I Ching Classical Understand vs. Aleister Crowley

I Ching Classical Understand vs. Aleister Crowley

Any belief, whether it is a self-made system or is bestowed upon us from above, can be taken as a religious view, for how does one define religion except as a system which sets upon humans a certain lifestyle to follow. The definition might seem vague at the least, but to define religion is becoming increasingly difficult, as more and more new sources of religious believes emerge. In all sense of the world, there is a message, however it may or may not be from an omnipotent, invisible God; it can be from a messiah or a man who has been raised to the level of a Messiah by his/her followers, as is the case of Buddha. [1: END NOTES Connelly, Paul. Definition of Religion and Relates Terms. 1996. 23rd March 2012 .]

The same has been the fate of many of the philosophers who have presented a framework for how to live one's life. One such philosophical work that will be discussed in this paper is the philosophy of I-Ching or Yi Jing. Although the text is rooted in antiquity, there have been an impact on it through the various interpretations had been presented. Two of these interpretations that would be discussed in this paper would include those that have been presented by the Classical Text and Aleister Crowley. A comparative study will be then conducted of the two schools of thoughts, but before that can be done, it is important to take into account, firstly, a historical background of what the philosophy of I-Ching composes of.

I-Ching: A Historical Background:

The I Ching has been known by many names in history, like Yi Jing or The Book of Changes, and its roots can be traced to antiquity. The principles of I Ching have been practiced for almost "three or four millennia" in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, only to later even invade the Western Philosophical sphere. [2: Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon. Diviation Practices: I Ching - Part One. n.d. 24th March 2012 .]

The impact of the philosophy and upon the philosophy itself is a question whose pursuit can only lead to ensure the importance and the significance of the text. I Ching has been defined as the "seasoned wisdom of thousands of years" and has even been linked to the origins of the "two branches of Chinese philosophy, Confucianism and Taoism." In fact, Confucian held the text in great respect, and wrote a total of ten commentaries. It has been said that the work I is "a reflection of the universe in miniature" It has then also been used to define "ease and simplicity' change and transformation, and invariability," in which the relationship with the cosmic is "based on the assumption that all that happens in the universe, natural and human, is a continuous whole, like a chain of natural sequences." [3: Wilhelm, Richard. Introduction. n.d. 23rd March 2012 .] [4: Manuel B. Dy, Jr. The Chinese view of Time: A Passage to Eternity. n.d. 24th March 2012 .] [5: Ch'u Chai, Winberg Chai. I Ching - Book of Changes. Trans. James Legge. New York: Bantam Books, 1969.] [6: Manuel B. Dy, Jr. The Chinese view of Time: A Passage to Eternity. n.d. 24th March 2012 .]

The importance of the text itself lies in what it has to offer in the form of secrets and teachings of Lao-tse, and of his pupils, many of the concepts which would latter form the Confucian tradition as axioms. It will not be wrong to claim then that this text has been a well of knowledge for many of the fields, including "science and statecraft" and it was for this reason alone that it was the only text that survived during the reign of Ch'in Shih Huang Ti and the burning of all Confucian text during his time. [7: Wilhelm, Richard. Introduction. n.d. 23rd March 2012 .]

The text in itself is an ancient oracle, which sought to mirrors what is contained in our DNA or what the text defines as the Inner Truth. The philosophy is based on the fact that the knowledge contained in our DNA is sacred and has the strength to tell us about ourselves in relation with the Cosmos. This knowledge is not something whose access can be made possible through the rational course, a much accepted doctrine in the Western philosophy; in fact the translation and understanding of this knowledge is only possible through "commonsense," which through disuse can be disabled, and would thus require the assistance of an I Ching oracle. [8: Moog, Carol K. Anthony and Hanna. The I Ching Oracle, as Defined by Itself. n.d. 24th March 2012 .]

The universal appeal of this philosophical work has resulted in it becoming the origin point of many occult doctrines, both in the Western and Eastern Hemisphere. The starting point of these doctrines can be traced to the Ch'in and Han dynasties when this natural philosophy was converted into a more formalistic and rigid nature. This ultimately led to an "increasingly hairsplitting cabalistic speculations" which surrounded the text and teachings of the Book of Changes. [9: Wilhelm, Richard. Introduction. n.d. 23rd March 2012 .]

