41 · 山泽损

损卦原文

损。有孚，元吉，无咎，可贞。利有攸往。曷之用？二簋可用享。

象曰：山下有泽，损。君子以征忿窒欲。

白话文解释

损卦：筮遇此卦，将有所俘获，大吉大利，没有灾难，是称心的卜问。而且所往将获利。将有人送来两盆食物，可享口福。

《象辞》说：本卦上卦为艮，艮为山；下卦为兑，兑为泽，可见山下有泽是损卦的卦象。君子观此卦象，以泽水浸蚀山脚为戒，从而制止其忿怒，杜塞其贪欲。

《断易天机》解

损卦艮上兑下，为艮宫三世卦。损象征损益、减少，为损己之兆，多主不吉，但只要坚守诚信，就会有利。

北宋易学家邵雍解

损下益上，损盈益虚；先难后易，量入为出。

得此卦者，损己利人，虽然开始会有所不顺，但付出总会有所回报，因祸得福之象。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：心平气和，才有发展。

财运：和气生财，损己利人。

家宅：地势宜平；夫妇得正。

身体：修身养性。

传统解卦

这个卦是异卦（下兑上艮）相叠。艮为山；兑为泽。上山下泽，大泽浸蚀山根。损益相间，损中有益，益中有损。二者之间，不可不慎重对待。损下益上，治理国家，过度会损伤国基。应损则损，但必量力、适度。少损而益最佳。

大象：山高水深，各得其所，因损得益之象。

运势：现况诸事不顺，有破财之象，虽先损失，但后反而得益，因祸得福。

事业：开拓事业要有所投入，投入多少应事先精心算计，力求损益得当。诸事皆应有节度，切忌欺诈、贪婪。天下事克己最难，务必严格要求自己，刻苦奋斗，手段灵活，争取事业成功。

经商：全面调查市场行情，计算投入和收益的比例。不必过于计较利润的多少，获利即可。真诚与他人合作，彼此信任，手段灵活，切勿自我封闭。

求名：为了成长进步，务必有所投入，且应付诸实践。以损增益，成就理想。

婚恋：全面权衡对方的长处与短处，应从大处着眼。

决策：为人聪颖，善于权衡利弊。顺应自然发展规律，积极主动与他人合作，助人为乐，适度投入，资助他人，而自己要宁俭勿奢。如此，诸事都可以十分顺利。

第四十一卦的哲学含义

损卦卦象，山泽损卦的象征意义

损卦，这个卦是异卦相叠。上卦为艮，下卦为兑，艮为山；兑为泽。兑下艮上，说明山下有泽。泽水由下向上渗透，滋润山上万物生长，但是却使泽水减少。所以兑下艮上这一卦被命名为含有减少之意的“损”。

从另一个角度来看，艮上兑下，山上泽下，意味着大泽浸蚀山根。损下益上，治理国家，过度会损伤国基。应损则损，但必量力、适度。少损而益最佳。损卦象征着损益相间，损中有益，益中有损。二者之间，不可不慎重对待。

损卦位于解卦之后，《序卦》中这样解释道：“缓必有所失，故受之以损。”解卦在缓和了困难之后，一定会因松懈而造成损失，所以接着就出现了损卦。

《象》中对本卦的解释是：山下有泽，损；君子以惩忿窒欲。这里指出：损卦的卦象是兑（泽）下艮（山）上，为山下有湖泽之表象，湖泽因为滋润山上的万物而减损自己，这就是损卦的含义。按照这一现象中包含的哲理来做人，君子就应该抑制狂怒暴躁的脾性，杜绝私欲，多做点有益于大家的事情。

