Hexagram 41

損 Sǔn

Decrease

☶ Mountain above ☱ Lake

Judgment 卦辭

有孚。元吉。无咎可貞。利有攸往。曷之用。二簋可用享。

損sǔndecrease, diminish, reduce, economize (ing)

有yǒuhave, find; remember

孚fútrue, sincere; confidence; to trust

元yuánmost, supremely; excellent, outstanding

吉jípromising, fortunate; promise, opportunity

無wúno; nothing; (this is) not; without, with no

咎jiùblame; (is) wrong; (a) mistake, (an) error (s)

可kě(but it) call, ask (s) for; indicates (ing)

貞zhēnpersistence, resolution, resolve, focus

利lìworth(while), reward(ing), benefit(icial)

有yǒu(to) have, find, take on; (if) there is

攸yōusomewhere; (a) place, direction, purpose

往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead

曷héhow; what, when, where

之zhīis this; is, will be

用yòng(to be) applied? practiced? carried out?

二èrtwo; a couple, pair of

簋guǐ(small, simple, plain) rice baskets; "gui" tureens

可kěcould, may, might be (sufficient)

用yòngpresented, offered, consecrated, used

享xiǎng(as, for, in) (an, the) offering, sacrifice

Commentary

Decrease combined with sincerity brings supreme good fortune without blame. Persistence is possible. Two small bowls may be used for the offering. Decrease doesn't necessarily mean something bad. Increase and decrease have their times. Understand the time. Don't cover poverty with empty pretense. If simplicity brings out inner truth, don't be ashamed of it—it's what's needed. Draw on inner strength to compensate for what's lacking in externals. Even with slender means, the heart's sentiment can be expressed.

Classical Text

損兌下艮上損，有孚，元吉，无咎可貞。利有攸往。曷之用？二簋可用享。「曷之用，二簋可用享」者，明行損之禮，貴夫誠信，不在於豐。既行損以信，何用豐為？二簋至約，可用享祭矣，故曰「曷之用，二簋可用享」也。

Sun (Decrease): Dui below, Gen above. Decrease. There is sincerity. Sublime Beginning and good fortune. No blame; Correctness is possible. It is Beneficial to have somewhere to go. What shall one use? Two bamboo bowls may be used for the offering. "What shall one use? Two bamboo bowls may be used for the offering" — this clarifies that in performing the rites of Decrease, what is valued is sincere faithfulness, not abundance. Since one practices Decrease with sincerity, what need is there for lavishness? Two bamboo bowls, being the most frugal, may be used for sacrificial offering. Therefore it says, "What shall one use? Two bamboo bowls may be used for the offering."

Image 象

山下有澤，損。君子以懲忿窒欲。

The lake at the mountain's foot evaporates, enriching the mountain with moisture. Control your anger, restrain your instincts. By decreasing the lower powers of the psyche, the higher aspects are enriched.

Lines 爻辭

已事遄往無咎酌損之

已yǐone's (own), personal, private

事shìaffairs, concerns, tasks, endeavors, business

遄chuán(are) rushed, hurried, cut short, abbreviated

往wǎngto go; in going, pass (ing, ed by); (and) left behind

無wúno; not, nothing; without; no harm (is) done

咎jiùblame; (is) wrong; (a) mistake; v harm v

酌zhuó(but) weigh, consider, think about, ponder

損sǔndecreasing, doing less; (the) losses; (a) loss

之zhī(of) this; here; this as v

Going quickly when your own tasks are finished. Using your strength for others without bragging or making much of it. No blame. But the one being helped must weigh carefully how much they can accept without harming you.

Classical commentary

初九，已事遄往，无咎，酌損之。

Initial Nine: When the task is finished, go swiftly. No blame. Consider carefully how to decrease.

利貞征凶弗損益之

利lì(it is) worthwhile, rewarding, beneficial

貞zhēnto persist; be resolved, dedicated, steadfast

征zhēng(but) to expedite, assert, go(ing) boldly

凶xiōng(is) ill-omened, inauspicious; has pitfalls

弗fú(there is) neither, nothing; avoid(ing)

損sǔn(of, to) decrease, loss; lose, diminish

益yì(nor, or) (of, to) increase; gain, add (s) to

之zhīhere; in, with this; things; one(self)

Persistence furthers. Undertaking something brings misfortune. Without diminishing yourself, you can still bring increase to others. High-minded self-awareness with no forfeit of dignity. Throwing yourself away to do someone's bidding diminishes you without lasting benefit to them.

