I Ching Hexagram 41 - Decrease
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 41 "Decrease"
損 - Sǔn
Sơn Trạch Tổn
Decrease
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☶ Gen, Mountain
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☱ Dui, Lake
Other Titles: Decrease, The Symbol of Lessening, Loss, Diminishing, Reduction, Diminution of Excesses, Decline, Remove, Bringing into Balance, Sacrifice.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Decrease combined with sincerity brings about supreme good fortune without blame. One may be persevering in this. It furthers one to undertake something. How is this to be carried out? One may use two small bowls for the sacrifice.
Legge: Compensating Sacrifice means that sincerely maintained rectitude brings great success. Action is appropriate if one's sacrifice is sincere -- even two baskets of grain, though there be nothing else, may be offered.
Blofeld: Loss accompanied by confidence -- sublime good fortune and no error! It is favorable to have in view some goal (or destination). If there is doubt as to what to use for the sacrifice, two small bowls will suffice.
Liu: Decrease with sincerity: great good fortune, no blame. One may continue. It is beneficial to go somewhere. How can this (decrease with sincerity) be done? One may use two bamboo containers of grain for a sacrifice.
Shaughnessy: There is a return; prime auspiciousness; there is no trouble. It can be determined. Beneficial to have someplace to go. Why use two tureens; you can use aromatic grass.
Cleary (1): Reduction with sincerity is very auspicious, impeccable. It should be correct. It is beneficial to go somewhere. What is the use of the two bowls? They can be used to receive.
Cleary (2): … It is beneficial to have somewhere to go, etc … They can be used for presentation.
Wu: Loss indicates that with confidence there will be great fortune, no error, perseverance, and advantage to have undertakings. What to use in offerings? Two boxes of grain are adequate.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: At the foot of the mountain, the lake: the image of Decrease. Thus the superior man controls his anger and restrains his instincts.
Legge: The image of a mountain and beneath it the waters of a marsh form Compensating Sacrifice. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains his wrath and represses his desires.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes a marshy lake at the foot of a mountain. The Superior Man keeps his anger under control and is moderate in his desires.
Liu: The lake beside the mountain symbolizes Decrease. The superior man curbs his indignation and restricts his desires.
Cleary (1): There is a lake under a mountain, reducing it. Thus does the superior person eliminate wrath and cupidity.
Cleary (2): Lake below a mountain – Reducing. Thus do developed people eliminate anger and greed.
Wu: There is a marsh below the mountain; this is Loss. Thus the jun zi mitigates his anger and restrains his desires.
Line 1
初九: 已事遄往, 无咎, 酌損之．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Going quickly when one's tasks are finished is without blame. But one must reflect on how much one may decrease others.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject suspending his own affairs, and hurrying away to help the subject of the fourth line. He will commit no error, but let him consider how far he should contribute of what is his for the other.
Blofeld: To hurry away when work is done is not wrong, but first consider whether such a hasty departure will harm the work.
Liu: To go quickly after the work is done brings no blame. One should consider how much the decrease will be.
Shaughnessy: Already serving the ends in going; there is no trouble; toasting decreases it.
Cleary (1): Ending affairs, going quickly, there is no fault; but assess before reducing something.
Cleary (2): … Assess the reduction of this.
Wu: He stops doing his own things, and swiftly goes forward. There will be no blame. He should consider limiting the loss.
Line 2
九二: 利貞, 征凶, 弗損益之．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Perseverance furthers. To undertake something brings misfortune. Without decreasing oneself, one is able to bring increase to others.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows that it will be advantageous for its subject to maintain firm correctness, and that action on his part will be evil. He can give increase to his correlate without taking from himself.
Blofeld: Persistence in a righteous course brings reward, but to advance (or go anywhere) now would bring misfortune. This is not a time for decreasing but for augmenting.
Liu: To continue is beneficial. Undertakings bring misfortune. Without decrease, without increase.
Shaughnessy: Beneficial to determine; to be upright is inauspicious. Not decreasing it, but increasing it.
Cleary: It is beneficial to be correct. An expedition is inauspicious. No reduction or increase of this. [If you do not know when enough is enough and go on reducing and increasing, you will reactivate the human mentality and thus obscure the mind of Tao … It is because the strong energy is balanced, not biased or lopsided, that there is no more reduction or increasing to be done.]
Wu: It is advantageous to be firm and correct, but foreboding to go ahead. His decision of not taking a loss will benefit the other. [It may be justifiable for the below to support the above in a very moderate way in time of Loss, but it would be unacceptable by asking the below to give up all of its possessions … to satisfy the above.]
