“By studying the organic patterns of heaven and earth, a fool can become a sage. So by watching the times and seasons of natural phenomena we can become true philosophers.”

Li Chuan 李筌 , Yin fu jing 阴符经 , 735 a .d.

In this paper, “heaven” should be read “ tian ,” in the interest of avoiding tendentious connotations on the part of some Western translations.

in Merson : 42

 

Abstract: Some of the first indications of an organized effort to gain an objective understanding of human nature and the interplay between humankind and the workings of the universe are to be found in ancient China. The authors endeavor to illustrate ways in which the Yijing易经 ‘The Book of Changes’ shaped and influenced not only early Confucian metaphysics, but current areas such as consciousness research, more specifically conscientiology (意识学). The development of the Yijing and its introduction to the West is outlined for this purpose. As conscientiology investigates human nature, considering other realms of existence, it presents commonalities with the Yijing. Early Chinese thought is compared with the science of conscientiology and it is suggested that its first evidences reside in ancient China, thereby serving, as it were, to return the body of conscientiological knowledge home. Evolutiology进化学 plays an integral role in the studies of conscientiology and it is posed that the Yijing can be utilized as a tool for the evolution of the consciousness.

Key words: cosmoethics, evolutiology, metaphysics, multidimensionality, parapsychism, self-knowledge, tian-human-earth triad.

 

  Introduction

  As the Yijing易经, The Book of Changes, is considered to represent the universe in miniature, it is not surprising that it has provided much of the foundation for two of the most important lines of thought of ancient China: Taoism and Confucianism. It is mentioned by some that, due to the great reciprocity between the Dao De Jing 道德经, The Classic of the Way and its Power, the Zhongyong 中庸, The Doctrine of the Mean, and the Yijing, the former two works should be read side by side with the latter (I Ching 1978: xxxix). The interrelationship between the Yijing and Confucian metaphysics儒学的形而上学 is clear, as the Confucian “Ten Wings” and the Zhongyong, the latter being a natural development from the “Ten Wings,” represent the metaphysical development of ancient Confucianism.

  The Yijing is an early attempt to bring to light the broad-gauged workings of the mechanism of the cosmos, based on the observation of facts, that is to say, an understanding of the universe according to the “flow of facts.” The authors point out the importance of a broader perspective for the investigation of the human reality. Metaphysics, with its multidimensional implications, gives new meaning to who and what we are. According to conscientiology, “the inner universe of the consciousness is much more instigating and involving than all of the objects in the external world.” (Vieira 1994b: 9) Thus, the more open-minded researcher will inevitably bear in mind the Yijing as a rich resource in the complex undertaking of researching the consciousness.

  The authors consider the primordial beginnings of modern consciousness research ( 意识研究 ), more precisely conscientiology ( 意识学 ), to be found in ancient Chinese thought. The science of conscientiology studies the human consciousness – also referred to as one's essence or the intelligent principle – and all of its multidimensional (metaphysical) manifestations. Can “the consciousness” be expressed in Chinese as 存在 (being), 心 (heart/mind), 神魂 (mind), 自我、自身 (self), or 灵魂、 心灵 (soul)? In this regard, James Legge , in a commentary on the Daxue 大学 , Great Learning (1971: 358) states that:

Ch? Hsi [Zhu Xi ] defines 心 as 身之所主 , ‘what the body has for its lord,' and 意 as 身之所发 , ‘what the 心 sends forth.' Ying-ta says: 总包万虑谓之心 , ‘that which comprehends and embraces all considerings is called the 心 ;' 为情所意念谓之意 , ‘the thoughts under emotion are what is called 意 .' 心 is then the metaphysical part of our nature, all that we comprehend under the terms of mind or soul, heart, and spirit. This is conceived of as quiescent, and when its activity is aroused, then we have thoughts and purposes relative to what affects it.

Through the prism of conscientiology, what Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200) is representing as 心 or “what the body has for its lord” – the principle that pilots the body – would seem to be equivalent to “the consciousness.” This is also in alignment with Legge's observation that 心 is the metaphysical part of our nature, i.e., mind, soul, spirit. The term 意 or “what the 心 sends forth” would then represent the manifestations of the consciousness. In conscientiology, these manifestations of the individual are referred to as “thosene” ( tho ught + sen timent + e nergy) or “ 思 - 感 - 能 ” ( 思维 + 情感 + 能量 ). In other words, every manifestation of the individual simultaneously involves thoughts which are inextricably tied to emotions and energy.

  Given the possibility that the roots of conscientiology are to be found in ancient Chinese thought, as it will be argued, the presence of this science in China serves to bring an intellectual heritage full circle, returning it home. The term “roots” here refers to the appreciation of the essence of humanity, or what it truly is to be a thinking, insightful, lucid, and creative human being. One of the commonalities between conscientiology and Chinese philosophy is China 's abstention from a religious explanation of its understanding of life and the dynamics thereof. Whereas other cultures have found it convenient to place a religious label on beingness, China has chosen to place a more scientific label on beingness.

The authors thus endeavor to present: (1) the importance of the Yijing as one of the first works that considered the multidimensional nature of the consciousness and the intelligent mechanism of the interplay between tian 天 (cosmos) and di 地 (physicality); (2) its application as a tool for evolution; (3) the interrelationship between the Yijing, Confucian metaphysics and conscientiology. This paper is divided into seven parts: (1) the Yijing in the West; (2) the development of the Yijing ; (3) interdimensional relationships; (4) cosmoethics; (5) evolutiology; (6) evolutionary scale; (7) consciential re education and assistance.

