“The Vessel contains something real.
My companion is afflicted,
Cannot approach me.
Good fortune.”
I’ve experienced this line several times, but always found it hard to grasp why it could mean good fortune. It describes those times when you have something good within you, some realisation, joy or purpose – something real – but your close companion is distressed, and cannot get close to this reality. You might want to alleviate their distress by sharing, but it can’t be done. So whatever is ‘fortunate’ in that?
In Wilhelm’s interpretation, one’s ‘comrades are envious’ – so that creates a causal link: they know there’s real stuff in the vessel, and their affliction is simply a negative, envious reaction. And, of course, this is no rarity – people don’t always react well when someone else finds such a truth – but nor is it always what’s happening when this line comes up. Naturally it’s comforting that someone else’s negativity can’t harm the good stuff in the Vessel – but this almost seems to reduce the line to, ‘Nyah nyah! You can’t get me!’
I think what this line really offers is this: the reality contained in the Vessel is like a talisman for truth. Affliction – diseased thinking, fears, negativity – simply cannot exist in the same space with it. As long as you nurture something real in your Vessel, there will always be that part of you that no-one else’s affliction can touch, no matter how deeply you feel it with them. Your companion is not truly barred from it: only his affliction cannot approach.
Sorry that I will not be able to give you some books to follow up as I am traveling I do not have access to my bookshelf. I apologize in advance if some words or phrases are not clear.
Cauldron (what you have vessel in your translation) is for the Chinese not only an item to cook but also something used in spiritual activities/sacrifies.
In terms of Daoist approach one has three cauldrons which are located in lower,middle and upper dan tien (cinnabar field, elixir field). Now in reaching immortality one has to work with each level seperately and purify the shen (sprit,soul,self). The process is Jing (essence) to Qi and Qi to Shen. In other words Jing Shen.
Jing is related Po (what Wilhelm calls the anima) which is also connected with earthly needs (ie. food, drink,sex, drugs,desires). These earthy needs can take control of the person which then can be called possesion. Once someone is possesed then he/she is no longer himself/herself but following the requests of the possesor ( the companion).
The lower dan tien, which is connected with the Yuan Qi (source Qi) and ming men (gate of destiny/life) is the first one to be activated. It also contains your prenatal jing which you have inherited. So as this cauldron is being heated one is reaching the Yuan Qi and mingmen therefore, one’s purpose in life, the being is actualized. This is nuorishment of the self. When the self is nourished Shen will be able to reach the potential and be free of the chains of the Po.
Now of the top of my head, line 2 when changed will cause the hexagram to be mountain below, fire above (traveller ?). Mountain is stilness, also a gate . Mountains are places where the sage can be with the Dao. Shen needs a gate to be able to reach Dao.
So overall my understanding from the line if you nourish yourself; be free from desires which are your unwanted companions, then those companions; things, events,people that possessed you; will not be able to reach their goals of controlling the being, hence good fortune.
Hope this helps.
Ps. You may want to have a look at Daoist I-Ching by Cleary it might have something.
Togan
In my view the usual way of translating this line is not correct, which is the reason for the mysterious “good fortune.” My current translation is:
The caldron is filled.
My partner is sick, I am not.
Being able to go to eat brings good fortune.
So I’m not translating Ji2 as “close” or “near,” but as “be able to go to eat.” Muller mentions this meaning (http://www.buddhism-dict.net/cgi-bin/xpr-dealt.pl?53.xml+id('c5373‘) , username guest, no password). The Chinese Etymology site has “a man å© who (is) eating rice” for the etymology of the character, so this meaning makes sense.
So 50.2 is about being in a condition to benefit from the available resource. When you’re sick, you may not be able to eat and benefit from the food.
Just noticed that the URL I posted was changed by the blog software. It changed the apostrophes, they should be normal (single) ones, as on your keyboard. (The parentheses are part of the URL.)
Thanks Hilary and especially Ewald. Your explanation has given me some big aha(s)! Finally this line makes sense for the times I’ve received it!