Limits and discipline.
Spiritual influence nourishing all
Bitter discipline not permitting benefiting all.
Structure:
· Water 3 above lake 8, water within a lake. A lake can only hold so much water before it floods.
· Danger over joy. Capable of joy in danger, warding off danger by joy.
· Water above and below. Water held together by a lake.
Natural Limits
The eye cannot capture how water flows over a rocky stream,
yet each drop precisely follows the laws of nature. The dramatic dance of trees swaying in a
great wind and the wheeling of stars overhead follow the rhythms set by the
same laws of heaven and earth. Diverse
lifeforms spread around the planet constrained by ecologic limits. All life expresses its genetic potential
uniquely within limits set by nature.
Underlying movement and change, we discern natural laws.
People are subject to the laws of humanity, which limit and regulate human
behavior and interactions. Sages stay
close to basic needs and harmonize with nature. Boundaries and limits partition
a whole while preserving its essential unity.
Exceeding natural limits causes harm and ultimately leads to
destruction. Over time we have learned
many of the natural and moral laws from the suffering caused by ignoring them. The
wise willingly accept these limits and live joyfully within the Way of humanity.[1]
Virtues as limits
Learning how to live on Earth with each other in ways that
benefit all is the human challenge, especially in our time. Cultural
conditioning separates us from interbeing with the spirit and caring for all of
creation. A spiritual practice, the Way
of humanity, overcomes self-cherishing and ill-will so that we know we are all the
same and align our lives with the spirit.
The sage does not exceed fixed limits and knows where to set them to
avoid the extremes of too much or too little.
Within the human realm, the virtues[2]
of love, a moral discipline, justice, and wisdom regulate and organize the
Tao’s love. The sage uses virtue to perseveringly shape the ongoing flux of
creative energies and to manifest them within the world[3]. As fundamental law, virtues restrain and
limit our behavior, but for sages, virtues are the very the music of their
lives. These virtues are not a set of
rules imposed from outside, but the immanent tone and rhythms sages creatively use
to make visible their love in ways meaningful to others.
The world conditions what
has form, but not the formless. It can
condition self-cherishing images, feelings, images, and thoughts, but not those
of the selfless. The wise adapt to
changing conditions, but the spirit never changes.
Consequences of exceeding limits
Our dissatisfaction with what is
and our willingness to harm to get what we want impede the way. The suffering
we cause comes from going too far beyond basic needs to the point that we
deprive others and harm all. Everyone needs shelter, but the selfish build
mansions. Everyone needs food, but the
selfish let others starve while they feast.
We need to defend ourselves, but the selfish use force to get what they
want.
The foolish ignore boundaries and indulge their harmful
feelings and thought, often with fatal outcomes. Life motivates us to stay within natural
and moral limits by imposing ever greater levels of suffering until we finally
exert ourselves to put an end to our reckless behavior and return to the
Path. The first time that we
intentionally harm others or ourselves for self-benefit, life administers a
mild penalty as a warning to halt in time on the path of wrong-doing. Yet when
we persistently ignore a life lesson, we suffer increasingly severe
consequences.
Self-discipline
Limits are troublesome as they constrain us from doing
whatever we want. Many find limits and
discipline troublesome as they constrain us from doing whatever we want. Yet the meaning of life dissolves for those
who try to capture unlimited possibilities within their lives. People achieve significance through setting
limits, the backbone of a virtuous life.
Freedom comes from limiting our behavior to natural laws, moral
discipline, and duties we have voluntarily determined for ourselves. Those who play with life never amount to
anything.
Self-discipline begins with learning and natural limits out
of their sense of duty, to the mandate of the spirit: to care for all life and the Earth in ways
that benefit all. Those with established
virtue know the basis of what harms and what benefits. Self-discipline keeps us within these
limits. Knowing limits, the wise do not
exceed them and make restitutions when they realize that they have ignorantly
exceeded them. We discipline ourselves
and others to maintain a balance between too much and too little.
The wise learn to persist in the spiritual path by adapting
to the situation. They stop when they approach a limit, advance when time comes
to advance, and get out of danger without bringing on more danger.
Sages maintain their self-discipline even in unfavorable
situations, flexibly keeping to the spirit and not letting difficulties disturb
the mind or affect their resolve. The
situation may be dangerous, but they are not in danger. The situation may be in the hands of others, but
sages know that they alone can fulfill their destiny to benefit all. Pleased with the limits set by the Tao and
aware of the aim of life, sages abide in contentment and with a glad mind. They use moving through dangers of
self-conditioning and the selfish to nourish joy and use joy to guard against
dangers.
Learning Discipline
The undeveloped must learn the seriousness of life. Parents have the responsibility to limit their
children to deter harm and to develop self-discipline and good habits. Parents and other spiritual guides set
behavior limits to let the confused know to be careful and to encourage them to
develop their morality.
Discipline reduces our harmful behavior and increase the
beneficial. Yet before renouncing a
behavior or starting a new one, we need to carefully consider our motivation
and how such a discipline would benefit us and others. We learn from spiritual friends how to best
get rid of problem behaviors and develop good habits. The way of discipline requires firm strength
balanced with love.
The wise know how to adapt to change and do not cling to
painful disciplines. We need to set
limits upon our limitations and observe due measure. Every limitation has its value, but a
limitation that requires persistent effort entails a cost of too much
energy. Natural limitations succeed
because they are the Way. We avoid
consuming ourselves on vain struggles beyond our capacities by applying our
efforts wholly to what is possible for us to achieve.
Discipline should not degenerate into a drill as it has a
humiliating effect and cripples power.
