08 · 水地比

比卦原文

比。吉。原筮，元永贞，无咎。不宁方来，后夫凶。

象曰：地上有水，比。先王以建万国，亲诸侯。

白话文解释

比卦：吉利。同时再卜筮，仍然大吉大利。卜问长时期的吉凶，也没有灾祸。不愿臣服的邦国来朝，迟迟不来者有难。

《象辞》说：下卦为坤，上卦为坎，坤为地，坎为水，像地上有水，这是比卦的卦象。先王观此卦象，取法于水附大地，地纳江河之象，封建万国，亲近诸侯。

《断易天机》解

比卦坎上坤下，为坤宫归魂卦。比为相亲相依附之意，长期如此，就会无咎，所以吉祥。

北宋易学家邵雍解

水行地上，亲比欢乐；人情亲顺，百事无忧。

得此卦者，可获朋友之助，众人之力，谋事有成，荣显之极。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：众人相贺，荣显之极。

财运：善人相扶，大发利市。

家宅：百年好合。

身体：心腹水肿，宜早求治。

传统解卦

这个卦是异卦（下坤上坎）相叠，坤为地，坎为水。水附大地，地纳河海，相互依赖，亲密无间。此卦与师卦完全相反，互为综卦。它阐述的是相亲相辅，宽宏无私，精诚团结的道理。

大象：一阳统五阴，比邻相亲相辅，和乐之象。

运势：平顺，可得贵人提拔，凡事宜速战速决，不可过份迟疑。

事业：顺利能够成功，向前发展，可以得到他人的帮助和辅佐，以诚实、信任的态度去做事。待人宽厚、正直，主动热情，向才德高尚的人士学习，听取建议。

经商：愿望能够实现，且有较丰厚的利润，但需要与他人密切合作，真诚交往，讲究商业道德，遵守信义，如唯利是图，贪心不足，或自以为是，会导致严重损失。

求名：有成功的希望，不仅要靠个人的努力，更为重要的是他人的赏识和栽培。

婚恋：美好姻缘，相亲相爱，彼此忠诚，白头到老。

决策：心地善良，待人忠诚、厚道，乐于帮助他人，也能得到回报。工作勤恳，对自己要求严格，可以实现自己的理想，但要多动脑筋，多思考，善于判断是非，尤其要注意选择朋友，一旦结上品行不端的人，会成为自己的祸患。如果与比自己高明的人交朋友，并取得帮助，会终身受益。

第八卦的哲学含义

“比”，就其这一字本义是互相靠近，字形是两个人挨近一起，并列紧靠，如鱗次栉比。

比，不但是指人与人的团结互助，也指国家与国家之间的关系，如《周礼夏官》形方氏中有“大国比小国”一语，说是大国亲近小国的意思。但作为《比》卦，实乃论述比邻以及论述用亲附和和征伐进行联盟之卦。

比卦位于师卦之后，《序卦》中这样解释本卦：“众必有所比，故受之以比。”师是众人的意思，人多了一定会有所亲近，所以接着是比卦。《杂卦》说：“比乐师忧。”意为，比卦喜乐，师卦忧苦。

《象》曰：地上有水，比。先王以建万国，亲诸侯。

比卦上卦为坎为水， 下卦为坤为地，地上有水 便是比卦的卦象。水在大 地上慌动，泥土因为有了 水而湿润可以养育万物， 这就像君王巡视四方，恩 泽四方，群民与君王一条 心，共同辅佐君王，而君王 居安思危，能够严谨治国。可见，这一卦确实是充满了喜悦与欢乐的。

08.水地比(䷇)-高岛易断

“比”字篆书作二人相比之象。比则亲，亲则相辅，相辅则乐。又作炏，炏以联属一体为义。此卦坎水在坤地之上，水得地而流行，地得水而滋润，故相亲辅而和合，因名此卦曰《比》。《 彖传》曰，“比，辅也”；《序卦传》曰，“比者，亲也”；《杂卦传》曰，“比乐”，皆同义也。以卦象言之，九五一阳位中正，上下五阴爻皆比而从之。

