Hexagram 14

大有 Dà Yǒu

Great Possession

☲ Fire above ☰ Heaven

Judgment 卦辭

元亨。

大dàbig, great, major, complete, vast, large

有yǒudomain, dominion, possession, attainment

元yuánmost; first-rate, supreme, excellent

亨hēngfulfilling; fulfillment, satisfaction, success

Commentary

Supreme success. Strength and clarity unite. How does the yielding hold the strong? Through position, through timing, through the way heaven works. Possession in great measure accords with fate.

Classical Text

大有乾下離上大有，元亨。

Da You (Great Possession), Qian below, Li above. Great Possession: Sublime Success.

Image 象

火在天上，大有。君子以遏惡揚善，順天休命。

Fire in heaven, illuminating all below. The person of character curbs evil and promotes good, obeying heaven's benevolent will. With great possession comes responsibility to use it rightly.

Lines 爻辭

無交害匪咎艱則無咎

無wúhaving, with no; denying, avoiding

交jiāointeraction, exchange, commerce, business

害hàiwith trouble, harm, injury, suffering

匪fěito never to be; do, have, make, no

咎jiùin errors, wrong; mistakes; faults, flaws

艱jiānthis is difficulty, hardship; tedious

則zébut otherwise, beyond this; warrants

無wúno; without; not no is done

咎jiùblame; mistake, error; harm

No connection with harm. Not a mistake. Difficulty, then no blame. In the beginning of great possession, avoid harmful entanglements. Hardship at the start protects against blame later.

Classical commentary

初九，无交害。匪咎，艱則无咎。

Initial Nine: No mingling with harm. It is not a fault; if one is diligent in difficulty, there will be no blame.

大車以載有攸往無咎

大dàgreat, big, mighty, heavy

車chēwagon, cart, vehicle, carriage

以yǐis used for the purpose of; a way to

載zàiundertake, carry, transport, haul, loading

有yǒuto have, find, taking on; if there is

攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose

往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead

無wúis not, no; nothing; avoids

咎jiùmistake, error; is wrong; blame

A large wagon for loading. Somewhere to go. No blame. You have the capacity to carry much and a destination for it. The resources match the task.

Classical commentary

九二，大車以載，注云：任重而不危。有攸往，无咎。

Nine in the Second: A great cart for carrying loads — The note says: bearing heavy responsibility without danger. There is somewhere to go; no blame.

公用亨于天子小人弗克

公gōnghigh noble, duke, lord, prince

用yòngpresents, makes, consecrates, dedicates

亨hēngfulfillment, offering, sacrifice, tributes

于yúto, for, with respect to

天tiānof heaven's; the imperial, celestial

子zǐthe son; heir, child

小xiǎothe common, ordinary, average

人rénfolk, people, ones

弗fúare not, un-, in-

克kèable to, capable; cannot

A prince offers to the Son of Heaven. Small people cannot do this. Only those of genuine rank can make offerings to the highest. Inferiors attempting this fail.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：公用亨于天子，小人害也。

The Image says: A duke makes offerings to the Son of Heaven; a petty person would come to harm.

匪其彭無咎

匪fěiit, this is not; not being

其qíin one's own

彭péngplace of dominion, domain, power, drumroll

無wúno; not; nothing; without, with no

咎jiùblame; is wrong; mistake, error

Not full of himself. No blame. Avoiding arrogance in the midst of abundance—this is correct conduct. Restraint with power.

Classical commentary

九四，匪其彭，无咎。

Nine in the Fourth: Not asserting its splendor — no blame.

厥孚交如威如吉

厥juétheir, his, her, your

孚fútrust, confidence, truths, assurances

交jiāocommerce, business, an exchange

如rúresemble, seem, appears to be; is, are like

威wēidignity; dignified, majestic, noble

如rúassuming; if also

吉jíis promising, auspicious, hopeful, fortunate

His sincerity is mutual, dignified. Good fortune. When truth is exchanged between equals, and dignity maintained, everything prospers.

Classical commentary

六五，厥孚交如，威如，吉。

Six in the Fifth: Its sincerity is such that all engage with it. Awe-inspiring — auspicious.

自天祐之吉無不利

自zìfrom, out of, by, through

天tiānheaven, the sky

祐yòuis protection, succor, assistance, shelter

之zhīis extended; extends, arrives, comes

吉jípromising, auspicious, hopeful, fortunate

無wúwithout; there is nothing

不bùdoubt; that is not; which cannot be

利lìworthwhile, turned to advantageous

Blessed by heaven. Good fortune, nothing that does not further. The final line of great possession: help from above, complete success.

Classical commentary

上九，自天祐之，吉无不利。

Top Nine: From Heaven it is blessed — auspicious, nothing that is not beneficial.