 

I. The Yijing in the West

The Yijing, one of the oldest works in the world, is an ancient Chinese system of symbols considered to explain the metaphysical principles by which the universe functions. It is also known in English as: (1) Canon of Change; (2) Changes of Zhou; (3) Classic of Change; (4) Book of Change; (5) I Ching 易经 ; (6) Zhou Book of Change; (7) Zhou Yi 周易 . This work represents the cornerstone of Chinese philosophy and has continued to attract the attention of thinkers over time, both in China and abroad. According to Chung-ying Cheng, “[T]he tradition of Yijing is not only an origin of Chinese philosophy but the very ground of Confucianism and neo-Confucianism.” (Cheng 2003: 523) Fortunately, this classic of Chinese thought survived the “burning of the books” ordered by Qin Shi Huang Di 秦始皇帝 (r. 221–206 b.c. ) in 213 b.c ., thereby maintaining its transmission basically uninterrupted. ( I Ching 1978: xxxiii).

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries witnessed a proliferation of versions of the Yijing in Western languages, such as: (1) translation into Latin by the Roman Catholic missionaries P. Regis, Joseph de Mailla and Peter du Tartre in the early 18 th century, although published by Jules Mohl only in 1834 ; (2) an English version by the Rev. Canon McClatchie, M.A., published in 1876 in Shanghai ; (3) an English interpretation by James Legge, published in 1882; (4) the German version by Richard Wilhelm published in 1929; (5) the subsequent English version translated from the German by Cary F. Baynes, published in 1950.

In Carl Jung's ( 荣格 , 1875-1961) foreword to this English edition of the Yijing, he exhibits a fascination with the work, having spent more than 30 years of his life investigating its dynamics. Despite his noteworthy academic and professional profile as a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of the neopsychoanalytic school of psychology, Jung argues in favor of the knowledge provided by the Yijing. He also expresses, in his later years, indifference toward public opinion and the prejudice of the intellectual community of his day regarding transcendent matters in the following passage:

One cannot easily disregard such great minds as Confucius and Lao-tse, if one is at all able to appreciate the quality of the thoughts they represent; much less can one overlook the fact that the I Ching was their main source of inspiration. I know that previously I would not have dared to express myself so explicitly about so uncertain a matter. I can take this risk because I am now in my eighth decade, and the changing opinions of men scarcely impress me any more; the thoughts of the old masters are of greater value to me than the philosophical prejudices of the Western mind. ( I Ching 1967: xxxv)

Not only was Jung impressed by the results achieved through the use of the Yijing but, as a result of his experimentation with this work, he coined his well-known term “synchronicity” ( 同步性 ), as defined here:

[S]ynchronicity takes the coincidence of events in space and time as meaning something more than mere chance, namely, a peculiar interdependence of objective events among themselves as well as with the subjective (psychic) states of the observer or observers. ( I Ching 1967: xxiv)

Upon the English version by Baynes being published in 1950, the book gained new popularity in the West. While Jung emphasized the relevance of the Yijing as a tool for individual self-knowledge, the 1970' s witnessed an upsurge in “things occult” including divination, with many passionately using means such as the Yijing, tarot, palm reading and channeling to divine regarding a myriad of both greater and lesser issues. What can explain this interest?

Given the chaotic reality of ancient China , the use of the Yijing as a divinatory tool is understandable as it would give people hope and direction. However, in the 20 th century – which many referred to as the “century of the mind” – a period in which the capacities of the human mind were developing as never before, a dependence upon timeworn technology was unjustified. Conscientiology considers one's own capacities to be the best “equipment” for getting in tune with the “flow of the universe”, the movement and changes of things. The optimal tool is the consciousness itself. The self-discerning individual serves as his or her own pointer of the consciousness, as reflected in the “principle of disbelief,” which serves as a backdrop in the studies of conscientiology: “Don't believe in anything. Experiment. Have your own experience.” ( 什么都别相信。试验。去拥有自己的经验。 )

One explanation for mystical tendencies is that most individuals are insecure, lacking reasonable emotional self-control, and continue to unnecessarily reenact dispensable past experiences. Mysticism is not the ideal path for one who wishes to be free from myths and illusions, move forward on his or her own legs and dynamize self-evolution. This is embodied in the following phrase:

“Those who discard belief arrive at knowledge by knowing
him or herself.” Waldo Vieira

In spite of the faddish nature in which the Yijing was embraced by many in the West, it served as an unperceived but highly influential conceptual “undertow” in the field of psychology. Since psychology has provided some of the precursory beginnings to contemporary consciousness research, it can be argued that some of the “roots” of conscientiology are to be found in some of the most ancient aspects of Chinese philosophy. This being the case, it is of interest to review some of the points of the development of this ancient work and some of the ways in which it relates to aspects of conscientiology.

 

II. The Development of the Yijing

Originally a divinatory work, the Yijing was used to foretell the future and indicate wise courses of action by interpreting the signs (omens) of the changes which are constantly occurring in nature. Little effort is required to imagine the desperate situation in which humankind found itself in ancient times. Perception of impending events could mean the difference between life and death. Ancient diviners needed to understand the workings of their world. Natural events were unexplainable. A scientific understanding of the functioning of the universe was unavailable. Divination would be an understandably welcome ray of hope to a desperate humanity. The context of the times is portrayed in the Bai Hu Tong 白虎通 , written by the Han scholar Ban Gu 班固 (32 -92 A .D. ):

In the beginning there was as yet no moral or social order. Men knew their mothers only, not their fathers. When hungry, they searched for food; when satisfied, they threw away the remnants. They devoured their food hide and hair, drank the blood, and clad themselves in skins and rushes. Then came Fuxi and … united man and wife, regulated the five stages of change, and laid down the laws of humanity. ( I Ching 1967: 329)

The Yijing is thought to have possibly developed from scapulimancy (Bai 1993: 56-57), defined as the process of divining by heating the shoulder blade (scapula) of an oxen or a tortoise shell over an open fire and interpreting the ensuing markings or cracks. Although a great deal of controversy continues regarding its authorship, the different parts of the Yijing are traditionally considered to be authored by five different historical personages: (1) Fuxi 伏羲 ; (2) Yü 禹 ; (3) King Wen 文王 ; (4) the Duke of Zhou 周公旦 ; and (5) Confucius 孔子 (551-479 b.c. ) . Its beginnings may reach back 5,000 years to the legendary shaman-king Fuxi 伏羲 , the mythical first Emperor of China. He is said to have observed the manifestations around him and codified their patterns into the 8 trigrams, as expressed in the following passage:

