to be the result. Here we have the rule
indicating the usual course of history. But this rule is not an inescapable law.
He who understands it is in position to avoid its effects by dint of unremitting
perseverance and caution.

-----------

There are other Hexagrams with explicit references but these for me are some of the most pertinent.

 

[ilemacedonia]

Thank you Topal. Yes, this hexagram seems that talk about the same issue.

 

[unsubscribed_cm]

McKenna:"The I Ching says: 'Never confront the evil directly. And never name it directly because it finds weapons to defend itself'."

Yes when I heard him say that I thought of hexagram 43.3 specifically.


Nine in the third place means;
To be powerful in the cheekbones
Brings misfortune.
The superior man is firmly resolved.
He walks alone and is caught in the rain.
He is bespattered,
And people murmur against him.
No blame.

Here we have a man in an ambiguous situation. While all others are engaged in a resolute fight against al that is inferior he alone has a certain relationship with an inferior man. If he were to show strength outwardly and turn against this man before the time is ripe, he would only endanger the entire situation, because the inferior man would too quickly have recourse to countermeasures. The task of the superior man becomes extremely difficult here. He must be firmly resolved within himself and, while maintaining association with the inferior man, avoid any participation in his vileness. He will of course be misjudged. It will be thought that he belongs to the party of the inferior man. He will be lonely because no one will understand him. His relations with the inferior man will sully him in the eyes of the multitude, and they will turn against him, grumbling. But he can endure this lack of association and makes no mistake, because he remains true to himself.



But also hexagram 43 as a whole.
I forgot that about hexagram 63 though. Interesting idea I agree with it. But most people are too weak to deal with the infinitum of details.

I was going to post something about evil in another topic.

But It's interesting the contradiction in hexagram 43 about dealing with evil. On one hand its says it must be opposed openly. But on the other hand (line 3) it says that to speak against it is disastrous. I think the difference here is what situation you are in. In line 3 you are sort of cornered by the evil, any against it there move will only make it stronger. But one must still turn against it.

I suppose if there are no changing lines it's a situation where one must speak against it to bring it to light and allow that awareness to be the first step to correcting the situation.

It is interesting how it says not to resort to arms. In this case the 2nd amendment of the US constitution is useless. No army or martial force will help curb evil directly. Any arms are apparently useless against evil. That does seem the overall core of the Yijing - and also Christ's teachings.

 

[onlineclarity]

Yes when I heard him say that I thought of hexagram 43.3 specifically.


Nine in the third place means;
To be powerful in the cheekbones
Brings misfortune.
The superior man is firmly resolved.
He walks alone and is caught in the rain.
He is bespattered,
And people murmur against him.
No blame.

Here we have a man in an ambiguous situation. While all others are engaged in a resolute fight against al that is inferior he alone has a certain relationship with an inferior man. If he were to show strength outwardly and turn against this man before the time is ripe, he would only endanger the entire situation, because the inferior man would too quickly have recourse to countermeasures. The task of the superior man becomes extremely difficult here. He must be firmly resolved within himself and, while maintaining association with the inferior man, avoid any participation in his vileness. He will of course be misjudged. It will be thought that he belongs to the party of the inferior man. He will be lonely because no one will understand him. His relations with the inferior man will sully him in the eyes of the multitude, and they will turn against him, grumbling. But he can endure this lack of association and makes no mistake, because he remains true to himself.



But also hexagram 43 as a whole.
I forgot that about hexagram 63 though. Interesting idea I agree with it. But most people are too weak to deal with the infinitum of details.

I was going to post something about evil in another topic.

But It's interesting the contradiction in hexagram 43 about dealing with evil. On one hand its says it must be opposed openly. But on the other hand (line 3) it says that to speak against it is disastrous. I think the difference here is what situation you are in. In line 3 you are sort of cornered by the evil, any against it there move will only make it stronger. But one must still turn against it.

I suppose if there are no changing lines it's a situation where one must speak against it to bring it to light and allow that awareness to be the first step to correcting the situation.

It is interesting how it says not to resort to arms. In this case the 2nd amendment of the US constitution is useless. No army or martial force will help curb evil directly. Any arms are apparently useless against evil. That does seem the overall core of the Yijing - and also Christ's teachings.

Lol, I always get a good giggle everytime I see that. Why can't it be soemthing like "the man with greater clarity" for a change?