The main question however that the text sought to answer is "How can humans live in harmony with the Cosmos?," which is in direct relation to the two belief that the human's are good and that only through being in sync with nature, can we find harmony with the Cosmos. This harmony is then the guiding light for humans on how they should live their lives. [10: Moog, Carol K. Anthony and Hanna. The I Ching Oracle, as Defined by Itself. n.d. 24th March 2012 .]

The text basically is made up of 64 hexagrams, and employs 8 trigrams, consisting of both solid and broken lines. These combinations represent the Inner Truth and the yin yang patterns, with the solid lines representing the yang or male principle, while the broken lines representing the yin or female principle. [11: Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon. Diviation Practices: I Ching - Part One. n.d. 24th March 2012 .]

I Ching from the point-of-view of a Classical Understanding:

There is agreement on the fact that the origins of this oracle text lie in and around 1000 BCE, which coincides with the early Chou dynasty. The earliest commentaries on the text, "Shuo-Kua" states that the creation of the I Ching can be credited to the ancient sages, whose observations of how the world functions and what principles may lead to success. The certainty with which these principles can be predicted and applied, lies in the fact that such principles are a part of the nature of things itself, and therefore and inherent. It is just this guidance that I Ching provides so that the people may align their own activities with the course of nature and thus attain harmony and peace. [12: Kirkland, Russell. "The I Ching, Yin-Yang, and the "Five Forces." n.d. 25th March 2012 .]

The evolution of I Ching from simply a tool for the diviners -- employed in royal courts only - to a philosophical school of thought was much slow in its evolution and development, and didn't take place until the 5th century BCE. It was only in the Eastern Chou dynasty that the first anonymous commentaries on this text began to appear and during the Han dynasty were incorporated as the "wings" of I Ching. However, research has shown that they were not a product of "one continuous tradition, but rather of different traditions," which can be divided into the following, [13: Ibid]

1. The Shuo-kua and possibly the Wen-yen ("Wings" 7 and 8), consisting of narrow technical interpretations, can be called the product of a "technical school," as there is a great probability that they were the domain of the diviners at the Chou court. They are considered to be dated to "no later than the 5th century BCE, and might be as early as the 7th century." [14: Ibid]

2. The T'uan-chuan and Hsiao-hsiang-chuan ("Wings" 1, 2, and 4), are part of the "commentary school," dating to around 5th century BCE.

3. The Ta-chuan ("Wing" 6), are considered to the derivation of a "philosophical school," belonging to the 6th -- 3rd centuries, and it is in this time and period that we first catch the glimpses of Confucianism and Taoism make an appearance.

As can be seen through this evolutionary distribution of the I Ching, that at the very beginning it was nothing more than a divination tool for the royal courts and nobles, and it is this which would remain as the focus of this paper.

In a traditional sense, the I Ching is composed in a table form, with the hexagram divided into two parts, forming the x and y coordinates, and each of the 64 hexagrams is assigned in number and a meaning corresponding to that number. The prediction is the result of the combination of the two axes and the lines corresponding to the way the sticks have fallen. The lines themselves are based on the principal of yin and yang, as has already been mentioned.

I Ching from the point-of-view of Aleister Crowley:

In the West there has been a limited interest towards the Oriental philosophy, and "there remain entrenched Eurocentric attitudes which tend to marginalize the influence of Eastern thought on the West." However, the exception has been Aleister Crowley, who created his own religion under the banner of A*A* or Argentum Astrum. The religion and the very figure of Aleister Crowley have been surrounded by undeserved controversy, which is often the result of a lack of understanding of this work. From an analytical point-of-view, it can be claimed the teachings and the religion which he preached was very human centric approach. The focus was on the individual and how we connected and committed himself to the norms and rituals of the Order. [15: Clarke, J.J. Oriental Enlightenment: The encounter between Asian and Western Thought. New York: Taylor & Francis, 1997.]