When in early antiquity Pao Xi [Fuxi] ruled the world, he looked upward and contemplated the images in the heavens; he looked downward and contemplated the patterns on earth. He contemplated the markings of birds and beasts and the adaptations to the regions. He proceeded directly from himself and indirectly from objects. Thus he invented the eight trigrams in order to enter into connection with the virtues of the light of the gods and to regulate the conditions of all beings. ( I Ching 1967: 328)

Approximately one millennium after Fuxi's development of the trigrams, a similar legend involves Yu, the first emperor of the Xia Dynasty 夏朝 (2100-1600 b.c.) . Emperor Yu is said to have witnessed a turtle with markings on its back emerging from the Luo River . These markings became known as the Luo Map ( 洛书 ), showing another version of the 8 trigrams.

The eight trigrams can be considered an ancient tool for interfacing with tian . Ancient Chinese kings routinely used an oracle for guidance, as illustrated below:

Heaven creates divine things; the holy sage takes them as models. Heaven and earth change and transform; the holy sage imitates them. In the heavens hang images that reveal good fortune and misfortune; the holy sage reproduces these. The Yellow River brought forth a map and the Luo River brought forth a writing; the holy men took these as models. ( I Ching 1967: 320)

As well as receiving the Luo Map, it is said that Yu “journeyed frequently to the stars to learn from the celestial spirits.” Taoism preserves what is called the “Pace of Yü” or the “Steps of Yu” – a dance of power that he allegedly used in order to be “carried to the sky” (Wong: 12-13). Could the “Pace of Yu” be viewed as one of the earliest recorded techniques for visiting other realms of consciousness? The phenomena allegedly provoked by this technique have the earmarks of the non-ordinary states of consciousness studied by projectiology ( 意识投射学 ), one of the subdisciplines of conscientiology (Vieira 2002: 42). Projectiology studies parapsychism ( 超灵论 ) or exceptional human experience (EHE, 异常的人类经验 ) – the latter being a term coined by Rhea White in 1990 –as it is referred to in transpersonal psychology ( 超个人心理学 ). These and other non-ordinary states of consciousness are currently addressed by science. Transpersonal psychology, for example, researches metaphysical experiences such as the mind-body connection ( 身心联系 ), self-development ( 自我发展 ), the near-death experience (NDE, 濒死经验 ), and those resulting from the “Pace of Yu.”

Although some scholars claim that the sixty-four hexagrams were already in use during the Zhou dynasty and even attribute their creation to Fuxi himself, King Wen is traditionally considered to have developed the eight trigrams into the system of 64 hexagrams around 1150 b.c.. He is also said to have authored the separate “judgments” referring to each hexagram while imprisoned by the “tyrant” Zhou Xin 紂辛 ( I Ching 1967: 329). The Duke of Zhou, King Wen's son, is credited with the authorship of the commentaries to the individual lines of each hexagram. Prior to the judgments and commentaries being written, the Yijing could be seen as a “mute” tool of divination.

The 64 hexagrams of the Yijing are considered to be a miniature representation of the universe wherein the laws of nature guide the ongoing process of change in all things. This is taken to be the central factor in their worldview ( 世界观 weltanschauung ). They perceived changes to be cyclical in nature, in which one thing gives way to another in constant alternation, as exemplified by the following passage:

When the sun goes, the moon comes; when the moon goes, the sun comes. Sun and moon alternate; thus light comes into existence. When cold goes, heat comes; when heat goes, cold comes. Cold and heat alternate, and thus the year completes itself. The past contracts. The future expands. Contraction and expansion act upon each other; hereby arises that which furthers. ( I Ching 1967: 338)

The above perspective is represented in the term yi . The etymology of the ideogram yi 易 , although controversial, can be shown by the following possibilities:

1. It is said that yi originally stood for “chameleon,” being an animal that changes according to its surroundings. This obviously allows an allusion to a concept of ongoing change – and consequent adaptation – according to changes in one's environment. Some feel that the upper portion of the ideogram ( 日 ) depicts a stylized head and the lower portion ( 勿 ) represents the feet of the chameleon. [ I Ching 1956: XI]

2. Others argue that the ideogram could have arisen from combining the symbol for sun ( 日 ) for the upper part and the character for moon ( 月 ) providing the lower portion. The sense of continuous change is thereby suggested by the constant exchange between the light and dark of the sun and the moon in the continuing cycle of night and day. [ I Ching 1956: XII]

Yi is also held to signify “easy and simple”. In this sense, simplicity resides in the complex. This simplicity consists of the complementary opposites of yin 阴 and yang 阳 , which represent cosmic and human order and eventually became generalized and represented by the concept of yin-yang 阴阳 . (Ries: 96-98) Yin and yang can be considered as two primal elements and portrayed with binomials such as: male-female, quiet-active, virile-docile, rising-falling, light-dark ( I Ching 1978: xli). The previously mentioned constancy, of course, resides in the fact that change occurs continuously. It is interesting that this perspective is even reflected in the saying in English that: “The only thing which is constant in life is change.”

In a sociological aspect, the dao 道 of yi 易 is considered to be the principle of hierarchy and subsequent social order. This is pointed out by James Legge ( I Ching 1978: lxix-lxx), when he makes a parallel between the treatment of social relationships found in the Yijing and the Analects . For example, the jia ren 家人 hexagram states:

Let the father be a father, the son be a son; then let the elder brother be an elder brother, the younger brother be a younger brother; the husband be a husband, the wife be a wife; then the Tao of the family is rectified. When the family is rectified, the works will be stabilized.