损卦象征着减损，是下下卦。《象》中这样来断此卦：时动不至费心多，比作推车受折磨，山路崎岖吊下耳，做插右按按不着。

41.山泽损(䷨)-高岛易断

卦体上山下泽，山高也，高者愈高，谓之益上；泽卑也，卑者愈卑，谓之损下。故下不可损，损在下而益在上，谓之《损》；下本当《益》，《益》在下而《损》在上，谓之《益》。《损》《益》之理固相反，而《损》《益》之用适相济。人第知其《损》也，而不知《益》即益其《损》；人第知《益》也，而不知《损》即损其《益》。是以《序卦》先《损》而后《益》。事先简而后烦，礼先俭而后奢，物先虚而后盈，故《易》道先《损》。损《兑》益《益》，所以为《损》。

损：有孚，元吉，无咎，可贞，利有攸往。曷之用二簋，可用享。

“损”通咸，有心为感，无心为咸。咸，感孚也，故曰“有孚”，以其所损者，出于中心之诚，有足以见信于人也。不然，《损》主节俭，而俭不中礼，卒来讥刺，咎且难免，奚见“元吉”乎？惟损而“有孚”，斯人感其诚，自得“元吉”，复何咎？而可正，以斯而往，无往不利也。《损》俭如此，何用丰为乎？约之“二簋”，亦可“用享”，不特有孚于人，且可上孚夫神明矣。

《彖传》曰：损，损下益上，其道上行。损而有孚，元吉，无咎，可贞，利有攸往。曷之用二簋，可用享。二簋应有时，损刚益柔有时。损，益，盈，虚，与时偕行。

《损》，减省也，减《乾》下之刚，以益《坤》上之柔，故谓之“损下益上”，亦即“损刚益柔”也。《益》在于上，故谓之“其道上行”。“有孚”者，以孚行损，则《损》下而下不病其损，《益》上而上不嫌其益，上下交孚，吉莫大焉，复有何咎？“贞”，正也，谓可以正其未孚也。《艮》在上，《艮》止也，《艮》得其益，则不为止而为往，故曰“利有攸往”。《损》既“有孚”，《损》自“无咎”，何必用丰？《损》之又损，即“二簋”亦可“用享”矣。《震》为祭，《艮》为宗庙，有用享之象。“簋”，盛黍稷之器，按礼簋多用八用六，今用二，是从《损》也。享以诚孚，故虽二簋可也。然《损》宜应时，时而当《损》，太羹不以为俭；时不当《损》，豚肩终伤其隘。故损益盈虚，要贵“与时偕行”也。

以此卦拟人事，《损》，节省也，节财为《损》，节欲亦为《损》。节财所以利用；节欲在于清心，此固人事之要也。顾可损而《损》，虽损之而不以为《损》；不可损而《损》，即不损而已疑其《损》。凡人事之动辄得咎者，皆由于损其所《损》，而不能见信于人；不信于人，则有损无益，咎且不免，奚以得吉？或损大益小，止且不可，奚以能往？是以《损》卦，首曰“损，有孚”。卦体《艮》上《兑》下，《艮》，止也，《兑》，悦也，有孚则悦止相承，“山泽通气”，刚柔合志，上下交孚矣，不特在己愿受其损，即在人亦不疑其损。故用之于家，而财用省；用之于身，而情欲寡；极其用以格神明，而神明亦享其诚，从其啬，可无用丰也，有所往，乌乎不利也？夫亦因乎其时而已矣，若时不当损，而概从节俭，或讥其损人而益己，或斥其损公而益私，是为人事之患，咎复何辞？故人事当察夫天时，观日月之盈昃，寒暑之往来，即可知“损益，盈，虚，与时偕行”之道也。

