42 益 Increase – Enrich Others Too.
益 风雷益 巽上震下
This hexagram has the Wind trigram on top of the Thunder trigram. The wind is about flow and Thunder is about movement, they complement each other resulting in an increase for all, the top and bottom. The word 益 means increase. It also means benefits. It is about increasing the benefits for all. The previous hexagram 损 teaches about decreasing oneself to enrich others. This hexagram 益 teaches about using our abundance to enrich others. It stresses that the top should care for and benefit the bottom masses well and not exploit them. Greater demand is made for those who have more.
Description:
- 利有攸往: beneficial to go somewhere
- 利涉大川: beneficial to cross wide and great rivers – start big project or business
Textual Commentary:
彖曰：益，损上益下，民说无疆， 自上下下，其道大光。 利有攸往，中正有庆。 利涉大川，木道乃行。 益动而巽，日进无疆。 天施地生， 其益无方。 凡益之道，与时偕行。
INCREASE is about taking from the top and increasing the bottom. The people are happy throughout the land, from the top to the very bottom. The way of Increase is full of light meaning good moral practice is widespread. It is beneficial to go somewhere. It is central and righteous and calls for celebration. It is beneficial to cross great rivers. Building a wooden boat to go across. INCREASE moves and flows like the wind, it progresses daily without limits. The Heaven provides the rains and the Earth gives growth. The ‘INCREASE’ occurs in all directions. The way of the INCREASE is to move together with the trend & tides of the time.
Pictorial Commentary: 象曰：风雷，益；君子以见善则迁，有过则改。
Wind and Thunder forms Increase. Wise men observe goodness and follow. If they see mistakes they correct them immediately.
Moral Teachings:
- Those on top, the leaders, must help and benefit those at the bottom, the masses, to grow together. Top and bottom working together will bring about great success and joy. In business, treating employees well results in employees treating customers well and in turn brings profits to the company and owners.
- We should ride together with the growth trend to soar to greater heights.
- Following the right and good and correcting our errors will bring about great progress.
Stage 1 Begin Nine: It is beneficial to do great things. Great fortunes. No fault. 初九：利用为大作，元吉，无咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that great fortune and faultlessness come from those at the bottom who are not exploited. 象曰：元吉无咎，下不厚事也。
The external environment is favorable for growth. There are lots of opportunities. Will the leaders get great profits at the expense of the people? Great work can be accomplished by treating the people well (not burdening them with great taxes in a country or low salaries in a business) and working together. A typical selfish business owner will like to keep all the growth in profits for himself instead of for his staff as well. He wants to earn more profits by asking the staff to work overtime to meet the increased demand but does not want to pay them more. That is very wrong. A good business owner will share the joy of the growth of the business with all the staff that brings about the growth.
Stage 2 Second Six: Someone gives the increase. Don’t reject the gift of the expensive tortoise shell. Perseverance in righteousness always brings fortune. The King offers sacrifices to past kings. Good fortune. 六二：或益之,十朋之龟弗克违，永贞吉。 王用享于帝，吉。
The pictorial commentary says the Increase comes from the external. 象曰：或益之，自外来也。
One should ride on the opportunities that arise in the external environment. The market wants more of your offerings. Don’t reject or miss the opportunities. Scale up your business accordingly. All we need to do is to scale up and continue to do in the righteous ways. If we have taken care of the details of our business. Scaling up will be easy. It will ensure continued blessings and good rewards. We must also acknowledge and remember the contributions made by our predecessors and learn from them. Their work has contributed to today’s success.
Stage 3 Third Six: Use the increase to help in the disaster. There is no fault. Continue the practice of integrity and a balanced way. Report to the King with the right jade article. 六三：益之用凶事，无咎。 有孚中行，告公用圭。
The pictorial commentary explains that using the increase to help in the disaster is to sustain and strengthen one’s position. 象曰：益用凶事，固有之也。
Using the increase, the accumulated extra resources, to help in areas of need, such as a disaster, is without fault. One interpretation says we benefit from our mistakes. We must continue with the right and fair practices. We make reports to our bosses keeping them informed of the situations. We can ask for help if needed.
Stage 4 Fourth Six: Walk in the middle way of righteousness and fairness. Request the King and he follows. It is beneficial to move the capital. 六四：中行，告公从。 利用为依迁国。
The pictorial commentary explains that requesting the King to follow allows us to increase our ambition. 象曰：告公从，以益志也。
Following the right middle way, our capabilities have been proven and we aim higher. The King approves our new project, even to move the capital, to bring about greater success.
Stage 5 Fifth Nine: Have integrity and kindness. There is no need to ask whether it is good fortune. Our kindness will truly be repaid. 九五：有孚惠心，勿问元吉。 有孚惠我德。
The pictorial commentary explains that there is no question about integrity and kindness (or gracefulness, giving to others). Our kindness will be repaid and we shall achieve our high ambition. 象曰：有孚惠心，勿问之矣。 惠我德，大得志也。
Our increase is not meant for us to enjoy. Through kindness and integrity, we should share with others and we will definitely be repaid. It is so obvious and no one needs to force us to share.
Stage 6 Top Nine: There is no increase in benefits to anyone. On the contrary, there is destruction. The determination is not strong and does not last. There is Danger. 上九：莫益之，或击之，立心勿恒，凶。
The pictorial commentary explains that there is no one benefiting others because there is a distortion of the understanding of the teaching of “INCREASE”. The attack comes from external. 象曰：莫益之，偏辞也。 或击之，自外来也。
The reason that there are not only no benefits but destruction is because our determination is not strong. We gave up too easily and quickly. A good program that is implemented halfway brings no benefits but causes most distress and losses. The pictorial commentary reveals another reason for the failure, it is our misunderstanding or bias of the situation. Our increase brings froth attacks from the external, such as our competitors. But our misunderstanding and hesitant start and stop programs created more problems. What should have been done when competitors attacked our growth? We need clarity of thinking, taking the interests of all stakeholders including our customers, staff, and partners and then unitedly execute the programs to their ends.
Summary:
Leaders must help their people and treat them well. Working harmoniously between leaders and followers will bring joy and success. Observe and flow with the rising trends of the time. Following the good and correcting our mistakes will bring progress.
Wisdom from the Stage Lines:
- Leaders and staff work together for growth and share in the profits. No exploitation of the people for the rise in business.
- Catch hold of the opportunities that arise with the right methods and the learning and contributions from our predecessors.
- Deploy the increased resources in other areas of need.
- Aim higher and accomplish more with support from the top.
- Have integrity and be kind and good to others. You will be well paid back.
- Have clarity of thoughts, interests of all stakeholders, and determination in execution to successfully overcome attacks.
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