...(坎下艮上)
The trigram for Water is below, and the trigram for Mountain is above.
蒙：亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告，利貞。
The young and inexperienced seek guidance. It is not I who seek out the ignorant youth; the youth seeks me. On the first consultation, I offer insight; if they ask repeatedly and disrespectfully, I offer none. Persistence in the proper path brings benefit.
再索得「坎」，既為險為水；三索得「艮」，復為止為山。遇險而止，水涵于山，皆蒙昧未開發之象也。蒙雖有蔽于物，物豈能蔽性哉？故「亨」。但發蒙之道，不可以我求蒙，必待「童蒙求我」。求者誠則告之必達；求者瀆則告者亦瀆矣！瀆豈發蒙之正耶？不憤不啟，不悱不發，孔子真善于訓蒙者也。佛法釋者，夫心不動則已，動必有險，遇險必止，止則有反本還源之機，「蒙」所以有亨道也。蒙而欲亨，須賴明師良友，故凡為師友者，雖念念以教育成就為懷，然須待其求我，方成機感；又必初筮則告，方顯法之尊重。其所以告之者，又必契理契機而貞，然後可使人人為聖為佛矣。
Obtaining the *kan* trigram represents danger and water; obtaining the *gen* trigram represents stopping and mountains. When encountering danger and stopping, water contained within a mountain—this is the symbol of darkness and obscurity, yet not yet developed. Although ignorance has its coverings, how could external things truly conceal one's inherent nature? Therefore, it is "smooth and open." But the way to enlighten ignorance is not to seek it for oneself; one must wait until "the childlike ignorant seek me out." When a seeker comes earnestly, the teaching arrives effectively; when a seeker comes frivolously, the teaching becomes frivolous too. Frivolity—is that the proper way to open up ignorance? "Do not open the door until the student has struggled to understand; do not provide explanations until the student has tried to articulate but cannot." Confucius truly understood how to teach the ignorant. From the Buddhist perspective: the mind, if unmoved, remains still; once it moves, danger arises. Encountering danger, one must stop; stopping brings the opportunity to return to the origin and restore the source. Thus, "ignorance" contains the path to openness. To turn ignorance into openness, one must rely on a wise teacher and good friends. Therefore, teachers and friends, though always concerned with educating and guiding, must wait until the student comes seeking before establishing a responsive connection. Moreover, only when the first divination is answered does the teaching demonstrate the dignity of the Dharma. And what is taught must be in accord with both principle and the student's capacity—firm and proper—so that everyone can become a sage or a buddha.
〈彖〉曰；蒙，山下有險，險而止，蒙。蒙，亨，以亨行時中也。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我，志應也。初筮告，以剛中也。再三瀆，瀆則不告，瀆蒙也。蒙以養正，聖功也。
The Tuan Zhuan says: In the hexagram of Meng (Youthful Ignorance), there is a mountain below with a perilous precipice. When danger is encountered and one stops, this is the state of youthful ignorance. Meng indicates smooth progress. This smooth progress comes from acting appropriately and at the right time. It is not that I seek after the ignorant youth, but that the ignorant youth seeks me. This is because their intentions naturally align. The first divination receives an answer, as the firm and strong are in the central position. Repeated inquiries become disrespectful; when there is disrespect, no answer is given. Such irreverence defiles the state of youthful ignorance. Using ignorance to nurture correctness is the work of a sage.
山下有險，即是遇險而止，故名為「蒙」。蒙之所以可「亨」者，由有能亨人之師，善以時中行教故也。雖有善教，必待「童蒙求我」者，彼有感通之志然後可應，如水清方可印月也。「初筮即告」者，以剛而得中，故應不失機也；「瀆則不告」者，非是恐其瀆我，正恐瀆蒙而有損無益也。及其蒙時，即以正道養之，此聖人教化之功，令彼亦得成聖者也。
Below the mountain lies danger—one encounters peril and must stop. Hence, it is called "Ignorance." Ignorance can bring progress because there is a teacher capable of guiding others, one who skillfully teaches at the right time and in the right way. Even with good teaching, the student must first seek the teacher. Only when the student opens their heart with sincerity can the teacher respond, just as clear water must be still before it can reflect the moon. The first time the teacher is consulted, they answer without delay—being firm yet centered, they seize the right moment. But if the student asks again and again without thought, they receive no answer. This is not because the teacher dislikes being pestered, but because to repeat the answer would harm the ignorant student, bringing loss rather than gain. During the time of ignorance, the teacher nurtures the student with the right path. This is the transformative power of the wise—enabling the student to eventually become a sage themselves.