Similarly, the following passage is found in Analects (12:11), “Let the ruler be a ruler, the minister a minister; let the father be a father, the son a son.”

The Yijing received its final additions with the Yizhuan 易传 or “Ten Wings,” comprising the second part of this work as a set of 10 philosophical commentaries on the hexagrams and individual lines. Although pre-Tang dynasty 唐朝 (618-907) tradition attributed the authorship of the Yizhuan to Confucius, this was questioned in the Song Dynasty 宋朝 (960-1279) and it was considered that the Yizhuan was written by different scholars at different times, a position that many modern scholars are in accord with. It is thought very likely that portions of the Yizhuan were authored by Confucius' followers and thus may represent his teachings on the Yijing ( I Ching 1956: 232). Nevertheless, Confucius' contribution to and influence upon this work is generally not questioned.

Regarding Confucius' interest in the Yijing , Guo Yi 郭沂 (2001: 563-587) states that Confucius initially based his ideology on the rites ( li 礼 ) and later upon humanity ( ren 仁 ). These first periods can be regarded as more physicalist or Newtonian in scope. Later in his life, however, Confucius' ideological paradigm underwent a shift wherein he embraced multidimensionality, or the existence of unseen realms ( 无形维度 ), as a result of studying the Yijing and subsequently made both direct and indirect contributions to the Yizhuan . The quantity of sayings attributed to Confucius in the Yizhuan provides ample testimony to his ideological “third phase” which, according to Guo, “took yi as its core.” In fact, it is said that Confucius studied the Yijing in such earnest in his later years that the leather straps had to be replaced three times (Lin: 90-91). With the addition of the Yizhuan , the Yijing came to be seen as a work of wisdom.

Chung-ying Cheng 成中英 (2003: 522) states that, in his contribution to the Yizhuan, Confucius “undertook the step of explicitly transforming cosmological thinking into moral consciousness and moral reasoning in an effort to define and develop the human being.” He appreciated the Yijing as a book of knowledge and not simply a tool for divination, as evidenced by the following passage from the silk text discovered in Mawangdui in 1973:

Zi Gong asks: “Master, do you believe in divination?”

Confucius answers: “I only read ethic and philosophy in it. The grand diviner and I walk on the same route, but we reach different goals.” (Guo 2004b)

 

III. Interdimensional Relationships

As illustrated above, ancient Chinese rulers served as shamans, operating as intermediaries between the “celestial spirits” and humans. The “Mandate of Heaven” ( tian ming 天命 ) stipulated that the Chinese leader was chosen by heaven and thereby regarded as the “Son of Heaven” ( 天子 ), whose responsibility it was to serve as an intermediary between heaven and earth. Despite the fact this service was already performed by the earliest of Chinese kings, the “Mandate of Heaven” is said to have been officially initiated in 1028 b.c. , when the Duke of Zhou overthrew the king of the Shang Dynasty 商朝 (1600-1066 or 1045 b.c. ) (Ries: 98).

The relationship between the aforementioned connectedness between tian and the sage, as well as the assistance provided to earth, can also be seen in the “triad” (ternion) concept, as it is portrayed in chapter 22 of the Zhongyong :

It is only he who is possessed of the most complete sincerity [ cheng ] that can exist under heaven, who can give its full development to his nature. Able to give its full development to his own nature, he can do the same to the nature of other men. Able to give its full development to the nature of other men, he can give their full development to the natures of animals and things. Able to give their full development to the natures of creatures and things, he can assist the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth. Able to assist the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth, he may with Heaven and Earth form a ternion.

Not only is assistance, as portrayed in the above passage, made possible as a result of evolution, but it is also found to be prerequisite to evolution. The latter sentiment is reflected in conscientiology with the phrase: “One fundamental, undisputed point exists: without helping others, we will never dynamize our personal evolution.” (Vieira 1999: 113)

The operation of the world based on an interplay between tian 天 and earth ( di 地 ) seems to be implied by the following passage from the Dazhuan 大传 or “The Great Treatise,” which constitutes the fifth and sixth commentaries of the Yizhuan :

There is heaven, the upper world of light, which, though incorporeal , firmly regulates and determines everything that happens, and over against heaven there is the earth, the lower, dark world, corporeal, and dependent in its movements upon the phenomena of heaven. ( I Ching 1967: 281, italic added)

The foregoing passage suggests that all things are established in tian prior to manifesting on earth or, in other words, that tian could be seen as a blueprint for earth. This is also expressed in the first passage of the Zhongyong, which states: “What Heaven has conferred is called the Nature.” This sentiment was later echoed in The Guanzi 管子 (49, Inward Training , 2:130), a collection of early texts compiled around 26 b.c. , which states that, “The life of all human beings is as follows: heaven produces their essence [soul]; earth produces their form [body]. The two unite to become a human being.” (Zhang: 173) On a similar note, the concept of youwu 有无 in the Dao De Jing seems to refer to the physical realm ( 物质内的维度 ) and nonphysical realm ( 物质外的维度 ), as expressed by Vincent Shen when he says, “From this realm of nonbeing some possibilities are realized in the realm of being, and to become being is to take the form of body” (Shen: 357).

The duality of the physical and non-physical dimensions is even represented symbolically by objects such as the bi 璧 – a disk with a circular hole in the center symbolizing tian – used in ceremonies by early Chinese kings to evoke the celestial spirits ( Schafer: 80). Tian is interpreted by conscientiology as the extraphysical dimension ( 非物理维度 ) and c onscientiological research findings resonate with the above statements in the Dazhuan , Zhongyong , Guanzi and Dao De Jing that, as citizens of the cosmos ( 宇宙 ) , the extraphysical dimension ( 天 ) is our true origin and serves as a template for the physical dimension ( 地 ), as seen in the following passage:

The extraphysical hometown is our true origin as consciousnesses; it is the exact personal dimension of each human consciousness, our native community…. Our extraphysical roots come first and prevail over our current human roots. They go beyond our citizenship and our human identity. (Vieira, 1999: 24)

Our truer “genetics,” then, would be that which originates from tian or the extraphysical dimension and is referred to as “ para genetics” ( 超遗传 ) in conscientiology. Considering the existence of multiple dimensions – earth and tian – we can ask: What is the pre-requisite for one to function as an interdimensional bridge, as the sage does?