以此卦拟国家，国家之制，田有赋，廛有征，货物出入有税，此皆损下以益上也。当其全盛，上不必须索夫下，下自乐输将夫上，上施其仁，下怀其德，朝野一心，无事则献豵私豜以奉上，有事则箪食壶浆以迎师，所谓信则民任者，此也。得其信，则上下交孚，其道有吉而无咎，其用无往而不利，其义贵与时而偕行，取其约勿取其丰，惟其诚不维其物，可以裕国，可以理财，推之亦即可以格宗庙。凡国家之损益盈虚，惟在法夫天以应夫时而已矣。六爻言《损》，酌盈虚，审彼我，度终始，义各有在。初“酌损”，二“弗损”，三“损一”，四“损疾”，五不曰损，上亦曰“弗损”。盖卦虽曰《损》，爻多不言损也。初、二、上皆曰“志”，三曰“疑”，四曰“喜”，五曰“祐”，其道皆取其孚也。盖治国之道，首在得民心，民心未得，虽上曰施其惠，而民不知感也；得其民心，民将曰小民之饮食日用，皆出自上之所施也，何敢自私其有乎？虽损之不以为怨也。《损》卦首揭“有孚”二字，其旨深远，最宜体玩。

通观全卦，卦下体，本《乾》三画皆刚，为有余而当损也；上体本《坤》三画皆柔，为不足而当益也，谓之“损下益上，其道上行”。《损》《益》为盛衰之机，亦即为《否》《泰》之兆。《损》自《泰》来，《益》自《否》来，《损》二五失位，《益》二五得位，可以见《否》《泰》之相反也。《损》《兑》有余，补《艮》不足，上下相洽，止悦相承，是以《益》卦不待孚而民悦，《损》卦必先孚而乃吉。以《损》为人情所不欲，然人情固忧缺乏而求盈，君子则恶盈满而思节。“二簋”虽薄，可享宗庙，道在以诚为贵耳。“二簋”指《兑》之二阳，谓其简略也。上卦爻辞，多取“有孚”之旨，下卦爻辞，多取用享之象，合之皆取悦而止之义。然非谓刚之尽可损，柔之尽可益也，时可损则《损》，时可益则《益》，非人之所能强致焉，故曰“损刚益柔有时，损益盈虚，与时偕行”。

《大象》曰：山下有泽，损。君子以惩忿窒欲。

地以益而成山，即以损而成泽。山泽本损益之物，不益则山必崩，不损则泽必涸，此卦之所以名《损》也。在人之易发而难制者，无如忿，易炽而难绝者，无如欲。君子见此象，知怒气之盛，势足拔山，故必惩之，以遏刚强之性；贪念之深，盈难填壑，故必窒之，以塞利窦之源。怒起于刚，“惩忿”以息其既往；贪牵于情，“窒欲”以闲其将来。《艮》山止而《兑》泽塞，皆有《损》之象焉。

【占】　问时运：目下行运不正，宜自惩忿。

○　问营商：营商原在谋财，宜和气，不宜恃气，宜审利，不宜放利。

○　问功名：忿欲不除，虽有功名，恐不能保其终也。

○　问战征：“山下有泽”，防山下深处，有敌兵埋伏。

○　问婚姻：卦自《咸》《恒》来，女悦而男止，夫妇之道，得其正也。

○　问家宅：此宅后有高山，前有深泽，地势颇险，宜开凿之使平。

○　问讼事：不使气，不贪财，讼自平矣。

○　问失物：不得。

○　问六甲：单月生男，双月生女。

Judgment

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.

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.

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.

Ritsema/Karcher: Diminishing, possessing conformity. Spring significant. Without fault, permitting Trial. Harvesting: possessing directed going. Askingwhy: having availing of. Two platters permit availing-of presenting. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of sacrifice and loss. It emphasizes that lessening yourself and decreasing your involvements is the adequate way to handle it...]

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

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.

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.

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.

Ritsema/Karcher: Below mountain possessing marsh. Diminishing. A chun tzu uses curbing anger to block the appetites.

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.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In Compensating Sacrifice the lower trigram is diminished to increase the upper, and the flow is upward. The two baskets of grain accord with the time. There is a time when the strong should be diminished and the weak strengthened. Decrease and increase, overflowing and emptiness, take place in harmony with the demands of the time.

