Hexagram 2

坤 Kūn

The Receptive

☷ Earth above ☷ Earth

Judgment 卦辭

元亨利牝馬之貞。君子有攸往。先迷後得。主利。西南得朋。東北喪朋。安貞吉。

坤kūnaccepting, receiving; acceptance, tolerance
元yuánfirst-rate, basic, fundamental, supreme
亨hēngfulfillment, satisfaction, success
利lìworth, the harvest of; meriting, rewarding
牝pìnfemale
馬mǎhorse; mare
之zhī's
貞zhēnpersistence, steadfastness, loyalty
君jūnnoble, worthy, honored
子zǐyoung one, heir, disciple
有yǒuhas, will have; finds, will find
攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose
往wǎngto go; to move towards; in going, en route
先xiānat first, initially; to lead, go first, initiate
迷míconfusion, amazement, bewilderment
後hòuthen, later, at last; to follow, succeed
得déto gain, find, learn, acquire, receive
主zhǔmastery, command, authority, control
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, productive
西xīwest
南nánsouth
得défind, gain, meet, acquire
朋péngcompanions, friends, allies, associates
東dōngeast
北běinorth
喪sàngforgo, do without, fail to find, lose, forget
朋péngcompanions, friends, allies, associates
安ānsecure, confirm, be content with; peaceful
貞zhēncertain, true, genuine; persistence
吉jígood fortune; promising, opportune

Commentary

You're not forcing—you're following. Success comes through the mare's responsive strength, not the stallion's charge. Find helpers in the work; stay objective when planning alone.

Classical Text

坤下坤上。坤：元，亨，利牝馬之貞。君子有攸往，先迷，後得主利。西南得朋，東北喪朋，安貞吉。

Kun below, Kun above. Kun: Sublime Beginning, Success. Beneficial is the steadfastness of a mare. When the noble person has somewhere to go—going first, one loses the way; following after, one finds a master and gains benefit. In the southwest one finds companions; in the northeast one loses companions. Peaceful steadfastness brings good fortune.

Image 象

地勢，坤。君子以厚德載物。

The earth holds everything—good and evil, useful and useless—without discrimination. Develop the capacity to support and bear with what arises. This is breadth.

Lines 爻辭

1

履霜堅冰至

履lǚfootsteps, treading, stepping, walking on
霜shuāngfrost, hoarfrost, frozen dew
堅jiānsolid, firm, hard, hardened, solidified
冰bīngice
至zhìresults, arrives; realized; the outcome

You're seeing the first signs—frost before ice. Act on warnings now, before the pattern hardens.

Classical commentary

初六：履霜，堅冰至。

Initial Six: Treading on frost, solid ice is approaching.

2

直方大不習無不利

直zhístraightforward, upright, to the point
方fāngsquare, direct, definite, methodical, prompt
大dàcomplete, full, whole, great, solid
不bùwithout; there is no; instead of, rather than
習xípractice, rehearsal, repetition, duplication
無wúwithout; there is nothing
不bùdoubt; that is not; which cannot be
利lìworthwhile, turned to advantageous

Natural alignment requires no special technique. You're straight and square with the situation—everything furthers itself.

Classical commentary

六二：直方大，不習无不利。

Six in the Second: Straight, square, and great. Without practice, nothing is unfavorable.

3

含章可貞或從王事無成有終

含hánrestrain, contain, withhold, reserved
章zhāngdisplay, composition, order, elegance
可kěsuited, conducive to; permits, allows
貞zhēnpersistence, resolution, resolve, focus
或huòsomeone, sometimes
從cóngpursuing, following, attending, engaged in
王wángsovereign; sovereign's, royal
事shìaffairs, business, tasks, matters, service
無wúno
成chéngachievement, accomplishment, outcome
有yǒuhas, attains, achieves, brings about, reaches
終zhōngclosure, finality; a conclusion, finish; an end

Your talent can mature unseen. If you must serve publicly, complete the work without claiming credit. Let it bear fruit for others.

Classical commentary

六三：含章可貞，或從王事，无成有終。

Six in the Third: Containing pattern, permitting steadfastness. Perhaps serving in the king’s affairs—no initiating, yet there is completion.

4

括囊無咎無譽

括kuòtied up; enclosed, bound in; tying up
囊nángbag, sack, pouch, skin
無wúno, without, with no; nothing
咎jiùblame, fault
無wúno, without, with no; nothing
譽yùpraise, honor, glory, fame

You're in dangerous times. Total restraint required. Say nothing, reveal nothing. A tied sack draws neither blame nor praise.

Classical commentary

六四：括囊，无咎无譽。

Six in the Fourth: Tying the sack shut—no blame, no praise.

5

黃裳元吉

黃huánggolden, yellow-brown, harvest gold
裳chángdress, lower garment, skirt, clothing
元yuánmost, supremely; excellent, outstanding
吉jípromising, fortunate; promise, opportunity

Work from genuine inner quality, not outward display. The yellow undergarment is present but not showy. This brings supreme fortune.

Classical commentary

六五：黃裳，元吉。

Six in the Fifth: A yellow lower garment—supremely auspicious.

6

龍戰于野其血玄黃

龍lóngdragons
戰zhànat war; do, join battle, combat; fight
于yúin, on
野yěwilds, wastelands, open country
其qítheir; they
血xuèblood; bleed
玄xuánindigo, blue-black, black
黃huánggolden, gold, yellow, harvest gold

Here's the catastrophe: when the receptive tries to lead instead of support, both sides bleed. The dragon of heaven fights the false dragon of earth. Know your role.

Classical commentary

上六：龍戰于野，其血玄黃。

Top Six: Dragons battle in the open field; their blood is dark and yellow.