 

IV. Cosmoethics

As previously shown, Confucius is said to have seen the Yijing as a work of “ethic and philosophy.” But it is precisely ethics that allows one to be in touch with the “flow of the cosmos” and thereby serve as a connecting agent between dimensions. The divinatory purpose of the Yijing is to allow one to perceive the changes that naturally occur in that flow. However, when one is in harmony with the workings of the universe, he or she can naturally and easily accompany this flow. This resonates with the concept of cheng 诚 , as it is presented in the Zhongyong . How can one – in this case the sage – enter into partnership with the universe ( Zhongyong , ch. 22) if he or she does not understand the workings of that universe? The cosmos operates based upon a system of ethics. Therefore, this partnership is necessarily realized by achieving a greater understanding of and exemplariness regarding the ethical foundations upon which the cosmos is based or, in other words, cosmoethics ( 宇宙道德 ), which can be equated with tian dao 天道 .

Cosmoethics is acquired in degrees as one evolves. Indeed, conscientiology refers to one's “personal level of cosmoethics” which elevates as a result of individual effort. This is why the Zhongyong (ch. 21) mentions the superior man following along the lines of cheng and finally “attaining” it. Cheng – which in this sense can be used interchangeably with cosmoethics – is the tool necessary for evolution of the consciousness (personal evolution). One's level of cheng or cosmoethics increases as one gradually gains a more comprehensive understanding of how the universe operates and aligns him or herself with that process.

How, we may ask, can the “mysteries” of the universe not “unfold” to the individual who is aligned with these workings? As the cosmos is based upon a system of ethics, to the degree one chooses to operate in accordance with cosmic ethics that individual will draw nearer to the condition of oneness ( 一体性 ) with the cosmos. Since the multidimensional cosmos is our only and true reality, oneness with it is actually nothing more than coming into alignment with the facts of existence . This evidences how cheng can also be represented by the term “facticity.” (Guo 2004a ) The authors pose that facts can be said, in a way, to have their own personality and, like people, can be somewhat predictable. The exhaustive analysis of the pattern of repeating events that occur in one's inner and outer universe can serve as indicators for the guidance of the individual throughout his or her life. With time one learns how to interpret the contents of the “message” provided by the facts and be able to perceive impending events, thereby adopting an appropriate course of action. We can therefore not only refer to “following the flow of the cosmos” but “following the flow of the facts” as well.

Confucius very understandably commented that “the grand diviner and I walk on the same route, but we reach different goals” as it refers to two ways of contextualizing the “flow of the cosmos”: firstly, when divining, one strives to perceive and thereby “forecast” the changes that occur in life; secondly, however, since the cosmic process is based upon the principles of cosmic ethics, a more profound understanding and adherence to cosmoethics will yield a natural prophetic capacity. The qualities cited in the Zhongyong (ch. 24) of being “able to foreknow” and being “like a spirit” result from the individual being more finely attuned to the workings of the universe. One ends up simply perceiving cosmic fact on a day-to-day basis as that individual is harmonized with cosmic fact. In other words, the ethically evolved individual serves as his or her own Yijing.

The inner distress which necessitates use of divination arises from the condition that the “understanding” of reality held by many is an amalgam of constructs set up in an endeavor to explain that which is still not understood. Put another way: much of human knowledge is a discourse on a perspective of the universe which is necessarily – given a physical vantage – a limited, flawed, and partial one. On the other hand, when one adopts a broader scope that encompasses the entirety of manifestations, considering not only the physical microcosm, but the multidimensional macrocosm with which the individual constantly interacts, it is metaphorically comparable to the difference Confucius is said to have perceived between the view from the top of the eastern hill and the top of mount Tai:

Mencius said, “Confucius ascended the eastern hill, and L? appeared to him small. He ascended the T'ai mountain, and all beneath the heavens appeared to him small. So he who has contemplated the sea, finds it difficult to think anything of other waters, and he who has wandered in the gate of the sage, finds it difficult to think anything of the words of others.” ( Mencius 26:1)

 

V . Evolutiology

Can the intelligent mechanism of the Yijing, however, be considered a tool for evolution of the consciousness? As seen before, it was primarily used in its earlier phase as a divinatory tool, a tool for survival. It was felt that humans, to the degree that they are able to perceive the process of tian -to-earth manifestation and constant change at its germinal stage, could modify the outcome in order to increase the chance of personal success. It was further considered that those who were able to perceive the ongoing interrelated process of tian and earth could harmonize with this and be at one with the universe (oneness), thereby effectively “following the flow of the cosmos.” The sage, perceiving this flow of change, would harmonize with the processes of tian and earth. This would allow one a broader perspective and fewer errors in his or her actions. ( I Ching 1956: 232)

How are self-awareness and personal moral development related to human evolution? Moral rectitude, and the understanding of who and what we are as human beings, as consciousnesses, make up the vector and the perspective required for evolution. Questions such as: “How do I survive another day?” or “How do I make it rain by sacrificing people or animals to achieve the favor of tian or the spirits?” become “How do we evolve as consciousnesses?” or “How can we dynamize our evolution?” or “How can we become less subhuman animal and more consciousness? Confucius seems to allude to this when he is quoted in Analects 2:7 to have said the following regarding filial piety:

The filial piety of nowadays means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support; without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?