Legge: Ch'eng-tzu says: "Every diminution and repression of what we have in excess to bring it into accordance with right and reason is comprehended under Compensating Sacrifice. If there is sincerity in doing this it will lead to success and happiness, and even if the offering is small, yet it will be accepted."

The K'ang-hsi editors say: "What is meant by diminishing in this hexagram is the regulation of expenditure or contribution according to the time. This would vary in a family according to its poverty or wealth, and in a state according to the abundance or scantiness of its resources. If one supplements the insufficiency of his offering with the abundance of his sincerity, the insignificance of his two baskets will not be despised." The waters of a marsh are continually rising up in vapor to bedew the hill above it, and thus increase its verdure. What is taken from the marsh gives increase to the hill.

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: A sacrifice creates equilibrium. The Superior Man sacrifices his appetites to a higher principle. The traditional name for this hexagram is Decrease, but the lines and commentary all describe a compensating exchange of forces to attain equilibrium. The idea of "sacrifice" is mentioned in the Judgment, and that also might make a good title, though the image of two baskets of grain suggests a balancing scale: a "compensating" device. In this hexagram, the flow of energy

moves from below upwards -- the waters of the lake or marsh are dispersed to enrich the mountain. In psychological terms we think of the ego sacrificing or decreasing its autonomy to achieve psychic equilibrium with the Self: we forfeit something valuable to obtain something even more valuable. Without this quid pro quo, the concept of sacrifice is meaningless and irrational. A sacrifice is meant to be a loss, so that one may be sure that the egoistic claim no longer exists. Therefore the gift should be given as if it were being destroyed. But since the gift represents myself, I have in that case destroyed myself, given myself away without expectation of return. Yet, looked at in another way, this intentional loss is also a gain, for if you can give yourself it proves that you possess yourself. Nobody can give what he has not got.

Jung -- Transformation Symbolism in the Mass Compare the Image message from hexagram number 15, Temperance with the notion of a compensating balance: "The superior man, in accordance with this, diminishes his excesses to augment his insufficiencies, thus creating a

just balance." We are reminded of another "Temperance" -- the 14th Arcanum of the Tarot, which depicts an angel pouring water from one vessel into another: "compensating." A comparison of its symbolism with that of hexagram number 41 yields many insights: The Path of ... TEMPERANCE, leads from ... the Personality [ego] to the Higher Self ... The whole experience is one of preparation of the

Personality [ego], and the body in which it is operating, to deal with an influx of Light which would be devastating to a system unready to handle such energy. Most important here is the monitoring of progress, the continual testing from above. It is the angel here which is at once the Higher Self and the initiatory forces of Nature, which pours the elixir from vase to vase. This is an ongoing process of testing; measuring to see how much the physical vehicle can bear.

R. Wang -- The Qabalistic Tarot Without belaboring the point, we can see that all sacrifice is a kind of remuneration: it couldn't be otherwise in an interconnected universe. The Image instruction for the superior man to “control his anger” is also echoed in the Temperance card. This relates to: ...an aspect of the Mysteries only rarely discussed, and certainly germane to the Twenty-Fifth Path [the Kabbalistic equivalent of the relationship between lines one and four in this hexagram]: this is the very real hostility often felt by the student toward the Path itself, as he works day after day and seems to be getting nowhere. Such hostility and frustration is in itself a major test; it is part and parcel of the work prior

to the emergence of inner proofs. -- Ibid "Decrease with sincerity" (Liu) refers to one's continuous sacrifice for the goals of the Work, and "curbing anger" (Ritsema/Karcher) is how one handles the archetypal forces evoked when the decrease seems endless and you've yet to receive anything in return. Like any other hexagram, Compensating Sacrifice can symbolize an infinity of possible situations, but psychologically speaking we can first regard it as an image of sacrifice for the purpose of attaining a balance of power within the psyche. Without the sacrificial devotion of the ego, the Self cannot attain its will; and if the Self can't make it, the ego is doomed by default.