比：吉。原筮，元永贞，无咎。不宁方来，后夫凶。

▲　甲骨文比

▲　篆书比

此卦《坎》上《坤》下，惟五爻一阳主全体，五柔皆归，故曰《比》。“原”，推原也，谓原其所始也。“筮”者，分析辨别之意，或作筮蓍解，然皆所以决疑，意亦相通，不必拘泥。“元”，即坤元之元。“永”者长也，有坎水长流之象。“贞”谓道得其正。上之比下，要必有此三者；下之从上，亦必求此三者，斯无咎矣。“原筮”者，谓推原诸柔来从，果得此“元永贞”之道否。《坎》为加忧，“不宁”之象，民有不宁，必从君以求安，君有不宁，必得民而共保，上下相应，则来者自宁。四柔既比，其比在前，六来独后，故曰“后夫”，五不受之，其道穷矣，是以凶也。

《彖传》曰：比，吉也。比，辅也，下顺从也。原筮，元永贞，无咎，以刚中也。不宁方来，上下应也。后夫凶，其道穷也。

“辅”者，助也，九五一阳居尊位，与五阴亲比，有下助上之象，孟子所谓“多助之至，天下顺之”是也，吉莫大焉，故曰“比吉也，比辅也，下顺从也”。“原筮”以下七字，主九五而言，九五为成卦之主，具阳刚之德，居中正之位，故曰“以刚中也”。“不宁方来”一句，就初、二、三、四四明言，九五以刚中施亲比之道，则天下众阴，皆服从而来，故曰“上下应也”。“后夫凶”一句，就上六而言，上六处阴之极，刚愎不逊，是为顽梗之夫，归附独后，为众所疏，故曰“其道穷也”

以此卦拟人事，父子兄弟夫妇，彝伦之中，自然亲比。朋友以义合，有贵贱、长少、亲疏、贤愚之等差，择之最宜分明。别其是非，辨其邪正，谚曰“近朱者赤”，交之不正，相匿而并入歧路，所谓小人比也。故当推原筮决，必其人有“元永贞”之德，然后相与亲比。“原筮”者，筮之于相亲之始，慎之至也；“元”者，统万善也；“永”者，谓能久于其道也；“贞”者，谓得正道而固守之也。比非其人，后必有咎，故曰“原筮，元永贞，无咎”。如孔子所云，晏平仲善与人交，久而敬之是也。夫人心莫不欲求友，比得其正，虽疏远之人，亦感其德义，自求亲睦，谓之“不宁方来”。然君子小人，各异其趣，往往有顽梗之夫，不服德化，虽后亦归附，其来已迟，是比道穷也，故谓之“后夫凶”。

以此卦拟国家，九五之君，施膏泽于下，六四、六二，皆奉戴九五君意，尽力于国家，于是亿兆之民，感其威德，上下亲比。此卦《坎》上《坤》下，恰如 水土相济，融洽为一。以上比下，为一人而抚四海，以下比上，自四海而仰一人，上下相助，君民一体，谓之“比吉也，比辅也，下顺从也”。“比辅”者，臣亲其君也；“顺从”者，民亲其上也。然上非有刚中之德，不足当下之亲比，下非有“元永贞”之德，不足当上之亲比，是以必当推原而占决之也，谓之“原筮，元永贞，无咎，以刚中也”。《比》之初，上下之情或犹未通，不来者不宁，来者自宁，谓之“不宁方来，上下应也”。“方”者，来而不已之辞，取下四阴顺从也。当此时有不服风教，不服德义，刚愎负气，自取困难者，是为顽夫，其凶可知也。穷而后求比，其谁亲之！上六居《比》之极，以不得比，穷无所归，谓之“后夫凶，其道穷也”。郦生所谓“后服者先亡”是也。

通观此卦，初爻为远人，二爻为贤士，三爻为求进之士，四爻为在位之宰相，五爻为君，上爻为化外之民。此皆莫非王民，而休咎不同者，物情自不能齐也。此卦次《师》，《师》《比》二卦，同是一阳五阴。《易》中一阳之卦凡六，其最吉者莫如《比》卦，以其九五一阳居天位，而“上下应之”也。又《师》《比》共为得位之卦，得君位者为《比》，得臣位者为《师》。“《师》者，众也”，众不能无争，争则乱，靖乱以武，孚之以德，所以《比》次于《师》。《师》之群阴来而居下，载九五阳刚中正之君，有乱后得明主，各安其位之象。