Line 3
六三: 三人行則損一人, 一人行則得其友．
Wilhelm/Baynes: When three people journey together, their number decreases by one. When one man journeys alone, he finds a companion.
Legge: The third line, magnetic, shows how of three men walking together, the number is diminished by one; and how one, walking, finds his friend.
Blofeld: If three set forth together now, one will be lost on the way; whereas one man going forth alone will find company.
Liu: Three people walking together will lose one. When one walks alone, he will meet a friend.
Shaughnessy: If three men move then they will decrease by one man; if one man moves then he will obtain his friend.
Cleary (1): Three people traveling are reduced by one person; one person traveling finds a companion.
Cleary (2): … One person traveling gets companionship.
Wu: When three persons walk, one will be left out. When one walks alone, he will find a friend.
Line 4
六四: 損其疾, 使遄, 有喜, 无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: If a man decreases his faults, it makes the other hasten to come and rejoice. No blame.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject diminishing the ailment under which she labors by making the subject of the first line hasten to her help, and make her glad. There will be no error.
Blofeld: He reduced the number of ills besetting him and thus hastened the arrival of happiness -- no error!
Liu: If he decreases his sickness (or faults) quickly, he will be happy. No blame.
Shaughnessy: Decreasing his illness; serving ends has happiness; there is no trouble.
Cleary (1): Reducing sickness, causing there to be joy quickly, there is no fault.
Cleary (2): Reducing the ailment causes there to be joy soon. No blame.
Wu: His illness is alleviated and conditions are quickly improved. There is joy. No error.
Line 5
六五: 或益之十朋之龜, 弗克違, 元吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Someone does indeed increase him. Ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose it. Supreme good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows parties adding to the stores of its subject ten pairs of tortoise shells, and accepting no refusal. There will be great good fortune.
Blofeld: There was one who enriched him to the extent of ten PENG of tortoise shells (2,100 of them) and who would accept no refusal -- sublime good fortune!
Liu: He is enriched by twenty tortoises and he cannot refuse. Great good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Increasing it by ten double-strands of turtles; you cannot deflect it; prime auspiciousness.
Cleary: One is given a profit of ten pairs of tortoise shells. None can oppose. Very auspicious.
Wu: He may be presented with ten pairs of tortoise shells and may not decline the gift. This is great fortune.
Line 6
上九: 弗損益之, 无咎．貞吉．利有攸往, 得臣无家．
Wilhelm/Baynes: If one is increased without depriving others, there is no blame. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to undertake something. One obtains servants but no longer has a separate home. [Through perseverance and zealous work a man wins success and finds helpers as they are needed. But what he accomplishes is not a limited private advantage; it is a public good and available to everyone… There are loyal helpers, but not for promoting family interests.]
Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows its subject giving increase to others without taking from himself. There will be no error. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. There will be advantage in every movement that shall be made. He will find ministers more than can be counted by their clans.
Blofeld: Gain which causes no loss to others involves no error. Persistence in a righteous course brings good fortune. It is favorable to have in view some goal (or destination). He obtains followers but not a family (or home).
Liu: If one increases (gains) without anyone decreasing (losing), no blame. To continue brings good fortune. It is beneficial to go somewhere else; one will find a helper after leaving home.
Shaughnessy: Not decreasing it, but increasing it; there is no trouble; determination is auspicious; there is someplace to go; obtain a servant without family.
Cleary (1): Not reducing or increasing this is faultless. Correctness brings good fortune. It is beneficial to go somewhere. Getting a servant, there is no house. [The mind of Tao is the master, the human mind is the servant. When the mind of Tao is in charge of things, every step, every undertaking, is celestial design; personal desires do not arise, and even the human mind transforms into the mind of Tao: “getting a servant, there is no house” … This is returning to ultimate good by reduction.]
Cleary (2): Increase without reduction, and there will be no blame. Correctness leads to good results. There is somewhere to go. Getting an administrator without a house. [To increase the third yin, it is necessary not to reduce the top yang. This is because the third yin as an administrator is in the position of “losing one’s home in the service of the country,” but the top yang perceives the sincerity of this lone journey, so this is “great attainment of the objective,” and the third yin considers this “getting companionship.” This is called “increase without reduction.”]
Wu: His wishes of not taking a loss will benefit others. No error. Perseverance brings auspiciousness. It is advantageous to have undertakings. His subordinates are so dedicated to their assignments that they act as if they had no families.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 41 means decreasing, suggesting financial loss, or experiencing a setback in business. This message is here to help you plan ahead by giving you a warning in advance.
A temporary setback makes you into a stronger and better person. Gradually, this opposing tide will turn back and success will slowly come your way. If you have to take a lesser role now, so be it. This difficult time will pass. From this point forward, the only way is up.
