05 · 水天需

需。有孚，光亨，贞吉。利涉大川。

需卦：抓到俘虏。大吉大利，吉利的卜问。有利于涉水渡河。

象曰：云上于天，需；君子以饮食宴乐。

《象辞》说：需的上卦为坎，表示云；下卦为乾，表示天。云浮聚于天上，待时降雨是需卦的卦象。君子观此卦象，可以宴饮安乐，待时而动。

需卦坎上乾下，为坤宫游魂卦。需为踌躇、期待，虽然刚强，但前面有险阻，应当等待，涉大川则利。

北宋易学家邵雍解

坎陷当前，遇阻不进；大器晚成，收成在后。

得此卦者，时机尚未成熟，需要耐心等待，急进反会见凶。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：时机尚未成熟，耐心等待。

财运：资本未集，无法开张。

家宅：平安是福。

身体：调节饮食，健康有望。

这个卦是异卦（下乾上坎）相叠，下卦是乾，刚健之意；上卦是坎，险陷之意。以刚逢险，宜稳健之妥，不可冒失行动，观时待变，所往一定成功。

大象：云登天上而未雨，不能急进，等待时机之象。

运势：智者必须待时而行，急进反见凶险。

事业：关键在于审时度势，耐心等待，事成于安祥，切勿冒险，欲速不达。自己要充满自信，临危不惧，坚守中正，必可化险为夷。情况有利时，仍得居安思危。

经商：行动之初，情况困难，必须以极大的耐心，创造条件和机会，行事光明磊落，观时待变，实现愿望。事情接近成功时，更应小心谨慎，切莫功亏一篑。

求名：时机尚不成熟，应耐心等待。这时应坚定信念，不为闲言流语所动摇，努力丰富自己，再求助可靠的人便可成功。

婚恋：慎重，切不可草率行事，逐渐培养感情，以诚实、热情相待，会发生变故，仍可以有良好的结局。双方都应懂得以柔克刚的道理。

决策：前途光明，有雄心大志，且可实现。为此需要积蓄实力，等待时机，大器晚成。本人具有坚强的意志，冷静的头脑。前进途中会遇到困难和险阻，必须十分谨慎，坦然对待小人的中伤，在灾祸在面前能镇静自若。不轻举妄动，冷静选择方向。为人谦和、坦率，多有他人相助，促使事业成功。当时机成熟后，必然一帆风顺。

需卦，本卦是异卦相叠，上卦为坎，下卦为乾。乾卦象征天空辽阔，坎卦象征乌云密布。雨水之于传统农业社会而言，是最大的需求，因此用这个意象来表现。古人引申为雨将下，万物皆待，所以叫需。

需，古体字结构是“雨上天下”，从雨而声。如苍天下雨，滋养万物及人。从人的角度看，天下雨，则不易出行耕作，因此在家喝酒吃肉、静待天时。所以，这一卦的基本象征就是等待、不进，还有饮食之义。

需卦位于蒙卦之后，《序卦》之中这样解释道：“物稚不可不养也，故受之以需。需者，饮食之道也。”有所需要，也是有所等待。

《象》曰：云上于天，需;君子以饮食宴乐。

《象》中这段话的意思是说：需卦的卦象是乾(天)下坎(水)上，为水在天上之表象。水汽聚集天上成为云层，密云満天，但还没有下雨，需要等待;君子在这个时候需要吃喝，饮酒作乐，即在等待的时候积蓄力量。

需卦象征等待，启示人们守正待机的道理，属于中上卦。《象》这样评断此卦：明珠土埋日久深，无光无亮到如今，忽然大风吹土去，自然显露有重新。

05. 水天需(䷄)-高岛易断

“需”字，古文作

，本从天，非而字，即下卦《乾》天，上卦《坎》云之象形也。《大象》曰：“云上于天，需”是也。音须，从雨得声，此字训待之义。详《 彖传》下。

需：有孚，光亨，贞吉，利涉大川。

▲　金文需

九五以阳陷阴中，待三阳之进；三阳亦欲进而未进，是以得同心之孚。虽在少时阴暗未消，而乾阳方升，自能光显亨通，而安贞有吉也。险莫如大川，上下相孚，阳长阴衰，往而涉之，必有利，惟在需其时而已。《坎》《乾》两卦，其中实，故曰“孚”；互卦《离》，为光为舟；坎水为川，以乾健临之，故“利涉”也。

《彖传》曰：需，须也，险在前也。刚健而不陷，其义不困穷矣。需有孚，光亨，贞吉，位乎天位，以正中也。利涉大川，往有功也。

此卦水气蒸发为云，云升于天，则大雨之来可立待也，故曰《需》。又《乾》为老父在内，《坎》为中男在外，倚阁之望，待子归来；又《乾》为进，《坎》为川，欲进而遭大水，必待水退而进，皆“需”之义也。凡需之为象不一，而莫急于饮食，外卦《坎》为饮食，而互《兑》口，是以九五日“需于酒食”，《象传》曰：“需，君子以饮食宴乐。”盖万物必需雨泽而得生，人则需饮食而养生，是《需》之义也。