Crowley too has made his own attempt to present an understanding of the I Ching and the work has been considered to be of considerable merit. Exactly how the interested developed in this direction is a question which is again of considerable debate, since little mention has been done of this acquaintance by Crowley himself, in his work "Confessions." Although his visits to China Town are mentioned in the above mentioned work, it was not until December 13th 1907, when in his work "Liber Trigrammaton XXVII" did he synthesize the "duality of Yin/Yang (represented by the solid and broken lines of the Yi King) with the Tao (represented in this system by a dot), resulting in a series of 27 trigrams." [16: Frater. The I Ching and Western Esotericism. Jade Hexagram Press, 1998.] [17: n.d. "Aleister Crowley & the Yi King." n.d. Scribd. 24th March 2012 .]

The Comparison of Crowley's and the Classical framework:

The I Ching has provided for many interpretations to the meanings that can be attached with the hexagrams. When a comparison study is conducted between the meanings that have been given by Crowley, as compared to the original text, there are many a huge differences that can be seen.

Consider the number 1 hexagram for example; in the Classical I Ching, it is being defined as the "CH'IEN" or in other words, "THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN," which is made up of six unbroken lines, of the yin principle only. These lines have been associated with the "primal power, which is light-giving, active, strong, and of the spirit." The lines that are associated with this hexagram are, [18: Richard Wilhelm, Cary F. Baynes. I Ching: Or, Book of Changes. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1967.]

Nine at the beginning means:

Hidden dragon. Do not act.

Nine in the second place means:

Dragon appearing in the field.

It furthers one to see the great man.

Nine in the third place means:

All day long the superior man is creatively active.

At nightfall his mind is still beset with cares.

Danger. No blame.

Nine in the fourth place means:

Wavering flight over the depths.

No blame.

Nine in the fifth place means:

Flying dragon in the heavens.

It furthers one to see the great man.

Nine at the top means:

Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.

When all the lines are nines, it means:

There appears a flight of dragons without heads.

Good fortune

Again the interpretation of the text would require a bit of an understanding of the Eastern tradition and their cultural elements. The dragon mentioned here, in China holds a place of respect and even that of an "electrically charged, dynamic, arousing force. This force is manifested in many forms including that of a thunderstorm, a force which in the winters withdraws within the earth, only to reappear in the summer. In the first two lines, the dragon is shown hidden and therefore has no effect on anything and anyone. This is synonymous of a man who is hidden and is not yet known to the world for his talent or any other greatness that he may possess. He waits patiently for the right time, like the lighting, which waits for the summer to make an appearance again. This man is no rush for he truly recognizes the strength of his own power.

The next lines represent the dragon making an appearance again, for it is now the right time to make an appearance. He has not made an impact yet, but he has been destined with a purpose. By the third stanza, the man appears to have started making an influence and his fame is becoming to spread. However, the many worries continue to possess him even at night, when the rest of the world is at rest.

The fourth stanza promises a point for the individual when he has soared to heights of great success, and at a position where he can play a great role in the society. This success only continues to soar by the fifth stanza where he reaches to the heavenly steps in regards to his influence and the blessings with which he is blessed.

The image associated with this hexagram is that of heaven, and since its energy is considered unrestricted, therefore it is directly linked with motion. It expresses, in regards to the human world, the creative power that are embodied in any man, and it is through these power that he can take forward his own growth in a more mature form.

The word however mostly used in this regard is "higher nature," which is directly linked with the Western concept of a superman resemblance. But this would be an error of interpretation.

Now consider the interpretation of the same hexagram as has been given by Crowley, which at a first glance may seem very poetic in its nature. He defines the hexagram as "KHIEN Originating from the term, piercing advantageous, right and firm." The rest of the text and the interpretation read as follows, [19: Crowley, Aleister. "The I Ching: A new Translation of the Book of Changes by The Master Therion." n.d. Sacred Texts. 25th March 2012 .]

"The dragon lurks: it is no time to act.

The dragon's in the field: now make thy pact.

Be active, watchful, using care and tact.

The dragon leaps; a bursting cataract.

The dragon ploughs the sky with pace exact.

Exceed not, dragon; Lest thy force react.

(If all this heavenly hosts of dragons lacked

Their heads, good fortune would become a fact.)"

The dragon here is the symbol of the "superior man," which in the interpretation of the Chinese text comes about to be the mature man who has evolved his nature to a higher form. While his home is the water, he can reside on land as well. The verses, as interpreted by Crowley, talk about the force of the dragon, but tell him that this is not the time to act, which can be taken as the same warning that was given in the first stanza, although there the reasons had been interpreted as that of the Spring time not upon the human yet.

