41. Decrease (损)

Top Nine encounters the time of decreasing the lower to increase the upper; dwelling at the apex of the hexagram, it has received increase to the utmost, and desires to decrease itself to increase others.

However, dwelling above to increase the lower, there is what is called 'benefiting without expenditure': one does not need to decrease oneself before one can benefit others.

Being able to do so brings freedom from blame, yet one must also remain correct for it to be auspicious and advantageous to have somewhere to go. Benefiting without expenditure makes its bounty vast; hence it also says, 'Gaining ministers without family bias.'

Six in the Fifth Place, at the time of Decrease, dwells in the honored position with centrality and compliance, emptying its center to correspond to the firm yang of the second. This is a ruler able to humble himself with an open mind to comply with the worthy below.

If one can do this, who in the world would not decrease himself and do his utmost to increase him? Therefore, if there is a matter of increase, ten pairs will assist it. 'Ten' is a term for multitude.

The tortoise shell is that which decides right from wrong, good fortune from bad; the public consensus of the multitude must accord with correct principle, which even the tortoise and yarrow cannot contradict. Being like this may be called the auspiciousness of supreme goodness.

The ancients said: 'Consultation that follows the multitude accords with the mind of Heaven.' The Symbolism says: Six in the Fifth Place is supremely auspicious, receiving blessings from above.

The reason it attains supreme auspiciousness is that it can exhaust the insights of the multitude and harmonize with the principle of heaven and earth; hence blessings and protection descend from Heaven above.

Dwelling in the honored position with yielding and practicing the way of Decrease: rivers and seas place themselves below, and all streams flow to them; treading honor with decrease, someone will surely increase it. Peng means faction or group.

The tortoise is an object that resolves doubts. Yin does not lead, and yielding does not act on its own; dwelling in honor, it preserves itself through decrease. Therefore men exert their strength and affairs follow through to success.

The wise ponder capability, and the discerning ponder strategy—none can oppose it, so the talents of the multitude are put to use. Receiving increase and obtaining 'tortoises worth ten pairs' suffices to exhaust the aid of heaven and humanity.

'Six in the Fifth Place' through 'supreme auspiciousness.'

The Sub-commentary states: Six in the Fifth Place dwells in the honored position with yielding and is in Decrease, yet can humble and decrease itself.

Dwelling in honor while able to humble and decrease oneself, no one in the world will not turn to increase it; hence it says, 'Someone increases it.' 'Someone' indicates existence, saying that it does not increase itself, but someone comes to increase it.

Peng means faction or group. The tortoise resolves doubts.

Yin does not lead; yielding does not take responsibility upon itself; 'dwelling in honor, preserving itself through decrease,' people exert their strength and affairs exhaust their achievements; 'the wise ponder capability, the discerning ponder strategy,' and none can contradict it.

When factions arrive without contradiction, the utilization of all talents is exhausted; hence it says, 'Tortoises worth ten pairs cannot oppose it.'

When all talents are fully employed and one abdicates personal pride to entrust others, heaven and humanity aid together; hence 'supreme auspiciousness.'

Commentary on 'Dwelling in the honored position with yielding' through 'the aid of heaven and humanity.'

The Sub-commentary states: Regarding 'Peng means group': Ma and Zheng both cite the Erya: 'Tortoises of ten pairs: the first is divine tortoise, second spirit tortoise, third摄 tortoise, fourth treasure tortoise, fifth patterned tortoise, sixth divination tortoise, seventh mountain tortoise, eighth lake tortoise, ninth water tortoise, tenth fire tortoise.'

The Sub-commentary states: Regarding 'Blessed from above': 'above' refers to Heaven; hence it shares the meaning of 'Blessed by Heaven: auspicious, nothing is not advantageous.'

Six in the Fifth Place, fifth line, Middle-Middle: Say not that brambles and thorns are wretched; in the end they will shelter the phoenix. For now, one should patiently bide one's time; why hesitate and fret so early?