以此拟人事，内卦为我，具刚健才力以求进也，外卦为彼，设危险之策略以阻我也。进则必陷于险，未可妄动，惟宜需时，或需彼之奸计败露，或需我之气运亨通，斯进而谋事，方无险阻之患矣。然世人往往虚浮轻躁，不待时机，而任气直前，未有不身陷祸患者也。此卦下卦为《乾》，惟“刚健而不陷”，故“其义不困穷”也。至九五之时，危险解释，得志尤 易，自可成就大事，谓之“需，有孚，光亨，贞吉，位乎天位，以正中也，利涉大川，往有功也”。凡《易》中曰“光”，曰“光大”者，皆谓其光明正大，能奏成功也。六十四卦中，曰“利涉大川”者凡七，《需》居其首。自古创造舟揖，以济涉川，然时或风涛凶恶，多以不能忍耐，致遭覆溺，《需》卦故首戒之。惟其能需，是以“利涉大川”也。谚曰“急行者要迂回”，此之谓也。大凡人之为事，皆不当顾虑目前，与其速进而有悔，何如后时而圆功？大而求功名，以匡济国政，小而谋财产，以振兴家业，无不当待时而动也，故曰“往有功也”。

以此卦拟国家，下卦《乾》为人民，挟刚健之才力，欲进而参与政事；上卦《坎》为政府，禁下卦人民之暴进，示以法律。人民恐陷于危险，而不敢进，必待法网稍宽，斯可谋进矣。上卦政府，知下民有待泽之意，怜其陷于困难，布施雨泽，以苏民生，或减其租税，或谋其衣食，或开垦荒田，以资耕种，或赈发米粟，以济凶歉，故《 系辞》曰：“需者，饮食之道也。”下卦之人民，具健行之德，非不思进谋国是，因时运未通，不得不隐居求志。是上下共守需道，庶几可得幸福，谓之“需，有孚，光亨，贞吉，利涉大川”也。

通观此卦，初九从二阳之后，有进行之志，虑遇险而难为，未敢轻进。九二，为三阳之主，本可进行，但以坎险在前，恐进而有咎，是以从容待时，即所谓“君子居《易》以俟命”也。九三，重刚而不中，独进而涉坎险，以致酿灾，惟能敬慎，尚可不败。六四，位邻九五，虽能尽其忠诚，而乏匡济之才，为下三阳所疑，未免受伤，仅得以身免而已。九五，秉刚健中正之德，以待天命，是能尽需之道也，故曰吉。上六，当爻之终，险陷已极，无复可需，虽有非意之来，“敬之终吉”。乃知需之为时，能含忍守敬，皆可免祸。需之时义大矣哉！

《象》曰：云上于天，需。君子以饮食宴乐。

《坎》云在上，《乾》天在下，阴阳之气未交，而不成雨。盖云在天上，虽有雨兆，或散而复晴，犹之君子养其才德，虽欲出而济世，而风云未会，不得施其膏泽。若怨天尤人，梯荣干进，是小人不知时命者之所为也。所谓“饮食”者，非侈意醉饱之谓，如孔子之饭蔬饮 水，颜子之一簟一瓢也。所谓“宴乐”者，非溺情逸娱之谓，如考磐之足以悲歌，卫门之可以栖迟是也。以其能素位而行，不愿乎外，故曰“饮食宴乐”。余谓我国商人，以当地经营不合，出游外国，劳心劳力，自谋衣食，及一旦报内地凶歉，在外洋贩运米谷，赈济饥馑，藉以获利者，亦需之道也。

【占】　　问战征：需，待也，云在天上，阴阳未交，未可战也。《乾》为君子，又为武人，属主帅言。《坎》为酒，故曰“饮食宴乐”，盖言行军先备军粮也。

○　问营商：玩爻辞，想是贩运粮食，或开设酒馆之业也。曰“云上于天”，是云在上而雨未下，想是资本未集也，故曰《需》。

○　问功名：是风云未际其会，尚有待也。

○　问疾病：宜以饮食调剂，安乐自遣，遣久自愈。

○　问六甲：生男。

Judgment

Legge: Waiting intimates that with sincerity and firmness there will be brilliant success and good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great stream.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting. If you are sincere, you have light and success. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.

Blofeld: Calculated inaction (or exhibiting the power to wait) and the confidence of others win brilliant success. Righteous persistence brings good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great river (or sea). [The significance of this hexagram is that inaction while awaiting the outcome of events will enable us to avoid a danger now threatening. Firmness, clarity of mind and success in winning the confidence of others are now demanded of us; with them, our undertakings will prosper. Moreover, this period of inaction is a good time in which to go on a journey or else for relaxation and enjoyment.]

Liu: Waiting. If you are sincere you will have glory (light) and success. Continuing leads to good fortune. It is of benefit to cross the great water (to travel to remote places).

