25. Innocence (The Unexpected) (无妄)

Innocence (Wuwang) refers to true principle operating naturally. The Shiji writes it as 'Wuwang' (无望), meaning to obtain without expecting anything, which is also an acceptable interpretation.

As a hexagram, it transforms from Hexagram 6 (Song): the nine comes from the second place to dwell at the beginning, becoming the master of Zhen, which moves without falsehood; hence it is Innocence (The Unexpected).

Furthermore, of the two trigrams, Zhen is movement and Qian is strength; Nine in the Fifth Place is firm and central, corresponding to Six in the Second Place. Therefore its divination is: great success, and furthering through correctness.

If one is not correct, there will be error, and it does not further one to undertake anything.

Speaking in terms of hexagram change, hexagram virtue, and hexagram structure, the goodness of the hexagram is as such; therefore its divination promises great success and furthering through correctness, which is the natural course of Heaven's mandate.

If there is incorrectness, it does not further one to undertake anything—for where could one wish to go? For it runs counter to Heaven's mandate and Heaven will not assist it; therefore one must not take action.

Thunder rolls under Heaven, shaking and bringing forth the ten thousand things, each rectifying its nature and destiny; this is endowing each and every thing with innocence.

The former kings took this as their model to nurture things in accordance with the seasons, following their inherent natures without personal bias.

In the Sequence of the Hexagrams for Innocence (Wuwang): When there is return, there is no falsehood; hence it is received by Innocence (The Unexpected).

Return means turning back to the Dao; once one has returned to the Dao, one accords with correct principle and is without falsehood, which is why Return is followed by Innocence. As a hexagram, it has Qian above and Zhen below.

Zhen is movement: moving in accordance with Heaven is innocence; moving out of human desire is falsehood. Great indeed is the meaning of Innocence! Innocence is utmost sincerity; utmost sincerity is the Way of Heaven.

Heaven's transformation and nourishment of the ten thousand things generates life unceasingly, each rectifying its nature and destiny, which is innocence. If a person can align with the Way of Innocence, it is what is called 'joining one's virtue with Heaven and Earth.'

Innocence contains the principle of supreme success; when the noble person practices the Way of Innocence, he can achieve supreme success. Innocence is the Way of Heaven; the hexagram speaks of humans following the Way of Innocence.

'Furthering through correctness': modeling oneself on the Way of Innocence, the benefit lies in constancy and correctness. To lose constancy and correctness is to fall into falsehood.

Even without an evil mind, if one does not accord with correct principle, it is falsehood, which itself is an aberrant mind. Therefore, if one is not correct, it becomes a fault and an error.

Once one is already without falsehood, one ought not to have purpose in going; to go forth intentionally is falsehood.

This refers to Nine at the Beginning. The first line of Kun transforms into Zhen: firmness arrives from the outside. Zhen takes the first line as its ruler, and the formation of the hexagram stems from it; hence the initial line is the ruler of Innocence.

Moving in accord with Heaven is innocence: moving with heavenly movement as primary. Firmness displacing yielding is the image of eliminating falsehood through correctness.

Moreover, firm correctness reigning within is the meaning of innocence; nine residing at the beginning is correct. Movement below and strength above means its movement is firm and strong. Firm strength is the substance of innocence.

Firm and central, with correspondence: the fifth line resides in the center and correctness with firmness, and the second line likewise corresponds with centrality and correctness; this is according with principle without falsehood.

Therefore its dao enjoys great success and constancy, which is Heaven's mandate. Heaven's mandate refers to the Way of Heaven, which is what is called innocence. 'If one is not correct, there will be error, and it does not further one to undertake anything.

In innocence, if one undertakes anything, where could one go? Heaven's mandate does not assist; how could one act?' What is called innocence is simply correctness. Any slight lapse from correctness constitutes an error, which is falsehood.

That which is called 'not correct' arises precisely because there is an undertaking to go; if one is in innocence and does not push forward, how could there be incorrectness? Innocence is the correctness of principle; if one insists on going further, where will one go?

One merely enters into falsehood. To go is to run counter to heavenly principle; unsupported by the Way of Heaven, how could one possibly proceed?

Thunder rolls under Heaven; yin and yang harmoniously interact and clash to produce sound, thereby rousing the hibernating creatures, shaking forth sprouts, and generating the ten thousand things.

What is bestowed upon them—whether vast or minute, high or low—causes each to rectify its nature and destiny without error or falsehood; things are endowed with innocence.

The former kings observed the image of thunder rolling under Heaven, generating life and bestowing endowments; they richly responded to the seasons of Heaven to nurture the ten thousand things, enabling each to attain its proper place, just as Heaven endows them with innocence.

'Mao' (茂) means abundant and flourishing. 'Richly responding' (茂對) is like speaking of 'flourishing practice' or 'perpetual chanting.'

Responding to the seasons means harmoniously according with heavenly time: the Way of Heaven generates the ten thousand things so that each attains its nature and destiny without falsehood.

The king embodies the Way of Heaven, nurturing the people down to insects, grasses, and trees, enabling each to attain what is fitting; this is the way of responding to the seasons and nurturing things.

This refers to Zhen. Zhen is movement, and Qian is strength. This refers to the fifth line. Firmness arrives from without to become master within, moving and growing ever stronger.

