The Great Assembly and the Yijing (I Ching)

The Scorpion Seal Assembly seen through the eyes of the Ancestral Sovereigns of China
The way of Shambhala originated when the Buddha first transmitted the Shambhala dharma to King
Dawa Sangpo by bestowing the Kalachakra abisheka. In our lifetimes, the Druk Sakyong's terma and the
Kongma Sakyong's commentaries have brought these teachings into the modern world in a completely
vital and contemporary way in order to address the degradation of the dark age. Over the last many years,
I have had the opportunity to see the Shambhala teachings through the eyes of a consonant wisdom
tradition that has been handed down to us as the Yijing (I Ching), often known as the Book of Changes.
Under the supervision of Eva Wong, I have translated the Yijing (I Ching) from classical Chinese into
English—or, more accurately, into Shambhalian English. From the outset it was clear to me that the
ancient wisdom and language of the most venerable of Chinese classics was cut from the same cloth as
the Shambhala dharma. Indeed, it was the uncanny resonance between the Yijing and Shambhala that
first drew me to this project. The Shambhala tradition is the lens through which I have viewed the text,
and the key that has opened its many doors. The teachings of Shambhala, presented in English and
tailored to the present age, provided an unexpected bridge that make the riches of the Yijing available to
the modern world. Read from this perspective, the text can rightly be understood as a comprehensive and
detailed manual describing how human society can be integrated to join Heaven and Earth, so that it may
truly support the journeys of all its members.
Having recently attended the Scorpion Seal Assembly at Shambhala Mountain Center, I looked anew at
two hexagrams, 45. 萃 Cuì: Gathering Together and 46. 升 Shēng: Flourishing, that aptly describe what I
experienced there. It seems to me that these ancient writings reflect a similar experience in our own
community today, and so I thought I would share them with you. I hope you are inspired by the the
words passed down by our ancestral Chinese forebears about the wonderful world we share with the
lineage, the Sakyong, and the dralas.
For those of you who are interested in further exploring the Yijing as a manual of the development of
enlightened society, I invite your to visit www.ichingandsociety.com. Weekend programs presenting the
new translation and commentary of the Yijing have been scheduled in October at Shambhala Mountain
Center in Colorado and Windhorse Farm in Nova Scotia.
Daniel Hessey, Shastri
dhh108@mac.com
45. Gathering Together

萃
Cuì

The Great Assembly

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 This hexagram describes the Sakyong and his court as it manifests at a great
convocation of society. This is not an administrative or governmental meeting, but a
manifestation of the court as mandala, in which all participants can directly experience
their own basic goodness and their place in the sacred configuration of the assembly.
The assembly allows a full exchange between the people and the Sakyong. It is a
meeting of minds and hearts that is the basis of widespread integration in society.
The Text:
萃
亨
王假有廟
利見大人
Gathering Together:
Radiating Brilliance,
The Sakyong's majesty manifests as his court
It is Just, Fitting and Timely to see the great person.
In the convocation the Sakyong can fully manifest his brilliance, because of the
commitment of those present and the protected nature of the assembly.

亨利貞
Radiating Brilliance,
Just, Fitting and Timely;
Powerful and Fruitful.
Brilliant, Just and Powerful are Shambhala terms that describe the progression of the
manifestation of unconditional basic goodness in society.

用大牲吉
利有攸往
To make great offerings is auspicious
All things emerge a just, fitting and timely way.

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 In particular, the people and governance emerge in a way that joins Heaven and Earth.
The word "emerge" is used, because in a sacred environment, society arises
spontaneously, and naturally structures itself to express sacredness at every level of
activity. The offerings are mutual: the Sakyong offers the teachings and the
transmission of sacredness, and the participants offer their loyalty, love, and support.

The Commentary:
萃
聚也
順以說
剛中而應
故聚也
王假有廟
致孝享也
Gathering together [means] a convocation.
Teaching evokes deep accord:
The firm is unbiased and resonant.
[Such a] convocation is auspicious.
The Sakyong's majesty manifests as his court,
Giving rise to offerings of loyalty and devotion.
In such an uplifted, glorious and awake environment, the teachings that had been
established in hexagram 20. (觀 Guān: Sacred Outlook) fulfill their potential for
transforming society. In this context, the Sakyong's teachings are deeply resonant with
the basic goodness of those present, and thus those in attendance are inspired and
develop deep loyalty and confidence in the lineage.
This loyalty and devotion (孝) is described as" filial piety" in the Chinese tradition.
Beings are children of the Dao, and are constantly nourished by it. Recognizing this is
the basis of natural hierarchy: people have gratitude toward the Dao, then to Heaven
and Earth as manifestations of the Dao, to the sage king or Sakyong as a human
embodiment of the Dao, and finally to parents and superiors to the extent that they
embody virtue.