〈象〉曰：山下出泉，蒙。君子以果行育德。
The Image says: A spring emerges at the foot of the mountain—this is Youthful Folly. The noble person acts with resolute determination and nurtures virtue through steady cultivation.
溪澗不能留，故為「果行」之象；盈科而後進，故為「育德」之象。自既果行育德，便可為師作範矣。佛法釋者，此依不思議境而發真正菩提心也。菩提之心不可沮壞，如泉之必行；四弘廣被，如泉之潤物。
A mountain stream never lingers — this is the image of "decisive action." It fills every hollow before moving forward — this is the image of "nurturing virtue." Once one has both decisively acted and nurtured virtue, one can become a teacher and a model for others.
In Buddhist terms, this refers to giving rise to the true bodhi mind based on the inconceivable state. The bodhi mind cannot be destroyed, like a spring that inevitably flows onward. The four great vows spread widely, like a spring that nourishes all things.
初六：發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏；以往，吝。
First Six: When ignorance first arises, it must be corrected. It is advantageous to use discipline—like employing a teacher to guide the young and inexperienced—just as one would use restraints to correct wrongdoing. However, these restraints should be removed once the lesson is learned. If one persists in harsh measures, regret will follow.
以九二、上九二陽為師道，以餘四陰爻為弟子。初六以陰居下，厥蒙雖甚，而居陽位，又近九二，故有可發之機。夫蒙昧既甚，須用折伏法門，故「利用刑人」，所謂「朴作教刑」也。然既「說桎梏」之後，當羞愧懲艾而不出，若遽有所往，則吝矣。
In the hexagram, the second and top lines, both yang, represent the teacher's path, while the remaining four yin lines represent the disciples. The first yin line, being yin and at the bottom, has deep ignorance, but it occupies a yang position and is close to the second line, so there is an opportunity for awakening. When ignorance is profound, one must use the method of restraint, hence "it is beneficial to use punishment," which is what is meant by "using correction through education." However, once the shackles are removed, one should feel shame and remorse and refrain from acting recklessly. If one hastily forges ahead, regret will follow.
〈象〉曰：利用刑人，以正法也。
The Image says: "It is beneficial to use punishment on people, in order to uphold the true Dharma."
以「正法」而朴作教刑，豈瞋打之謂哉？
九二：包蒙，吉。納婦，吉。子克家。
以九居二，知及之、仁能守之，師之德也。蘇眉山曰：「童蒙若無能為，然容之則足為助，拒之則所喪多矣！明不可以無蒙，猶子不可以無婦。子而無婦，不能家矣。」佛法釋者，定慧平等，自利已成，故可以包容覆育群蒙而吉，以此教授群蒙修行妙定，名「納婦吉」。定能生慧，慧能紹隆佛種，為「子克家」。婦是定，子是慧也。
〈象〉曰：子克家，剛柔接也。
明納婦而云「子克家」者，以定必發慧，慧必與定平等，而非偏也。
六三：勿用取女，見金夫，不有躬，無攸利。
以陰居陽，不中不正，乃駁雜之質，宜從上九正應處，求其擊蒙之大鉗錘，方可治病。今貪九二之包容慈攝，殆如「女見金夫」而失節者乎！佛法釋者，不中不正，則定慧俱劣，而居陽位，又是好弄小聰明者，且在「坎」體之上，機械已深，若使更修禪定，必于禪中發起利使邪見；利使一發，則善根斷盡矣。
〈象〉曰：勿用取女，行不順也。
「行不順」，故須惡辣鉗錘以煆煉之，不可使其修定。
六四：困蒙，吝。
陰爻皆蒙象也。初可發，三可擊，五可包，惟四絕無明師良友，則終于蒙而已，可恥孰甚焉？
〈象〉曰：困蒙之吝，獨遠實也。
非實德之師友遠我，我自獨遠于師友耳！師友且奈之何哉？
六五：童蒙，吉。
以六居五，雖大人而不失其赤子之心，故為「童蒙」而「吉」。蓋上親上九之嚴師，下應九二之良友故也。蘇眉山曰：「六五之位尊矣！恐其不安于童蒙之分，而自強于明，故教之曰：『童蒙吉。』」
〈象〉曰：童蒙之吉，順以巽也。
學道之法，順則能入；設行不順，則入道無從矣。
上九：擊蒙，不利為寇，利禦寇。
陽居陰位，剛而不過，能以定慧之力，擊破蒙昧之關者也。然訓蒙之道，原無實法繫綴于人，所謂但有去翳法，別無與明法。若欲以我法授彼，則是「為寇」；若應病與藥，為其解粘去縛，則是「禦寇」也。
〈象〉曰：利用禦寇，上下順也。
無實法繫綴于人，則三根普接，契理契機，故上下皆順。