The ideological “box” within which one thinks, or the personal paradigm, delineates the individual's level of “evolutionary intelligence,” a term used in conscientiology. According to one's values, choices, priorities, and endeavors, among other factors, the individual can measure the level of personal evolutionary intelligence or the expanse of his or her personal horizon. Those who are mostly engaged in physical survival and the mundane issues that go with it, for example, are still operating more on a “sub-human” level and therefore exhibit a lower level of evolutionary intelligence. Although this “box” restricts human manifestations, we can expand our perceptions when entering into harmony with tian , as does the sage. When we begin to concern ourselves with evolution – and, in some individual cases such as Confucius, who was more interested in evolution than comfort, ostentation and even food – we make an evolutionary “quantum leap” and become, to a greater degree, consciousnesses that just happen to be housed in an animal frame.

The statement in the Zhongyong (ch. 24) that “[T]he individual possessed of the most complete sincerity [ cheng ] is like a spirit.” alludes to two concepts: (1) we are spirits (consciousnesses) housed in an animal frame with animal needs, which must be met, of course, in order to remain in this physical dimension; (2) to evolve and transcend our animal tendencies is to be more consciousness-like or tian -like. In conscientiology, being more consciousness-like also implies a predominance of mental attributes in one's attitude as opposed to an irrational, instinctive behavior based on emotions. The Daxue (ch.7) shows the importance that “mental rectification” plays in the process of self-cultivation in the following passage:

What is meant by, ‘The cultivation of the person depends on rectifying the mind,' may be thus illustrated : If a man be under the influence of passion, he will be incorrect in his conduct. He will be the same, if he is under the influence of terror, or under the influence of fond regard, or under that of sorrow and distress. When the mind is not present, we look and do not see; we hear and do not understand; we eat and do not know the taste of what we eat. This is what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the person depends on the rectifying of the mind.

The Yijing can be considered a tool for evolution when it is used in a comprehensive and competent manner. A multifaceted tool for growth or development can be applied in a variety of ways: although the Yijing , in its most comprehensive sense, is a tool for multidimensional evolution of the consciousness, it can be used in a truncated fashion to merely enhance one's physical survival. The erudite tool awaits the erudite user .

 

VI. Evolutionary Scale

As previously mentioned, the next step in the ancient literature regarding evolution, after the authorship of the Yizhuan , occurred with the writing of the Zhongyong . This work stands out in the early Confucian texts because it clearly serves as a manual for personal evolution through the stage of the superior man and on to the evolutionary goal of sagehood. It represents the first time the initial parameters were laid out in written form for the science of evolutiology ( 进化学 ), a subdiscipline of conscientiology. The Zhongyong makes it clear that the sage is able to be in partnership with tian because he is more like tian and less like xiao ren 小人 . An evolutionary scale of discrete “quantum strata” is established in Confucianism that allows us to differentiate between: (1) xiao ren, who tend toward animalism; (2) junzi 君子 , who are more advanced but intermediary; and (3) sheng ren 圣人 , who manifest as consciousnesses to a greater degree. According to the authors, one difference between these three evolutionary levels is that they present different degrees of “evolutionary instinct.” In the same manner that humans have an instinct for physical survival, one can, through the systematic prioritization of consciential evolution, develop an instinct related to evolution of the consciousness, which then becomes part of one's nature. The difference between the sheng ren and the xiao ren is that the former operates based on an evolutionary instinct whereas the latter merely operates based on a survival instinct.

It is customary to praise the authors of the Yijing , such as Fuxi, Yu, and Confucius, as those who had enough insight to perceive the dynamics of life and arrive at certain conclusions about the functioning of the universe and the role we play in it. Conscientiology uses the expression “mini-cog of a maxi-mechanism” ( 大机制的小齿轮 ) to express this idea, pointing out the importance of the performance of each of us (mini-cog) within the larger mechanism of the universe. Our role in this dynamic can also be referred to with the term “existential program” ( 生命的程序 ), a life task that we assume in order to contribute toward tian and earth working together as a complex whole. We can liken the interaction involved in the oneness of tian and earth , and the constituents thereof, with the dynamics of a “feedback loop” ( 反馈圈 ), feedback being defined as “a process in which the factors that produce a result are themselves modified, corrected, strengthened, etc. by that result.”

The completion of the existential program, however, is not realized without personal effort. One of the hallmarks of the individual who is evolutionarily successful is perseverance. The Zhongyong (ch.20) alludes to the need for perseverance on the part of the individual when it states: “If another man succeed by one effort, he will use a hundred efforts. If another man succeed by ten efforts, he will use a thousand”. Conscientiology likewise proposes the “Fifty Times More” technique, which recommends that the individual increase motivation, attention, constancy and other constructive attitudes in his or her life literally by a factor of fifty. The trinomial “motivation-effort-perseverance” is used to describe the qualities required for personal growth (Vieira 1994a : 340, 561). Within the context of the existential program, the more lucid individual would ask questions such as: “What am I?”; “Who am I?”; “What is my purpose?” Confucius seems to have exhibited an awareness of the existential program in Analects 7:22 when he is quoted as having said: “Heaven produced the virtue that is in me. Hwan Tui – what can he do to me?”

We are indebted to pioneering ancient Chinese thinkers for their perceptive analysis of life and it is up to us to use existing tools in order to achieve our own self-development. However, it is also incumbent upon us to (1) make observations from personal experiences and create our own tools; (2) build upon existing observations such as those in the Yijing and move beyond them. If we do not, to the degree that we remain bound to existing insights, as laudable as these achievements may be, we remain frozen in evolutionary time.

Stagnation is antithetical to the proposal of the Yijing: life is a constant process of change and evolution.

Ideological evolution is clearly portrayed by Confucius' innovations. This can be observed, for example, with regard to his democratization of education and the transition through his “three phases” of li , ren and yi, as posited above by Guo Yi. As well, the Yizhuan is evidence that Confucius' ideology progressed from a human moral to a cosmic moral. If the Yijing is a miniature representation of the moral universe, then one should strive to be a living example of this model as illustrated in Zhongyong ch.1: “The superior man embodies the course of the Mean; the mean man [ xiao ren ] acts contrary to the course of the Mean.”

