I Ching Translations and Practice

[Samuel]

Hello Folks!

 

I'm looking to incorporate some study of the I Ching into my practice and want some suggestions from people who're long time oracle consultants or students as to which translation(s) are good. I have two at the moment, that got me dabbling, years ago; the Brian Browne Walker translation, which is short and definite, and the Stephen Karcher, Rudolph Ritsema translation which I picked up cheap, spontaneously, and is the exact opposite of the BBW translation; wordy and vague. I'm not sure about either of them at the moment, I'm still testing the water. Since I've no one else to talk shop with, I'll ask you lot; what preferences for an I Ching have you got? What's your fave and why?

 

What about practise? Current practise for me is a daily hexagram and meditation on its implications. Since I'm pretty much DIY'ing it, it'd be nice to know how other people study the I Ching, if you're willing to share.

 

Hope you're all enjoying yourselves and your practice,

 

Much Love!

 

Sam

[Harmonious Emptiness]

The Liu I Ming commentary, translated by Cleary, is maybe most geared towards personal cultivation.

 

I also have the Cheng Yi commentary, translated by Cleary, which is also very good, and seems more geared towards how to approach different situations of power dynamics especially.

 

There was one recommended by Mantak Chia but I don't have time to look for it, and I can't say I've read it either.. but it's probably also good.

[deci belle]

Hi Samuel! I have nine or so editions of the I Ching… I've even worn out some~ and tossed some too!

 

I don't even have Legge/ Wilhelm-Baynes versions.

 

The Taoist I Ching/Cleary, that Harmonious recommended is great cuz it presents types of time in terms of energy potential which helps one divorce emotional/psychic/intellectual content from the analysis being abstracted from study of situations.

 

The Buddhist I Ching/Cleary is helpful for a more astringent, culturally amoral Chan approach and has its overview based on the inter-related aspects of the three realms within the constants of concentration and insight. Great compliment to Cleary's taoist version.

 

The Complete I Ching/Huang is wonderful in its overall breadth of presenting the ancient symbols and their analysis, which preceded the development of the hexagrams and the lines. Each Hexagram is then given two levels of elucidation— 1st, the name and structure, based on the organization of the historical, cultural and elemental terminology as reflected within the document's living reality, which includes Confucius' commentary and yao text. 2nd, the significance of the hexagram in its meaning and application is discussed before analyzing each line in turn, listing its changing correlated hexagram and the symbolism of the lines' construction. Each hexagram is then provided additional reference information that follows a traditional teaching mnemonic.

 

Practical Guide to the I Ching/Kim-Anh Lim is another full-featured rendition translated from the original French. Perhaps the author is Vietnamese? She has an excellent volume here. It has a very lengthy treatment of the historical and cultural background and levels of analytical organization built into the I Ching. The presentation has a "modern" element to it without feeling "hip". It has a certain elegance (French?)— a streamlined worldly contextual element as well as a quickly referenced +, ++, +++ or -, --, --- feature, kinda like some newspaper horoscopes have so you can gauge a line's yum/yuck factor at a glance.

 

The unasuming Guide to I Ching/Raymond R. Bullock is a little English gem that has an esoteric Confucian element to it— simple, concise and deep. It has a shamanic vibe, not trendy at all; ancient, but fresh.

 

Thomas Cleary also wrote a small volume titled I Ching Mandalas that is based on strains of alchemic teaching. It is no longer available alone, but is now included within larger hard-bound volumes published by Shambhala.

 

What about practise? Current practise for me is a daily hexagram and meditation on its implications

 

This is the best way to initially familiarize yourself with the I Ching. Excellent!! I can only suggest that you keep a journal of all the questions and dates that you choose to apply to the oracle. That also helps to help you reflect on the quality of your concerns and how the oracle responded to the level of reflection you brought to your practice.

 

(ed note: typos and a few finishing touches)

Edited November 13, 2011 by deci belle

[XieJia]

The I Ching by Richard Wilhelm

[Samuel]

Thanks for the responses, guys. The Cleary Taoist translation has come up quite a bit in my research on the interwebs, and judging by what you say about personal practice, Harmonious Emptiness, is probably more what I'm looking for. I like Cleary's other stuff anyway, so I think that's probably what I'll check out first.

 

Is there any reason that you particularly like the Richard Wilhelm version, Xiejia? I have to admit, the stuff I've seen about it on the net is mixed at best; what do you think of it?

 

[....snip...] I can only suggest that you keep a journal of all the questions and dates that you choose to apply to the oracle. That also helps to help you reflect on the quality of your concerns and how the oracle responded to the level of reflection you brought to your practice.

 

I'm a pathological scribbler, so there's no worries on the journal front!

 

Thanks again =]

[Apech]

If you search on here or google 'thetaobums I ching' you'll get some helpful stuff and links I think.

 

I use Stephen Karcher 'Total I Ching' a lot and also wilhelm ... also have Wang Bi trans by Lynne.

 

If you want to study you should start with the 'Great Treatise' - start by examining the lines, the pairs and the trigrams to see how they build to the 64 hexagrams ... after gaining an understanding of yin and yang of course. A lifetimes study ... the more you look the deeper it goes ... also use it as an oracle so you can engage with it through real experience in daily life.

 

My 2 c.

[三江源]

I'm finding Carol Anthony very interesting.

[mYTHmAKER]

I'm finding Carol Anthony very interesting.

 

Loved her books

A Guide to the I Ching

The Philosophy of the I Ching

The Other Way

 

I think there may also be a newer one

[deci belle]

I'm finding Carol Anthony very interesting.

 

Me too, cat!❤ I only have A Guide to the I Ching.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Hua Ching Ni was the translator recommended by Mantak Chia, citing Ni's breadth of knowledge of various aspects of Daoism and the Chinese language.

[lienshan]

I prefer to use Legge's online translation this way:

 

If the stalks result in hexagram 30 line 1 (the first NINE)

 

then click at the little blue bottom to the right and each character appears vertical explained

 

A vertical character can be further examined by clicking on the character e.g. 履 (footwear)

 

and then go to the bottom and click on Pre-Qin and Han texts

 

Then occurs a list of texts containing 履 (footwear) used e.g. 3 times in the analects

(it's very inspiring to read the characters used in other connections)

 

There's also on the site a dictionary to copypast one or more characters into.

 

And the suplement is to copypast the character into Sears etymology page

 

 

There's a lot of symbolic in each character that is impossible to translate into english language.

Using the above translation tools makes it possible to read a single line in chinese one's own way!

[三江源]

Loved her books

A Guide to the I Ching

The Philosophy of the I Ching

The Other Way

 

I think there may also be a newer one

 

Yes, it's "The Oracle of the Cosmic Way" and is very unique in depth book, with a lot about cultivating the inner sage that is very clear. She is great on what is not the cosmic way too.. helpful for many who fall into the erroneous presumption that 'everything is acceptable, it's all the way'.

Worth getting, definitely.

[mYTHmAKER]

Yes, it's "The Oracle of the Cosmic Way" and is very unique in depth book, with a lot about cultivating the inner sage that is very clear. She is great on what is not the cosmic way too.. helpful for many who fall into the erroneous presumption that 'everything is acceptable, it's all the way'.

Worth getting, definitely.

 

I'll have to get it.

I have spoken to Carol Anthony via email - lovely woman