《大象》曰：地上有水，比。先王以建万国，亲诸侯。

水之性平，地之道顺，水在地上，散则为万，合则为一。先王见此象，而分封有功之臣于各地，以为王室之藩屏，亲抚战后穷民，轻减其租税，平均其法律，沛其恩泽，如 水之润物，无不浃洽。夫天下之大，可以一人统之，不可以一人治之，必建国置侯，有朝聘往来之礼，以结其欢，有巡狩述职之典，以通其情。天子犹大海朝宗之众水，其亲诸侯，犹身之使肱，则诸侯服顺君德之渥，其于民犹肱之使指。是封建之制，虽与方今郡县之治异其体，君主统治臣民之意，无有差违。谓之“先王以建万国，亲诸侯”，内卦为《坤》，万国之象，初爻变则为《震》，建侯之象。

【占】　问战征：玩爻象，其军威之盛，有如水就下，沛然莫御之势。一战平定，即当列土分封，建立屏藩。

○　问营商：水在地上，无处不流通，商业亦以流通为利。《比》，亲比也，得亲比之人以共事，斯商业可垂永远矣。

○　问功名：建国封侯为士生荣显之极品；《比》反《师》，《师》上六曰“大君有命，开国承家，”此之谓也。

○　问家宅：是宅必低洼近水，亦比近贵人之宅。宅基大吉。

○　问婚姻：《比》，比好也，地与水，本相亲比，占婚得此，必卜百年好合，且主贵。

○　问疾病： 坤为地，亦为腹，《坎》为水，亦为心，恐是心腹水肿之症。诸侯能治国，犹医能治病，宜切近求治。吉。

○　问六甲：生女，主贵。

Judgment

Legge: Holding Together indicates good fortune, but let the querent reexamine himself by divination whether his virtue is great, un-intermitting and firm. If so, there will be no error. Those who are ready will then join him, but those who delay will meet with misfortune.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Holding Together brings good fortune. Inquire of the oracle once again whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance; then there is no blame. Those who are uncertain gradually join. Whoever comes too late meets with misfortune.

Blofeld: Unity (or co-ordination). Good fortune! Further consultation of the oracle will provide an omen of great and lasting value. No error! Those whose hearts are troubled assemble. The laggards suffer disaster. [Just as the last hexagram deals ostensibly with military affairs, so does this one largely concern administration. For divination purposes, it should be regarded

figuratively -- unless a problem of administration is actually involved in the enquiry.]

Liu: Union. Good fortune. The prediction for one attempting union should be greatness, continuation, and constancy; no blame. If one hesitates, then joins late: misfortune.

Ritsema/Karcher: Grouping, significant. Retracing the oracle-consulting: Spring, perpetual Trial. Without fault. Not soothing, on-all-sides coming.

Afterwards, husbanding: pitfall. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of how you categorize people and things and how you relate to these categories. It emphasizes that joining people and things through recognizing their essential qualities is the adequate way to handle it.]

Shaughnessy: Alliance: auspicious. The original milfoil divination: prime; permanent determination is no trouble. The un-tranquil land comes; for the latter fellow inauspicious.

Cleary (1): Accord is auspicious. Investigating and ascertaining, if the basis is always right, there is no error: Then the uneasy will come; but the dilatory are unfortunate.

Cleary (2): Accord bodes well. Make sure the basis is always right, so that there will be no fault. Then the uneasy will come. Latecomers are unfortunate.

Wu: Subservience indicates auspiciousness. Seeking to confirm the intent and motivation of allegiance by divination is without fault. Those who seek peace can all come, but those who hesitate and come late will have ill fortune.

The Image

Legge: The image of the earth, and over it water, form Holding Together. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, established the various states and maintained an affectionate relation to their princes.

Wilhelm/Baynes: On the earth is water: the image of Holding Together. Thus the kings of antiquity bestowed the different states as fiefs and cultivated friendly relations with the feudal lords.

Blofeld: The hexagram symbolizes water lying upon the land -- coordination. [This is indicated by the nature of the component trigrams. It is by co-operation between the fertile earth and the water which irrigates it that growth is achieved.] The ancient rulers strengthened the realm by being on affectionate terms with the feudal lords. [This may suggest dealing kindly with immediate subordinates.]

Liu: Water over the earth symbolizes Union. The ancient kings established many states and were friendly with the feudal lords.

Ritsema/Karcher: Above earth possessing stream. Grouping. The Earlier Kings used installing myriad cities to connect the connoted feudatories.

