I Ching Hexagram 25: Without Falsehood (無妄)
Overview
Ch'ien, heaven is above; Chên, movement, is below. The lower trigram Chên is under the influence of the strong line it has received form above, from heaven. When, in accord with this, movement follows the law of heaven, man is innocent and without guile. His mind is natural and true, unshadowed by reflection or ulterior designs. For wherever conscious purpose is to be seen, there the truth and innocence of nature have been lost. Nature that is not directed by the spirit is not true but degenerate nature. Starting out with the idea of the natural, the train of thought in part goes somewhat further and thus the hexagram includes also the idea of the fundamental or unexpected.
The Judgment — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
INNOCENCE. Supreme success. Perseverance furthers. If someone is not as he should be, He has misfortune, And it does not further him To undertake anything.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (Princeton University Press, 1950)
The Image — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
Under heaven thunder rolls: All things attain the natural state of innocence. Thus the kings of old, Rich in virtue, and in harmony with the time, Fostered and nourished all beings.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (1950)
Commentary
In springtime when thunder, life energy, begins to move again under the heavens, everything sprouts and grows, and all beings receive for the creative activity of nature the childlike innocence of their original state. So it is with the good rulers of mankind: drawing on the spiritual wealth at their command, they take care of all forms of life and all forms of culture and do everything to further them, and at the proper time.
The Six Lines — Complete Commentary
Each line represents a stage in the unfolding situation. A line becomes "changing" when it transforms during divination.
-
Line 1
Innocent behavior brings good fortune.
The original impulses of the heart are always good, so that we may follow them confidently, assured of good fortune and achievement of our aims. -
Line 2
If one does not count on the harvest while plowing,
Nor on the use of the ground while clearing it,
It furthers one to undertake something.
We should do every task for its own sake as time and place demand and not with an eye to the result. Then each task turns out well, and anything we undertake succeeds. -
Line 3
Undeserved misfortune.
The cow that was tethered by someone
Is the wanderer's gain, the citizen's loss.
Sometimes undeserved misfortune befalls a man at the hands of another, as for instance when someone passes by and takes a tethered cow along with him. His gain is the owner's loss. In all transactions, no matter how innocent, we must accommodate ourselves to the demands of the time, otherwise unexpected misfortune overtakes us. -
Line 4
He who can be persevering Remains without blame.
We cannot lose what really belongs to us, even if we throw it away. Therefore we need have no anxiety. All that need concern us is that we should remain true to our own natures and not listen to others. -
Line 5
Use no medicine in an illness Incurred through no fault of your own. It will pass of itself.
An unexpected evil may come accidentally from without. If it does not originate in one's own nature or have a foothold there, one should not resort to external means to eradicate it, but should quietly let nature take its course. Then improvement will come of itself. -
Line 6
Innocent action brings misfortune.
Nothing furthers.
When, in a given situation, the time is not ripe for further progress, the best thing to do is to wait quietly, without ulterior designs. If one acts thoughtlessly and tries to push ahead in opposition to fate, success will not be achieved.
♥ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Love & Relationships
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to love and relationships. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your relationships. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of emotional connection.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about partnership, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
★ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Career & Work
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to professional life and career development. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your work. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of professional growth.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about career path, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
◆ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Money & Finances
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to financial matters. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your resources. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of material abundance.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about financial security, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
☤ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Health & Wellbeing
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to health and wellbeing. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your body and mind. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of physical vitality.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about wellness journey, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
☯ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Spiritual Growth
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to spiritual development. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your inner life. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of spiritual growth.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about the path of wisdom, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
△ Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood — Business & Strategy
Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood (無妄, wúwàng), brings a profound and timely message to business and commerce. The interplay of THE CREATIVE over THE AROUSING — HEAVEN resting upon THUNDER — creates a dynamic that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities you face in your enterprise. This hexagram invites careful reflection on how its ancient wisdom applies to the most pressing questions of commercial success.
The I Ching has been consulted for thousands of years precisely because its symbolic language, developed through centuries of careful observation of natural and human patterns, cuts through surface circumstances to reveal deeper truths. When Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood appears in response to questions about business ventures, it brings the combined wisdom of its two trigrams: the qualities of HEAVEN above and THUNDER below, interacting to create a specific and meaningful moment in the cycle of change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 25 Without Falsehood mean?
Man has received from heaven a nature innately good, to guide him in all his movements. By devotion to this divine spirit within himself, he attains an unsullied innocence that leads him to do right with instinctive sureness and without any ulterior thought of reward and personal advantage. This instinctive certainty brings about supreme success and 'furthers through perseverance". However, not everything instinctive is nature in this higher sense of the word, but only that which is right and in
Is Hexagram 25 a yes or no?
The I Ching does not provide simple yes or no answers. Hexagram 25, Without Falsehood, offers guidance about the quality and direction of the current moment. Consult the judgment and image texts above for specific direction relevant to your question.
What are the changing lines in Hexagram 25?
Changing lines indicate points of transformation within your reading. Each of the six lines in Hexagram 25 carries its own meaning — see the complete line commentary above for detailed guidance on each position.
Have a question about this hexagram?
Get a Personalized Without Falsehood ReadingSources
- Wilhelm, Richard & Baynes, Cary F. The I Ching or Book of Changes. Princeton University Press, 1950.
- Legge, James. The I Ching: Book of Changes. Dover Publications, 1963.
- Huang, Alfred. The Complete I Ching. Inner Traditions, 1998.
Commentary
Man has received from heaven a nature innately good, to guide him in all his movements. By devotion to this divine spirit within himself, he attains an unsullied innocence that leads him to do right with instinctive sureness and without any ulterior thought of reward and personal advantage. This instinctive certainty brings about supreme success and 'furthers through perseverance". However, not everything instinctive is nature in this higher sense of the word, but only that which is right and in accord with the will of heaven. Without this quality of rightness, an unreflecting, instinctive way of acting brings only misfortune. Confucius says about this: "He who departs from innocence, what does he come to? Heaven's will and blessing do not go with his deeds."