Classical commentary

九二，利貞，征凶。弗損，益之。

Nine in the Second: Benefit in Correctness. To advance brings misfortune. Do not decrease; increase it instead.

三人行則損一人一人行則得其友

三sānthree, a trio of

人rénpeople, persons, individuals

行xíngstart, set forth, out; go forth, forward

則zé(and) then, in due order; consequently

損sǔndecrease, reduce, contract; lose

一yī(by) one

人rénperson, member, participant, individual

一yī(this) one; (a, the) single

人rénperson, individual; one

行xíngstarts, sets forth, out; goes forth, forward

則zé(and) then, in due order; consequently

得définds, acquires, gains, takes on, picks up

其qía, the, his, her, another

友yǒucompanion, friend, partner, associate

When three travel together, one must go. When one travels alone, a companion is found. Very close bonds are possible only between two. Jealousy arises with three. But the lonely one certainly finds a complement.

Classical commentary

六三，三人行則損一人，一人行則得其友。

Six in the Third: When three people travel together, one person is decreased. When one person travels alone, one finds a companion.

損其疾使遄有喜無咎

損sǔndecreasing, diminishing, lessening, losing

其qíthe, these, those, one's (own)

疾jíafflictions, anxieties, stresses, ills, sufferings

使shǐ(to) take(ing) control, charge, command

遄chuánexpeditiously, with dispatch; (and) expedite

有yǒu(and) be; find, have; becomes, brings

喜xǐglad, happy, grateful; happiness, joy

無wú(this is) no; not; nothing; without, with no

咎jiùwrong; (a) mistake, (an) error

Decreasing your faults makes others hasten to come and rejoice. No blame. Faults prevent well-disposed people from coming closer. Remove them in humility, and you free those friends from inner pressure. Mutual joy.

Classical commentary

六四，損其疾，使遄有喜，无咎。

Six in the Fourth: Decrease one's affliction. Act swiftly and there will be joy. No blame.

或益之十朋之龜弗克違元吉

或huòsomebody, someone

益yìincreases, augments, grants, adds

之zhī(to) (this) one, him, her; this

十shí(by) ten

朋péng(matched) pairs

之zhīof

龜guītortoise, turtle (s) (shells)

弗fú(one) (is) not; un-; in-; -not

克kèable; possible; capable; can- v

違wéi(of, to) resist; refuse; oppose, offend (ing)

元yuánmost, supremely; excellent, outstanding

吉jípromising, fortunate; promise, opportunity

Someone indeed increases you. Ten pairs of tortoise shells cannot oppose it. Supreme good fortune. When you are marked by fate for good fortune, it comes without fail. All oracles concur. Fear nothing.

Classical commentary

六五，或益之，十朋之龜弗克違，元吉。

Six in the Fifth: Someone increases it. A tortoise worth ten sets of cowries cannot gainsay this. Sublime Beginning good fortune.

弗損益之無咎貞吉利有攸往得臣無家

弗fú(there is) neither, nothing; avoid(ing)

損sǔn(of, to) decrease, loss; lose, diminish

益yì(nor, or) (of, to) increase; gain, add (s)

之zhīhere; in, with this; things; one(self)

無wú(there is) nothing; (this is) no, not

咎jiù(is) wrong; (a) mistake, (an) error

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, focus

吉jí(is) promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

利lìworth(while), reward(ing), benefit(icial)

有yǒu(to) have, find, take on; (if) there is

攸yōusomewhere; (a) place, direction, purpose

往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead

得dé(but) (one) accept, gain, acquire, find (s, ing)

臣chénservants, retainers, subjects, subordinates

無wú(but) not; instead of, rather than

家jiāfamily, familiars; (a) home

Increased without depriving others. No blame. Persistence brings good fortune. You obtain servants but no longer have a separate home. Everything you accomplish benefits the whole and is available to everyone. Public good, not private advantage.

Classical commentary

上九，弗損，益之，无咎，貞吉。利有攸往，得臣无家。

Top Nine: Not decreased, but increased. No blame. Correctness brings good fortune. It is Beneficial to have somewhere to go. One gains ministers but has no private household.