Cleary (1): There is water on the earth, in accord. Thus did the kings of yore establish myriad realms and associate with their representatives.

Wu: There is water on the ground; this is Subservience. Thus the late kings founded the states and kept a personal relationship with all the princes.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Holding Together denotes help, and we see in the figure inferiors docilely following their superior. All that is said in the Judgment follows from the position of the dynamic line in the center of the upper trigram. Those who do not respond to him have exhausted their good fortune.

Legge: The idea of union between the different members and classes of a state and how it can be secured, is the subject of Holding Together. The dynamic line in the fifth place of authority represents the ruler to whom the subjects of all the other lines offer a ready submission. Generally, the second line is the proper correlate of the fifth, but here all of the other lines are also his subjects. Harmonious union is secured by the sovereign authority of the ruler, but he is warned to see that his virtue is worthy of his position, and his subjects are warned not to delay in submitting to him. Those who do not seek to promote and enjoy union until it is too late are left out in the cold. The sentiment is the same as that in the lines of Shakespeare about the tide in the affairs of men. In the Image, "water upon the face of the earth" suggests an emblem of close union.

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: The success of the Work is determined by the proper integration of intrapsychic forces. Separated and disparate forces are an index of its failure. Unremitting willpower is the catalyst for unity. Do you have the requisite will to facilitate this goal? Ask the oracle.

The Image: Archetypal intelligences (the gods) created many dimensions of awareness (Jung's collective unconscious or objective psyche), maintaining

benevolent contact with them all. ("Benevolent" refers to original intent -- Plato's

realm of ideal forms -- "The Good." This is the image of an evolving multiverse of awareness – a human psyche.) Psychologically interpreted, Holding Together depicts the Self as the fifth-line ruler surrounded by its satellite complexes. Astrologically rendered, we

see the same image in the solar system with its Sun surrounded by planets -- each symbolizing a faculty within the psyche (e.g., Mercury is intellect, Mars is aggression, etc). Viewed this way, the eighth hexagram portrays the functioning of a divine process. (Whenever the "ancient kings" are mentioned in the I Ching, we can take them as the symbolic architects of a primordial ideal of perfection.) The Image in Holding Together is an allegory of the Self establishing the various complexes within the psyche (the Sun establishing its planets) so that they can evolve into a reflection of the ideal intent of the Work. (In the timeless realms of hyperspace, the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem exist simultaneously, although here in spacetime, as key facilitators in a “work in progress,” we labor somewhere between cause and effect.) Although the psyche of a functional human being is held together relatively coherently, its inner relationships are continuously orbiting each other in cycles of change. (Astrological transits symbolize such changes.) The Tao of psychic evolution (the Work) is to respond to the changes consciously and coherently so that all forces eventually become synchronized with the will of their

source. The ego’s sole responsibility is to do this in the spacetime dimension for the benefit of the Self. In whatever way one may conceive the relationship between the individual self and the universal Self, be they regarded as identical or similar, distinct or united, it is most important to recognize clearly, and to retain ever present in theory and practice, the difference that exists

between the Self in its essential nature -- that which has been called the

‘fount', the ‘center', the ‘deeper being', the ‘apex' of ourselves -- and the small ordinary personality, the little ‘self' or ego, of which we are normally conscious. The disregard of this vital distinction leads to absurd and dangerous consequences.

Roberto Assagioli – Psychosynthesis The message for the superior man in this hexagram is the only injunction in the Book of Changes to re-consult the oracle. Implicit in this curious challenge is a need to evaluate your competence to further the Work. The answer should tell you the condition of your will. The will is, curiously, not recognized as the central and fundamental function of the ego. It has often been depreciated as being ineffective against the various drives and the power of the imagination, or it has been considered with suspicion as leading to self-assertion (will-topower). But the latter is only a perverted use of the will, while the apparent futility of the will is due only to a faulty and unintelligent use. The will is ineffective only when it attempts to act in opposition to the imagination and to the other psychological functions, while its skillful and consequently successful use consists in regulating and directing all other functions toward a deliberately chosen and affirmed aim.

Roberto Assagioli – Psychosynthesis The differences between hexagrams number seven and number eight are the differences between a geocentric and a heliocentric frame of reference – emphasizing the fact that the ego and the Self each perceive the psyche from an entirely different point of view.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

my ways not your ways -- it is Yahweh who speaks. Yes, the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.

Isaiah 55: 6-9