The Great Learning 大學
A. Charles Muller
July 4, 2013
Table of Contents
|B.||The Traditional Commentary, Attributed to Confucius, Through the Transmission of Cengzi|
When
The Great Learning 大學
A. Charles Muller
July 4, 2013
Table of Contents
|B.||The Traditional Commentary, Attributed to Confucius, Through the Transmission of Cengzi|
When citing, please refer to the URL of this page: http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/greatlearning.html
A. The Text
The way of great learning consists in manifesting one's bright virtue, consists in loving the people, consists in stopping in perfect goodness.
When you know where to stop, you have stability.
When you have stability, you can be tranquil.
When you are tranquil, you can be at ease.
When you are at ease, you can deliberate.
When you can deliberate you can attain your aims.
Things have their roots and branches, affairs have their end and beginning. When you know what comes first and what comes last, then you are near the Way.
The ancients who wanted to manifest their bright virtue to all in the world first governed well their own states.
Wanting to govern well their states, they first harmonized their own clans.
Wanting to harmonize their own clan, they first cultivated themselves.
Wanting to cultivate themselves, they first corrected their minds.
Wanting to correct their minds, they first made their wills sincere.
Wanting to make their wills sincere, they first extended their knowledge.
Extension of knowledge consists of the investigation of things.
When things are investigated, knowledge is extended.
When knowledge is extended, the will becomes sincere.
When the will is sincere, the mind is correct.
When the mind is correct, the self is cultivated.
When the self is cultivated, the clan is harmonized.
When the clan is harmonized, the country is well governed.
When the country is well governed, there will be peace throughout the land.
From the king down to the common people, all must regard the cultivation of the self as the most essential thing.
It is impossible to have a situation wherein the essentials are in disorder, and the externals are well-managed. You simply cannot take the essential things as superficial, and the superficial things as essential. This is called, “Knowing the root.” This is called “The extension of knowledge.”
B. The Traditional Commentary, Attributed to Confucius, Through the Transmission of Cengzi
3. “Making the will sincere,” means “no self-deception.” Like when we allow ourselves to be disgusted by a bad smell or become infatuated with an attractive appearance. This is called “self-satisfaction.” Therefore the Superior Man must be watchful over himself when he is alone.
When the inferior man is at leisure, there is no limit to the extent of his evil. But when he sees a Superior Man he will be ashamed; he will cover his evil and show his goodness. When people observe you, they see right to your core. So what's the use of being deceitful? Therefore we say: “internal sincerity expresses itself outwardly.” Therefore the Superior Man must be watchful over himself when he is alone.
Cengzi said, “What ten eyes see, what ten fingers indicate, is this not to be taken seriously? Rich land makes a house luxurious, virtue makes a person shine; when the mind is expands, the body is enriched. Therefore the Superior Man must make his will sincere.”
4. 『詩』云。「瞻彼淇澳、菉竹猗猗。有斐君子、如切如磋、如琢如磨。瑟兮僩兮、赫兮喧兮。有斐君子、終不可諠兮。」 「如切如磋」者、道學也、「如琢如磨」者、自修也、「瑟兮僩兮」者、恂慄也、「赫兮喧兮」者、威儀也、「有斐君子、終不可諠兮」 「者、道盛德至善、民之不能忘也。」『詩』云。「於戲前王不忘。」 君子賢其賢而親其親、小人樂其樂而利其利、此以沒世不忘也。
4. The Book of Odes also says,
Look at the bend in the Qi River,
And how green and luxuriant the bamboo trees are there!
Here is our refined prince,
Who is like a gem cut and filed,
Carved and polished!
How dignified he is, and how awesome!
How majestic and distinguished!
Our illustrious prince will never be forgotten.
“Like a gem cut and filed” refers to the way of study. “Like a gem carved and polished” refers to self-cultivation. “How dignified and awesome,” refers to a cautious respect. “How majestic and distinguished,” refers to his awe-inspiring way of handling himself. “Our illustrious prince will never be forgotten,” means that the Dao flourishes in him and his virtue reaches excellence, hence, the people will be unable to forget him.
The Book of Odes also says, “Aah, the ancient kings are not forgotten!” The Superior Man treats the worthy as worthy and loves his family. The inferior man enjoys his enjoyment and grabs profit whenever he has a chance. It is in this way that they are not forgotten after their death.
5. 『康誥』曰。「克明德。」『太甲』曰。「顧諟天之明命。」『帝典』曰。「克明峻德。」 皆自明也。
5. In the Kang Report it is said, “He was able to manifest his virtue.”
The Taijia 1 says, “He contemplated Heaven's unveiled mandate.”
The Canon of Yao says, “he was able to manifest his lofty virtue.”
6. The inscription of the bath of King Tang said, “If you renew yourself for one day, you can renew yourself daily, and continue to do so.”
In the Kang Report it says, “Carry out the renewal