Ritsema/Karcher: Attending, possessing conformity. Shining Growing,

Trial: significant. Harvesting: wading the Great River. (Editor: "Possessing conformity" is translated as: ... "Inner and outer are in accord; confidence of the spirits has been captured...") [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of being compelled to wait for and serve something. It emphasizes that fixing your attention on what is required while waiting carefully for the right moment to act is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to: attend!]

Shaughnessy: Moistened: There is a return, radiant receipt; determination is auspicious; beneficial to ford the great river.

Cleary (1): In Waiting there is sincerity and great development. It is good to be correct. It is beneficial to cross a great river.

Cleary (2): Waiting with truthfulness lights up success in correct orientation toward good. It is beneficial to cross a great river.

Wu: Waiting indicates having confidence. It is brilliant and pervasive and auspicious to be persevering. It will be advantageous to cross the big river.

The Image

Legge: The image of clouds ascending over the sky forms Waiting. The superior man, in accordance with this, eats and drinks, feasts and enjoys himself as if there were nothing else to employ him.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Clouds rise up to heaven: the image of Waiting. Thus the superior man eats and drinks, is joyous and of good cheer.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes clouds rising to the zenith -- inactivity! The Superior Man will pass this time in feasting and enjoyment.

Liu: Clouds rise up in the sky; this symbolizes Waiting. The superior man enjoys his food and drink. He remains relaxed and happy.

Ritsema/Karcher: Above clouds with-respect-to heaven. Attending. A chun tzu uses drinking [and] taking-in to repose delighting.

Cleary (1): Clouds rise to heaven, waiting. The superior person makes merry with food and drink.

Wu: The clouds ascend to the sky; this is Waiting. Thus the jun zi enjoys food and peace.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Waiting shows peril in front, but its subject does not allow himself to be involved in the dangerous defile. The success in sincerity and good fortune in firmness are shown by the position of the fifth line which is correctly situated in the central place assigned by Heaven. Crossing the great stream will be followed by meritorious achievement.

Legge: Waiting is composed of the lower trigram of strength and the upper trigram of peril. Strength confronted by peril might be expected to advance boldly and deal with it at once, but the lesson of the hexagram is that it is wiser to wait until success is sure. In the situation at hand, firm correctness is all that is required for eventual victory.

"Crossing the great stream" is a frequent expression in the I Ching which symbolizes the undertaking of hazardous enterprises, or encountering great difficulties. Historically it refers to the Yellow River which the lords of Chou had to cross in their revolution against the Yin Dynasty tyrants. The crossing made by King Wu in 1122 B.C. was one of the greatest deeds in the history of China, and was preceded by a long period of waiting until success could be assured. Regarding the Image, it is said that the cloud that has risen to the top of the sky has nothing to do but wait until the harmony of heaven and earth require it to discharge its store of rain. The superior man is likewise counseled to enjoy his idle time while waiting for the correct moment to deal with the approaching danger.

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Strength in the face of danger here consists of the will to sit tight and do nothing. The Superior Man carries on as if nothing was the matter, and nourishes himself through inaction.

There are many kinds of courage -- perhaps the greatest of all is the courage to remain unflinchingly in place when all the circumstances seem to cry out for action. It takes far more courage to wait for the dragon to slowly come to you than to rush forth and attack him in his lair. As a strategy, to out-wait your opponent through pure willpower and inner strength can be more effective than a

direct attack -- but it can only succeed when you are truly strong. It is as if the real battle takes place on the inner planes, and the first one to act in the world thereby concedes defeat.

A very large part of the Work consists in disciplining oneself to wait -- to take no action until some indefinite time in the future. This is exceedingly

difficult to do, and creates incredible stresses within the psyche -- which is exactly why it is necessary. Psychologically, to "cross the great stream" is to subdue all of the autonomous instincts, drives and emotions that are accustomed to responding whenever they are stimulated. As long as waiting creates feelings of stress, you can be sure that the battle has not been won. When you can wait like

the superior man -- as if there were nothing else to do, then you can allow yourself to hope that you may be getting somewhere. To nourish oneself through inaction is to digest and absorb the energy of one's instinctive responses. As in any nourishing assimilation, their strength then becomes your strength. The true adept is one who has digested all of his passion and is thereby empowered to use it for his own purposes. Instead of engaging in civil war, he has united his forces to act in the world.

Tradition says that Moses did not set the Tabernacle up straight away, but delayed for three months, despite the fact that the people wanted to dedicate it at once. In this is repeated a lesson of patience concerning matters of the spirit. For instead of accepting their Teacher's word, which conveyed the will of God, the Israelites sought to impose their own will over what they had made ... This phenomenon is not unknown among those who cannot wait, which is a vital part of esoteric training. Unfortunately, it has to be demonstrated over and over again that the timing of a spiritual event is contingent upon a cosmic schedule, and not the will of the individual.

Z.B.S. Halevi -- Kabbalah and Exodus