Approach

Line by Line Wisdom

Line 1 (Bottom): "Joint approach." This teaches that true approach begins with connection. The lesson: don't approach others from isolation; build bridges first.

Line 2: "Joint approach. Good. Everything furthers." This represents approach that benefits all. The lesson: when approach serves mutual growth, it succeeds.

Line 3: "Comfortable approach." This warns of approach without challenge. The lesson: true approach sometimes requires difficult truths, not just comfort.

Line 4: "Complete approach." This represents approach without reservation. The lesson: hold nothing back; approach with your whole being.

Line 5: "Wise approach." This teaches that approach requires discernment. The lesson: know when to advance and when to wait.

Line 6 (Top): "Great-hearted approach." This represents approach motivated by love. The lesson: the best approach comes from genuine care for others' wellbeing.

Historical Anecdote

Emperor Ashoka of India (304-232 BCE) embodied Hexagram 19's transformation from conquest to compassionate approach. After brutally conquering Kalinga in 260 BCE, witnessing the suffering he caused, Ashoka experienced a profound conversion.

He abandoned military conquest and adopted what he called "conquest by dharma" (righteousness). This was not passive withdrawal but active approach through compassion. He built hospitals, planted trees, dug wells, and created rest houses for travelers throughout his empire.

Ashoka sent his children to spread Buddhism as missionaries, not through force but through example. His edicts, carved on pillars throughout India, promoted tolerance, non-violence, and care for all beings. This was "great-hearted approach" (Line 6) on an imperial scale.

His approach was not without challenge. He maintained his army and administrative structure, understanding that Line 5's "wise approach" requires discernment. Compassion without wisdom can be naive; wisdom without compassion can be cruel. Ashoka learned to balance both.

The Ashoka model influenced leaders across Asia, from Sri Lanka to Japan. His transformation shows that approach is not a technique but a way of being. When a leader approaches power with genuine care for others, even empires can be transformed.

Modern Case Study

Dr. Paul Farmer's approach to global health embodies Hexagram 19's principle of complete, great-hearted approach. Rather than creating distant aid programs, Farmer lived among the communities he served, understanding that true approach requires presence, not just resources.

In 1983, Farmer and colleagues founded Partners In Health in rural Haiti. They didn't just provide medical care; they approached poverty as a structural violence requiring comprehensive response. They built hospitals, trained community health workers, and addressed social determinants like housing and nutrition.

Farmer's approach challenged conventional development wisdom. Experts said providing sophisticated medical care in poor countries was unsustainable. Farmer proved them wrong by demonstrating Line 4's "complete approach"—holding nothing back, treating every patient as worthy of the best care available.

Partners In Health expanded to Rwanda, Peru, Russia, and beyond, consistently achieving outcomes that rival wealthy nations. In Rwanda, their program reduced HIV mortality by 95%. This success came not from superior technology but from superior approach: treating patients as whole people, not cases.

Farmer's death in 2022 while teaching in Rwanda was fitting—he died as he lived, in active approach to those in need. His legacy shows that Hexagram 19's wisdom is not naive idealism but practical effectiveness. When approach is complete and great-hearted, it transforms not just individuals but systems.