利見大人亨
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聚以正也
用大牲吉
利有攸往
順天命也
觀其所聚
而天地萬物之情可見矣
It is Just, Fitting and Timely to witness the Radiant Brilliance of the great person.
True governance, integrity and propriety arise through [such a] convocation,
[Therefore] to make great offerings is auspicious [so that]
The people and their society may emerge in a Just, Fitting and Timely way,
[Ever] loyal to Heaven's command.
If such a convocation were to be viewed with sacred outlook
The heart of Heaven and Earth and the 10,000 things could be seen.
When auspicious coincidence brings the Sakyong and the people together in a sacred
convocation, the forms and skillful means of enlightened society can be established:
genuine governance, integrity and propriety. Thus a good human society can
continuously emerge from the cosmic mirror.
When seen with pure perception, human society and all its activities are seen as
manifestations of basic goodness.

The Image:
澤上於地
萃
Wetlands are over the Earth:
Gathering Together.

君子以除戎器
戒不虞
The warrior renews the court by appointing new officials, and employs the military to
protect it,
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[Therefore there is] no anxiety.
In the context of establishing genuine governance through the action of the court, it is
periodically necessary to renew the hierarchy as if one were purifying an alter. The
character 除 chú literally means "to cleanse", or "an alter that has been purified". It
this context its meaning has been extended to include "to appoint new officials who will
displace the old" in the context of the court. A third meaning is "the steps that
approach the imperial palace", which refers to the function of ministers as the
intermediaries who relate to those who wish to approach or make offerings at court.
Therefore they must be impeccable.
The military is the counterpart of the government, and serves to protect the integrity of
the court and the government. When both the ministers and the military properly
empowered, the people are able to fully trust the integrity of the court and the
governance, and thus their anxiety is allayed.

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 46. Flourishing

Shēng

Advancing the People

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The Text:
升
元亨
用見大人
勿恤
南征吉
Flourishing:
Profound and Unfathomable,
Radiating Brilliance,
Don't hesitate to see the great person.
It is auspicious to advance to the south.

The South is the precinct of the Fire trigram in the mandala of later Heaven. This
represents the awareness of interdependence as is described in Hexagram 30. (Lí 籬:
Awareness):
Repeated awareness [Prajna] sees genuine interdependence.
Thereby transforming and perfecting all under Heaven.
The interdependence of relative knowing and emptiness is genuineness.
Therefore it is brilliant.

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 By overcoming hesitation and entering into the great convocation described in the
previous hexagram, ordinary people can connect fully with the Sakyong, witness his
court, and develop higher perception that sees profound interdependence, which is
drala. This higher perception is the path through which people flourish.

The Commentary:
柔以時升
巽而順
剛中而應
是以大亨
The flourishing of the flexible is in accord with the time
[And is an expression of] widespread loyalty.
The firm is unbiased and resonant,
And therefore radiates great Brilliance.
"The flexible" in this context refer to ordinary people who are loyal to the firm, the
energy of Heaven embodied in the Sakyong. The firm—the Sakyong, the court and the
government—are without bias. This means that they do not hold their seats from the
point of view of self-interest, but as an expression of benefitting others and protecting
the Earth.

用見大人
勿恤
有慶也
南征吉
志行也
Don't hesitate to see the great person,
Celebrate!
It is auspicious to advance to the south.
Where one's aspirations may be realized.

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 The text encourages the people to celebrate the rare and wonderful opportunity to
connect the court and the "south", the genuine interdependence of all. In this way their
desire to live an uplifted life may be realized.

The Image: 　　
地中生木
升
A tree grows from within the Earth.
Flourishing.

君子以順德
積小以高大
The warriors are loyal to virtuous authentic presence,
And gradually grow into prominence and greatness.
The tree represents spontaneous emergence and natural development. Warriors are
loyal to virtue and the power that is generated by virtue, authentic presence. Through
that virtuous power they gradually can take their seats in society according to their
aspirations and capabilities.

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