Accepting all, rejecting none

In the I Ching, every line in some way, is describing our relationship with the Sage. In Christian terminology, it could be referred to as our relationship with the Lord, or Christ. In others it might be our relationship to the Buddha, or to Krishna, or whoever. It might be referring to our relationship with our own higher self. It doesn't matter. But it does refer to a relationship.

In hexagram eight line five the line states to the effect that the Sage accepts all who come to him, but allows all who wish to go a different direction, to go that direction. He doesn't reject them, he just allows them to go their own way. They reject the Sage, or the Christ, or such. There is no such penalty for doing so, except the penalty that we do not learn the way of the Sage, or the Christ, and therefore live a lesser fulfilling life. No one goes to hell because they missed their opportunity. Now, whether or not there is a heaven and a hell is a matter for a different discussion. I am only talking about the consequences in this context; that of accepting or rejecting the Sage. The Sage does not become angry when he or she is rejected. The Sage only sorrows for those who do not know the wisdom in his/her words, and lives a life of foolishness because they do not see the light of the kingdom. (Hexagram twenty line four.)

Hexagram eight is created by the topping of the earth trigram by the water trigram. Earth stands still. Water can be a symbol of danger but it can also be a symbol of wisdom. Here we have water on a field. Earth can stand for the center. As such, it is by staying in the center that we overcome danger and evoke wisdom. The King stands in the central position. The Sage is in the sixth position and is above all. Why do we reject that which is above all? Why do we thirst for knowledge and yet reject wisdom? Knowledge feeds the ego. Wisdom feeds humility. (See hexagram fifteen.) When we reject wisdom we create our own punishment. No one outside ourselves punishes us. Our foolishness is its own punishment. The Sage does not force us to be good or wise. It allows each to make its own decision. And, as the saying goes, "The rain falls upon both the just and the unjust."