訟
6. Conflict
sòng · Heaven ☰ over Water ☵
Divergent interests, and the question of whether I can keep my composure right in the middle of a dispute.
The Noble One's Path
Heaven and water flow in opposite directions — an image of a dispute that doesn't even agree with itself. The Noble One plans every matter carefully from the very start, before it ever comes to a clash. This is discernment (Zhi): it's easier to prevent a conflict than to resolve one afterward.
The Lesson
If you feel a conflict building, pause for a moment. Ask whether this is about justice, or about your ego.
A question to sit with
What's actually frustrating me in this situation, and does continuing the dispute bring me any closer to anything at all?