Induction

The term agnostic was fittingly coined by the 19th-century British scientist Thomas H. Huxley, who believed that only material phenomena were objects of exact knowledge. He made up the word from the prefix a-, meaning “without, not,” as in amoral, and the noun Gnostic. Gnostic is related to the Greek word gn?, “knowledge,” which was used by early Christian writers to mean “higher, esoteric knowledge of spiritual things”; hence, Gnostic referred to those with such knowledge. In coining the term agnostic, Huxley was considering as “Gnostics” a group of his fellow intellectuals—“ists,” as he called them— who had eagerly embraced various doctrines or theories that explained the world to their satisfaction. Because he was a “man without a rag of a label to cover himself with,” Huxley coined the term agnostic for himself, its first published use being in 1870.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Zhen 震 5/8/2005

1 震:亨。震來虩虩,笑言啞啞。震驚百里,不喪匕鬯。
   Zhen: Zhen gives the intimation of ease and development. When (the time of) movement (which it indicates) comes, (the subject of the hexagram) will be found looking out with apprehension, and yet smiling and talking cheerfully. When the movement (like a crash of thunder) terrifies all within a hundred Li, he will be (like the sincere worshipper) who is not (startled into) letting go his ladle and (cup of) sacrificial spirits.
   彖傳: 震,亨。震來虩虩,恐致福也。笑言啞啞,后有則也。震驚百里,驚遠而懼邇也。出可以守宗廟社稷,以為祭主也。
   Tuan Zhuan: Zhen (gives the intimation of) ease and development. 'When the (time of) movement (which it indicates) comes, (its subject) will be found looking out with apprehension:' - that feeling of dread leads to happiness. 'And yet smiling and talking cheerfully:' - the issue (of his dread) is that he adopts (proper) laws (for his course). 'The movement (like a crash of thunder) terrifies all within a hundred Lu:' - it startles the distant and frightens the near. 'He will be like the sincere worshipper, who is not startled into letting go his ladle and cup of sacrificial spirits:' - he makes his appearance, and maintains his ancestral temple and the altars of the spirits of the land and grain, as presiding at all sacrifices.
   象傳: 虩雷,震;君子以恐懼修身。
   Xiang Zhuan: (The trigram representing) thunder, being repeated, forms Zhen. The superior man, in accordance with this, is fearful and apprehensive, cultivates (his virtue), and examines (his faults).
2 初九:震來虩虩,後笑言啞啞,吉。
   Zhen: The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject, when the movement approaches, looking out and around with apprehension, and afterwards smiling and talking cheerfully. There will be good fortune.
   象傳: 震來虩虩,恐致福也。笑言啞啞,後有則也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'When the (time of) movement comes, he will be found looking out with apprehension:' - that feeling of dread leads to happiness. 'He yet smiles and talks cheerfully:' - the issue (of his dread) is that he adopts (proper) laws (for his course).
3 六二:震來厲,億喪貝,躋于九陵,勿逐,七日得。
   Zhen: The second SIX, divided, shows its subject, when the movement approaches, in a position of peril. He judges it better to let go the articles (in his possession), and to ascend a very lofty height. There is no occasion for him to pursue after (the things he has let go); in seven days he will find them.
   象傳: 震來厲,乘剛也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'When the movement approaches, he is in a position of peril:' - (a weak line) is mounted on a strong (one).
4 六三:震蘇蘇,震行無眚。
   Zhen: The third six, divided, shows its subject distraught amid the startling movements going on. If those movements excite him to (right) action, there will be no mistake.
   象傳: 震蘇蘇,位不當也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'He is distraught amid the startling movements going on:' - (the third line) is in a position unsuitable to it.
5 九四:震遂泥。
   Zhen: The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject, amid the startling movements, supinely sinking (deeper) in the mud.
   象傳: 震遂泥,未光也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'Amid the startling movements, he sinks supinely in the mud:' - the light in him has not yet been brilliantly developed.
6 六五:震往來厲,億無喪,有事。
   Zhen: The fifth SIX, divided, shows its subject going and coming amidst the startling movements (of the time), and always in peril; but perhaps he will not incur loss, and find business (which he can accomplish).
   象傳: 震往來厲,危行也。其事在中,大無喪也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'He goes and comes amid the startling movements, and (always) in peril:' - full of risk are his doings. 'What he has to do has to be done in his central position:' - far will he be from incurring any loss.
7 上六:震索索,視矍矍,征凶。震不于其躬,于其鄰,無咎。婚媾有言。
   Zhen: The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject, amidst the startling movements (of the time), in breathless dismay and looking round him with trembling apprehension. If he take action, there will be evil. If, while the startling movements have not reached his own person and his neighbourhood, (he were to take precautions), there would be no error, though his relatives might (still) speak against him.
   象傳: 震索索,未得中也。雖凶無咎,畏鄰戒也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'Amid the startling movements he is in breathless dismay:' - he has not found out (the course of) the due mean. 'Though evil (threatens), he will not fall into error:' - he is afraid of being warned by his neighbours.

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