《大學》-2 The great learning [K&W]

儒家: 禮記大學 (公元前475年 – 公元前221年)

“The great learning” (475-221 BC) English translation by James Legge

《大學》2 : — 有關「格物致知」 

古之欲明明德於天下者,先治其國;欲治其國者,先齊其家;欲齊其家者,先修其身;欲修其身者,先正其心;欲正其心者,先誠其意;欲誠其意者,先致其知,致知在格物。

物格而後知至,知至而後意誠,意誠而後心正,心正而後身修,身修而後家齊,家齊而後國治,國治而後天下平。自天子以至於庶人,壹是皆以修身為本。其本亂而末治者否矣,其所厚者薄,而其所薄者厚,未之有也!此謂知本。

[以下是朱熹补充的文字]

… 此謂知本[所谓致知在格物者,言欲致吾之知,在即物而穷其理也。盖人心之灵莫不有知,而天下之物莫不有理,惟于理有未穷,故其知有不尽也。是以《大学》始教,必始学者即凡天下之物,莫不因其已知之理而益穷之,以求至乎其极。至于用力之久,而一旦豁然贯通焉,则众物之表里精粗无不到,而吾心之全体大用无不明矣。此谓物格谓知之至也]

The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.

Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy. From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything [besides]. It cannot be, when the root is neglected, that what should spring from it will be well ordered. It never has been the case that what was of great importance has been slightly cared for, and, at the same time, that what was of slight importance has been greatly cared for.

【译文】古代那些要想在天下弘扬光明正大品德的人,先要治理好自己的国家;要想治理好自己的国家,先要管理好自己的家庭和家族;要想管理好自己的家庭和家族,先要修养自身的品性;要想修养自身的品性,先要端正自己的心思;要想端正自己的心思,先要使自己的意念真诚;要想使自己的意念真诚,先要使自己获得知识获得知识的途径在于认识、研究万事万物

通过对万事万物的认识、研究后才能获得知识;获得知识后意念才能真诚;意念真诚后心思才能端正;心思端正后才能修养品性;品性修养后才能管理好家庭和家族;管理好家庭和家族后才能治理好国家;治理好国家后天下才能太平。上自国家元首,下至平民百姓,人人都要以修养品性为根本。若这个根本被扰乱了,家庭、家族、国家、天下要治理好是不可能的。不分轻重缓急,本末倒置却想做好事情,这也同样是不可能的!

朱熹补充的文字【译文】

说获得知识的途径在于认识、研究万事万物,是指要想获得知识,就必须接触事物而彻底研究它的原理。人的心灵都具有认识能力,而天下万事万物都总有一定的原理,只不过因为这些原理还没有被彻底认识,所以使知识显得很有局限。因此,《大学》一开始就教学习者接触天下万事万物,用自己已有的知识去进一步探究,以彻底认识万事万物的原理。经过长期用功,总有一天会豁然贯通,到那时,万事万物的里外巨细都被认识得清清楚楚,而自己内心的一切认识能力都得到淋漓尽致的发挥,再也没有蔽塞。这就叫万事万物被认识、研究了,这就叫知识达到顶点了。

原文欲治其国者;先齐其家;欲齐其家者,先修其身;欲修其身者,先正其心;欲正其心者,先诚其意;欲诚其意者,先致其知;致知在格物。

白话解要想治理好自己的国家(治国),一定要先治理好自己的家庭(齐家);要想治理好自己的家庭,一定要先修养好自己本身的德行(修身);要想修养自己本身的德行,必须先端正自己的心意(正心);要想端正自己的心意,必先使自己的念头真诚、无私(诚意);要想使自己的念头真诚无私,必先明理─穷究事物的道理(致知);要想明理致知,必先要革除物欲,修正其不正确的观念(格物)。

※ 格者:正其不正。※ 研机于心意初动之时,穷理于事物始生之处。

原文物格而后知至,知至而后意诚,意诚而后心正,心正而后身修,身修而后家齐,家齐而后国治,国治而后天下平。

白话解经过一番穷理尽性的功夫,[物欲革除之后(物格)??],一切事物的道理无不清楚明白(知至);明理之后,起心动念皆是真诚无妄(意诚);起心动念真诚无妄,自然存心端正无私无偏(心正);身心端正无私,自然会好好地修养德行(身修);能够修养德行身体力行,自然一家和睦井然有序(家齐);家庭经营得井井有条之后,才能够治理好国家(国治);国家的治理能够上轨道之后,才能进一步使天下太平(天下平)。

原文自天子以至于庶人,壹是皆以修身为本。其本乱而末治者否矣;其所厚者薄,而其所薄者厚,未之有也。

白话解上自天子,下至平民,一切都要以修身为做人处事的根本,如果不修身,连根本的修身都搞乱了,却想要治国平天下那是不可能的;把切近的修身、齐家看得不重要,反而去高谈治国平天下,从来没有这样的道理。