Like removing the training wheels on a bike when no longer needed, the
wise do not hold onto a discipline once their behavior has changed for the
better. Holding onto a discipline
despite the situation damages the character as the focus remains on the
discipline rather than our growth. Sticking with the same discipline once the desired
effect has been achieved restricts our beneficial development.
Society has laws to restrain the conduct of those not on the
path. Through education and development,
the sage voluntarily adheres to the Way of humanity, that which makes right
relationships possible within our interactions and in the world.
Spiritual Guides
To guide others and to develop their virtues, teachers set
clear penalties and prohibitions to let the student know to be careful and
avoid harm. They first setup laws, then
remove the restrictions as they progress.
Wise teachers gently encourage students to develop their virtues while
overcoming the conditioned self.
Teachers persevere in their instruction until the student
masters the points one by one. In
teaching others, everything depends upon consistency. Only through repetition can the pupil master
the teachings. Just as water flows on
and on, the sages make use of practice and repetition in teaching. Teachers gradually develop their guidance,
making clear presentations and subtle indications, leading students further
until they penetrate reality deeply and have no doubts.
The sage leader brings about a group that works well
together by providing a process in which everyone feels fulfilled. Nothing binds people more firmly together
than the deeply rooted virtue of morality because it appears to everyone as
something worth achieving for themselves.
Sages develop others by teaching the virtues of caring,
justice, wisdom, and moral discipline. The wise find spiritual friends who help
them learn the Way of humanity. Today,
we can learn from many spiritual guides by reading their teachings. Students of the I Ching approach it as the
great sage with whom they can interact. Ultimately, the teacher is life itself,
and the devoted student learns virtues and discipline from the experiences of
life.
Limits to limits
Excessive and painful discipline cannot endure when it
inflicts severe limits on self and others, causing injury and rebellion. We need limits within our practice, but we
need to avoid going to the extreme. When
discipline becomes painful there is no sweetness – only bitterness. Our attention stays on the pain rather than
the pleasure of developing a better way of living. Imposing suffering and servility on ourselves
does not give us joy but rather harms our body and spirit.
Hypocrisy, imposing limitations on others without applying
them first to ourselves, provokes resentment and resistance. The path of limitation requires us to model
wanted behaviors so that others can emulate them. We make the limitation
desirable to others by our own feelings of contentment and joy in living a
disciplined life.
Pleased with our situation and focused on their duty to benefit all, the wise are at peace wherever they are. They use difficulties to nourish joy and use joy to guard against danger. The situation may be up to others, but living the Way of humanity is up to us. Whether in adversity or comfort, the wise remain on the path. This is how discipline is developmental.
Line 1: The line wants to undertake a great effort
but finds itself confronted by insurmountable limitations. The line knows where to stop and does not go
beyond the limits of its capacities. It
knows that self-cherishing and ill-will blocks selflessness and capacities to
work with others.
Line 2: It is good to hesitate so long as the
time for action has not come but no longer.
The wise quickly seize the moment when the time for action comes. Once they have removed obstacles to action,
anxious hesitation will lead to regret because of the missed opportunity. Once full, a lake finds an outlet. The time to go forth has come. The wise do not hold back with hoarded
resources as hesitation brings remorse.
Line 3: The weak line at the top of joyousness
neglects necessary limits and loses the inner path. Those bent only on self-cherishing and having
their way easily lose their sense of necessary limits. The unbalanced and disoriented line strives
for externals and loses its spiritual path.
It craves happiness without knowing that true joy requires
discipline. The weak do not know enough
to have discipline. Those who live
beyond limits will suffer. The
undisciplined lament a situation brought about by themselves. They have nobody else to blame.
Line 4: The line imposes restrictions first to itself
calmly and gently, without force. We have stability when we contentedly live within
natural limits and with others, accepting the Way of humanity.
Every limitation has its value. Contented limitation arises from developing
stability in persistently practicing what benefits all. We struggle if we go beyond natural limits,
causing us and all to suffer from our transgressions. A discipline that requires persistent efforts
will not provide benefit.
Line 5: The line imposes limits upon itself and
others in an agreeable manner. Those
with inner mastery can keep a glad mind even in a dangerous situation. The line models the discipline of the strong
who remain adaptable. Others naturally
emulate such an example so that whatever they undertake together succeeds. In this way, the line extends its spiritual
blessings to benefit all.
Line 6: People will not endure severe
restrictions. The more severe, the more
unavoidable is a reaction.
A tormented body will rebel against excessive asceticism that imposes a persistent and systematic ruthlessness against oneself. Yet at times, such ruthlessness proves the only means to remedy self-cherishing, which otherwise would make the line vulnerable to irresolution and temptation.
[1] The Way of humanity embodies the laws of Tao that govern the human beings, both in relationship to the spirit and with each other. It is the path of love that creatively responds to the experiences of life in ways that benefit all. Sages shape the energies of Creation through the human virtues of caring for all, morality, justice, and wisdom, harnessing the creative energies of the spirit so that they manifest the spirit within the world, materializing the invisible. The sage finds happiness by obeying the command of heaven to reduce inner faults and manifest the sacred within the world. Suffering ends when we have the lived experience that the self and other are the same and arise from the sacred mystery.
[2] Virtues shape our behavior and align us with the spirit. The Tao brings forth the good and great, which we experience as love. The Tao causes all life to develop and flow within natural limits, regulating and organizing love, which we call a moral discipline that benefits all. The Tao transforms life so that each attains its true nature, a power that we call justice that ensures that all life has the means to achieve its potential according to its being. The Tao harmonizes all life within interbeing, which we call wisdom, separating what endures from what perishes. The completed sage uses these virtues to shape the world.
[3] World does not refer to the Earth but to how people live on Earth. The world – civilization, culture, history, society, science, economy, education, technology – is embedded as a subsystem within the natural system. People create their world through the choices they make.