The observation of the changes occurring in one's microcosm as well as the macrocosm evidences a continuous flow from which nothing is exempt and this change-movement-constancy trinomial is clearly portrayed the Yijing . It can be concluded that those who stagnate in life are dissonant to the unceasing rhythm of life. It is non -alignment with the flow of the universe that brings chaos, disequilibrium, mental, psychological and physical disorders, and other problems. The evolutionary stagnation of the consciousness can be likened to stagnated water. When water remains still over a period of time it becomes putrefied. The following 10 factors, listed here in alphabetical order, can contribute toward consciential stagnation: (1) carelessness; (2) complacency; (3) decidophobia (fear of making decisions); (4) indiscipline; (5) self-disorganization; (6) last-minute-emergency-oriented solutions; (7) procrastination; (8) pusillanimity; (9) slowness to act; (10) tardiness.

The “timing” of the cosmos ( tian ) and of the individual ( di ) need to be in accordance with each other. As the cosmos operates in constantly changing cycles, the abovementioned factors become distractions or impediments for the individual's forward progress serving as a point of fixation of the consciousness and interrupting the evolutionary cycle. In other words: progress is a natural process of life and the distractions which are present in one's inner world make the pointer of the consciousness, or one's sense of existential orientation, remain stuck on unresolved matters. Thus, when an issue remains unresolved or one postpones a decision or procrastinates over a task, these factors can operate as “saboteurs” of that selfsame consciousness. As well, situations that one is supposed to act upon in the moment can, when left unattended, affect the individual and others as they create confusion, misunderstanding, expectation, anxiety and, worst of all, can provoke erroneous conclusions on the part of those who await that individual's actions. Do we consider how our multidimensional counterparts might remain “on standby,” awaiting our actions in order to manifest? What can we do to restore our true nature in order to be in alignment with the workings of tian ?

 

VII. Consciential Re education and Assistance

As the universe is an ethical and efficient system, those un aligned with this system commit self-sabotage. In order to re align with the flow of the universe, the individual needs to undergo self-cultivation. In Confucianism, self-cultivation provides a foundation for the evolutionary process. Self-analysis plays an essential part in self-cultivation. How can we know ourselves and the world if we do not analyze? How can the moment be taken advantage of without analysis? A moment analyzed becomes a tool for growth, for progress. Knowing ourselves better allows us to increase our correctitude, our personal level of cosmoethics, and diminish our self-corruption or those errors which we hide even from ourselves. Confucius' teachings served as a way for the individual to perform self-analysis and be able to effect personal change, aiming to reach and surpass the stage of the superior man and be in harmony with tian as a sage. The across-the-board importance of self-cultivation is clearly stated in the following passage from the “Text of Confucius” in the Daxue 大学 ( The Great Learning ):

From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides .

In order to harmonize one's microcosm and get back on track with the universe, leading-edge relative truths obtained through selected readings, research, classes, teachings, and counseling, for example – when put into practice – can serve as a starting-point for the derailed individual to perform self-investigation. The Zhongyong (ch.2) provides a clear insight into this harmonization:

To find the central clue to our moral being which unites us to the universal order, that indeed is the highest human attainment. For a long time people have seldom been capable of it. (Lin: 105)

Confucius valued knowledge at the expense of rigid laws. There are, however, scholars who claim that aspects of Confucius' ideology, such as the five relationships and his emphasis on li, are stratified and out of date. Although Confucius was endeavoring to reform an entropic and barbarous social reality through apparently rigid rules of conduct, his goal was for individuals to develop to the point where an elevated personal ethic would prevail in one's microcosm making correct action second nature and thereby effortless. This can be seen in the following passage from Analects 5:3, in which he is quoted as saying:

“If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”

Those who are interested in personal evolution need to reach an apex at which they are commensurate with the level of the sage and make similar contributions to society, and do so without any expectation of recognition. This is implied in Analects 15:18, at the level of superior man, when Confucius is quoted as saying: “The superior man is distressed by his want of ability. He is not distressed by men's not knowing him.” This abnegation in the process of assistance is echoed in conscientiology. It is perceived that as the individual develops in the evolutionary process he or she achieves a certain level of anonymity. An evolutionary level that is commensurate with the Confucian sage is termed Homo sapiens serenissimus in conscientiology. The Latin serenissimus is used to denote the high level of serenity this individual possesses, resulting from his or her evolutionary mastery. This personality is a consciousness who has grown from within and whose evolutionary level is not externally evident, resulting in that individual not being registered in human history.

One's evolutionary level is the fruit of inner victory devoid of ostentation. Waldo Vieira

The individual who is intent upon developing a higher level of useful concepts that facilitate the evolution of the consciousness would necessarily be a living example ( 以身作则 ) of those precepts that he or she espouses, as expressed by Confucius when he states that the superior man “…acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions” ( Analects 2:13). In conscientiology, this is expressed with the term “verbaction” ( 言行一致 , verbalism + action), implying that one's actions should reflect what one says. This is ideally done without any expectation of an intellectual contribution being recognized by society. History is filled with accounts of those who have made significant contributions to humankind but remained unrecognized in their day and sometimes even ridiculed. The earth, for example, is neither flat, nor is it at the center of our solar system, as argued by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) who nearly lost his life for his scientific observations.

In order for humankind to evolve as consciousness and not simply as a species, it is imperative that: (1) assistance be performed; (2) the individual make his or her own effort to develop and discipline him or herself; and (3) he or she not succumb to the pitfalls of the distractions and temptations of physical life, regardless of the epoch. Just as we hold the sages of the past as role models, our responsibility goes beyond this. We need to strive toward taking our place in the “invisible college of sheng ren ,” working, devoid of egotistical interests, toward the betterment of humankind and the facilitation of the evolutionary process of all.