When the dragon appears in the field in Crowley's field, he is advised to commit to his work, although caution and care is also advised to him. The dragon would then eventually find the force which is needed for him to burst to the sky and here he will find for himself the fields or the sources to tap for his creative output. The caution is still to be exercised by this dragon or the individual, unless the force -- which however has not been defined -- reacts with the individual to evolve him to a much higher plane.

These two texts while go on to more or less mean the same thing, there is a lack of detail and cosmic reasoning that is found in the work of the Classical I Ching as compared to the interpretation that has been presented by Aleister Crowley.

If we consider another example, this time firstly from Crowley's work. These are the lines that are part of the hexagram 33, which is an important number for the framework that Crowley presents. The lines are as following,

THUN: A retirement. Though thy force be spent.

Adroit withdrawal masters the event!

Peril! Withdraw! Keep still -- though tail yet show.

Hold fast thy purpose subtly, even so.

Gracious to them that bind thee; hate their ire; maugre their will, the great have wit to retire.

Retreat in order -- even the gods admire.

Retreat with dignity -- rekindle fire.

The meaning that can be adhered to the following lines is that there is no disgrace in retiring from a point in the face of the enemy. In fact even dignity can be attributed to this, since "even Gods admire" such an act. The interpretation even attributes that the skillful withdrawal can even conquer the entire event that is taking place and in this regard, retreating might be a better course of action to take.

Now consider the example of the Classical text and what it signifies, in the following lines.

Six at the beginning means:

At the tail in retreat. This is dangerous.

One must not wish to undertake anything.

Six in the second place means:

he holds him fast with yellow oxhide.

No one can tear him loose.

Nine in the third place means:

A halted retreat

Is nerve-wracking and dangerous.

To retain people as men- and maidservants

Brings good fortune.

Nine in the fourth place means:

Voluntary retreat brings good fortune to the superior man

And downfall to the inferior man.

Nine in the fifth place means:

Friendly retreat. Perseverance brings good fortune.

Nine at the top means:

Cheerful retreat. Everything serves to further.

The title of the Hexagram is "TUN" or "Retreat," and in the first stanza he defines that in such a situation it is better to be in a position where one is at the front. However that is not the case which is presented here; here the man is at the tail, where he is an immediate contact with the enemy and therefore the best possible way at this point would be to keep still.

Oxide in the second stance represents the color Yellow, which is the color which represents "in the middle." As per Wilhelm's translation, "It indicates that which is correct and in line with duty…..is strong and not to be torn." The yellow here are the inferior men whose will is so strong that nothing can shift them from their goal and determination in the face of enemy. [20: Richard Wilhelm, Cary F. Baynes. I Ching: Or, Book of Changes. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1967.WORD CITEDCh'u Chai, Winberg Chai. I Ching - Book of Changes. Trans. James Legge. New York: Bantam Books, 1969.Clarke, J.J. Oriental Enlightenment: The encounter between Asian and Western Thought. New York: Taylor & Francis, 1997.Connelly, Paul. Definition of Religion and Relates Terms. 1996. 23rd March 2012 .Crowley, Aleister. "The I Ching: A new Translation of the Book of Changes by The Master Therion." n.d. Sacred Texts. 25th March 2012 .Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon. Diviation Practices: I Ching - Part One. n.d. 24th March 2012 .Frater. The I Ching and Western Esotericism. Jade Hexagram Press, 1998.Kirkland, Russell. "The I Ching, Yin-Yang, and the "Five Forces." n.d. 25th March 2012 .Manuel B. Dy, Jr. The Chinese view of Time: A Passage to Eternity. n.d. 24th March 2012 .Moog, Carol K. Anthony and Hanna. The I Ching Oracle, as Defined by Itself. n.d. 24th March 2012 .n.d. "Aleister Crowley & the Yi King." n.d. Scribd. 24th March 2012 .Richard Wilhelm, Cary F. Baynes. I Ching: Or, Book of Changes. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1967.Wilhelm, Richard. Introduction. n.d. 23rd March 2012 .]