'Firm and central, with correspondence': majestically firm, upright, and correct, where selfish desires cannot operate—how could there be falsehood?

To cause the way of falsehood to perish and the way of innocence to be completed, what could this be if not great success and furthering through correctness? Firmness arriving from without to become master within causes the way of yielding depravity to dissolve.

Moving and growing ever stronger allows the way of firm rectitude to prevail. 'Firm and central, with correspondence' makes the virtue of clear discernment manifest. Hence there is 'great success through correctness.' How could the teachings and mandates of Heaven be violated?

How could one act with falsehood? Therefore, if not correct, there will be error, and 'it does not further one to undertake anything.'

'Yu' (與) is a particle, meaning 'all' or 'together.' Thunder rolls under Heaven; all things cannot be false. 'Mao' means flourishing. When things dare not be false, only then can the ten thousand things each preserve their nature in full.

In responding to the seasons and nurturing things, nothing is more flourishing than this.

Zhengyi says: Innocence means having firmness as the internal master, moving yet capable of strength; overseeing subordinates with this, things dare not be deceitful, artificial, or false, but all practice true principle.

Therefore it attains great success and benefits from constancy and correctness; hence it is said: 'Supreme success, furthering through correctness.'

Regarding 'If one is not correct, there will be error, and it does not further one to undertake anything': when things are already innocent, they must act in accordance with the correct Dao.

If one does not rely on the correct Dao, there will be errors and calamities, and it does not further one to undertake anything.

Zhengyi says: This uses the hexagram images to explain the meaning of achieving innocence. Because the firmness of Zhen comes from without to become master within, and Zhen is movement while Qian is strength, it can make all things 'without falsehood.'

Zhengyi says: Explaining how the lines' meaning achieves innocence. Nine in the Fifth Place occupies the center with firmness, and Six in the Second Place corresponds to it; this is 'firm and central, with correspondence.'

Being firm and central, it can discern the true from the false; having correspondence, things follow and obey it, daring not to be false. 'Great success through correctness is the mandate of Heaven.'

Zhengyi says: Explaining the meaning of 'Supreme success, furthering through correctness.' Majestically firm, upright, and correct, with selfish desires unable to operate, how could there be falsehood? This is Heaven's teaching and mandate.

The Way of Heaven is pure yang, firm and capable of strength, resembling the virtue of Qian; hence it is 'the mandate of Heaven.' Since it is Heaven's mandate, how could it be violated?

Regarding the commentary from 'firmness arrives from without' to 'it does not further one to undertake anything'—Zhengyi says: 'To cause the way of falsehood to perish and the way of innocence to be completed'—falsehood means deceptive, pretentious, and not following correct principle.

Without a firm and central ruler, being yielding, weak, and depraved, things would all become deceitful and false, which is the arising of the way of falsehood.

Now meeting a firm and central ruler who is majestic, firm, and correct, those below revere his majesty and dare not be deceitful or false; this is the destruction of the way of falsehood and the completion of the way of innocence.

From 'If not correct, there will be error' to 'Heaven's mandate does not assist; how could one act?' Zhengyi says: 'If one is not correct, there will be error, and it does not further one to undertake anything; in innocence, if one undertakes anything, where could one go?'

explains the meaning of 'if not correct, there is error, and it does not further one to undertake anything.' In 'where could one go,' the first zhi is a particle and the second zhi means to go to.

When oneself is not correct, in an age of 'Innocence,' if one wishes to go anywhere, where can one go? Thus it says 'in innocence, where could one go?' 'Heaven's mandate does not assist; how could one act?'

means that if oneself is not correct and seeks to go forth, violating Heaven's mandate, then Heaven's mandate will not assist. Could one ultimately proceed? It means one would ultimately be carrying out an action unsupported by Heaven.

Regarding the commentary from 'if not correct there is error' to 'not assisted, could one ultimately proceed?': Zhengyi says: 'Jing yi zai' means ultimately—saying that unsupported by Heaven, could one ultimately proceed?

Zhengyi says: 'Thunder rolls under Heaven'—thunder is an awe-inspiring sound.

Now thunder rolls under Heaven, shaking the ten thousand things, and all things are awed and respectful, daring not to be false; hence it says 'thunder rolls under Heaven,' and all things are 'without falsehood.' Zhengyi says: Mao means flourishing. Dui means to match or face.

It means the former kings, taking this flourishing matter of innocence, in this time of innocence, nurtured the ten thousand things.

Only a king's virtue can accomplish this, not feudal lords or those below, which is why it does not say 'the noble person' but speaks of 'the former kings.'

Note: In the Xiang commentary of various hexagrams, it usually states the two images directly and concludes with the hexagram name, such as 'Thunder within the earth: Return.' Now for Innocence it should say: 'Thunder rolls under Heaven: Innocence.'

That it now says 'things are endowed with innocence' is to show that all things are without falsehood, hence the two words 'things are endowed' (wu yu) are added.

In other hexagrams, all things do not necessarily share the same meaning as the hexagram name, so the text simply displays the images and concludes with the hexagram name. For instance, in the hexagram Return, only the yang qi returns, not all things returning.

Citing the hexagram Return, the rest may be understood.