Two main tools are required for the execution of this endeavor: (1) intentionality, the vector of evolution, and (2) ethics. When the cosmoethical individual is confronted with a situation in which a decision must be made, the conscientiological approach is expressed with the desire “that what occurs is best for all.” This phrase simultaneously shows the egoless nature of the individual, as well as the intention that all those involved – which eventually expands to all of humanity – be benefited.

Egolessness is necessary if humanity as a whole is to move forward and is going to be less di and more tian or, in other words, less animal and more consciousness.

Egolessness is echoed in the concept of wuwei 无为 , as found in the Yijing , Dao De Jing , and the Analects. It is said that wuwei does not mean total inaction, but rather that one's intentionality should be directed by the dao , as opposed to one's own desires, such as power, wealth, recognition, and personal gain in general (Chan: 743). Wuwei , then, is not inaction, but correct action according to the dao . In this way, one can be in alignment with the dao , thereby following the flow of the universe. In other words, one's intentionality becomes aligned with the intentionality of the cosmos. It would seem that this is what Legge is alluding to when he translated yi 一 as “singleness” in chapter 20 of the Zhongyong : “And the means by which they carry the duties into practice is singleness.” Whereas he comments that Zhu Xi states, “ 一 is simply sincerity [ cheng ]” ( 一則誠而已 ), it would seem apparent that yi , taken variously by these two authors to mean singleness and cheng respectively, would, when appreciated as complementary interpretations, allude to an absolutely focused intentionality on the dao . ( I Ching 1978: 407)

The “finalized” Yijing can thus be perceived as much more than a work of divination or even of “ethic and philosophy” but, in the final count, as a work capable of promoting the evolution of the consciousness, when properly utilized.

 

Conclusion

In this paper we have examined some aspects of the development of the Yijing , showing how it served as a precursor of Confucian metaphysics. Its influence in the West has also been touched upon, especially with regard to conscientiology. Similarities between the science of conscientiology and the Yijing have been cited, indicating that their multidimensional paradigms show great similarities, involving both physical and non-physical realms. Self-knowledge plays an important role in both as an evolutionary tool in order for one to become more “ tian like.” It has therefore been suggested that some of the earliest indications of conscientiology can be found within the Yijing's proposal.

It has been argued that the Yijing can be utilized as more than a tool for divination and can represent the beginnings of a technology for evolution of the consciousness. In comparisons made between the ideology and approach of the Yijing and conscientiology, it has been stated that the opportunity currently exists for humankind to move beyond the use of discardable “crutches”, and develop innate capacities in order to be more perceptive of the “flow of the cosmos”. The backdrop for this developmental process is cosmoethics.

Confucius is said to have asked: “Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?” ( Analects 17:19). The authors would argue that it most certainly does for those who are perceptive to its message. This is how we “become our own Yijing ”. Divinatory tools are thought to be needed due to the individual's insecurity and an inability to receive tian 's communications directly. How can the sage be in partnership with a tian that he or she cannot perceive? He or she is unquestionably perceptive of and in communication with tian . This evidences that not only is a direct interface with tian possible, but that this is our opportunity and goal. When we refer to the simplicity that lies within complexity, we can make an example of the radio receiver or a television apparatus that decodes apparently complex waves which are otherwise imperceptible to the senses. However, we are not talking about perceiving as human beings here but as consciousnesses . A greater tian -consciousness rapport is key to a more intimate relationship with tian . A tian befriended is a tian understood and a tian understood is a tian befriended.

It is a standard recommendation to refrain from judging another until after “putting ourselves in that person's shoes”. This, of course, implies that we should not presume to be able to have an accurate reading of another personality or “intelligent principle” until we have perceived life's reality from his or her perspective. Tian is nothing more than an evolved and certainly precursory intelligent principle. Thus we can – if we decide to have sufficient breadth – relate to tian on a personal, one-to-one, intimate basis, just as we would a friend. It is said, in some disciplines, that everyone and everything in life is a mirror of oneself. It is also echoed in the first chapter of the Zhongyong that we are a reflection of tian , although perhaps a less than perfect one. To the degree that we work toward refining ourselves, we can start to see tian eye-to-eye and interaction becomes eminently natural and effortless, just like a relationship with any longtime friend. In a friendship, two personalities come to understand each other and know each other intimately. Tian only seems imposing because we are so far removed from and out of tune with it. The quality of our life is determined by the company we keep. Let this company be tian.

 

 

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I Ching 1978: 6, 9

I Ching 1978: 7

Bollingen Series XIX, Princeton University Press.

Vieira 1994a : 265

Guo Yi's translation of the silk text Yao is possibly the most recent translation available.

All passages from the Analects , Zhongyong, Daxue and the Mencius follow Legge's translation.

Authorship of the Daxue has been attributed either to Zengzi 曾 子 (505-436 b.c. ) or Zisi 子思 (492-431 b.c. ) at different points in history. Some scholars, such as James Legge (1815-1897), consider this work to more likely have been authored by Zisi, the putative author of the Zhongyong, while others, such as Guo Yi (2004), consider it to have been authored by the Zisi school. Legge, for example, in his translation of the Liji 礼记 ( Book of Rites ) states that “the conviction that Khung Ki wrote both treatises has become very strong in my mind. There is that agreement in the matter, method, and style of the two, which almost demands for them a common authorship.” (Li Chi 2003)

 

This concept, including a comparison between the evolutionary scale of Confucianism and that of conscientiology, is developed in greater detail in “Confucian Metaphysics and Human Evolution” (de La Tour and de La Tour , 2005).

Webster's New World Dictionary & Thesaurus, version 2.0, 1998.

Lin Yutang utilizes Ku Hungming's translation of this chapter in the Zhongyong .

Vieira 1994a : 749

(Originally published in Chinese in the STUDIES OF ZHOUYI/No. 6, 2003)