《中庸》-26 The state of equilibrium and harmony [K&W]

儒家: 禮記 – 《中庸》 (公元前475年 – 公元前221年)

The state of equilibrium and harmony (475-221 BC) 

aka “Doctrine of the Mean” (with English translation by James Legge)

《中庸》26 :  — 「成己成物, 至誠無息」

誠者自成也,而道自道也。誠者物之終始,不誠無物。是故君子誠之為貴。誠者非自成己而已也,所以成物也。成己,仁也;成物,知也。性之德也,合外內之道也,故時措之宜也。

至誠無息。不息則久,久則徵,徵則悠遠,悠遠則博厚,博厚則高明。博厚,所以載物也;高明,所以覆物也;悠久,所以成物也。博厚配地,高明配天,悠久無疆。如此者,不見而章,不動而變,無為而成。[– 與易經太極陰陽亁坤之理念同出一轍]

Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself. Sincerity is the end and beginning of things; without sincerity there would be nothing. On this account, the superior man regards the attainment of sincerity as the most excellent thing. The possessor of sincerity does not merely accomplish the self-completion of himself. With this quality he completes other men and things also. The completing himself shows his perfect virtue. The completing other men and things shows his knowledge. But these are virtues belonging to the nature, and this is the way by which a union is effected of the external and internal. Therefore, whenever he-the entirely sincere man-employs them,-that is, these virtues, their action will be right.

Hence to entire sincerity there belongs ceaselessness. Not ceasing, it continues long. Continuing long, it evidences itself. Evidencing itself, it reaches far. Reaching far, it becomes large and substantial. Large and substantial, it becomes high and brilliant. Large and substantial;-this is how it contains all things. High and brilliant;-this is how it overspreads all things. Reaching far and continuing long;-this is how it perfects all things. So large and substantial, the individual possessing it is the co-equal of Earth. So high and brilliant, it makes him the co-equal of Heaven. So far-reaching and long-continuing, it makes him infinite. Such being its nature, without any display, it becomes manifested; without any movement, it produces changes; and without any effort, it accomplishes its ends.

【原文】诚者,自成也(1);而道,自道也(2)。诚者,物之终始,不诚无物。是故君于诚之为贵。诚者,非自成己而已也,所以成物也。 成己,仁也;成物,知也。性之德也,合外内之道也,故时措之宜也。 

故至诚无息(3),不息则久,久则征(4),征则悠远,悠远则博厚,博厚则高明。博厚,所以载物也;高明,所以覆物也;悠久,所以成物也。博厚配地,高明配天,悠久无疆(5)。如此者,不见而章(6) 不动而变,无为而成。

【注释】 (1)自成:自我成全,也就是自我完善的意思。(2)自道(dao):自我引导。(3)息:止息,休止。(4)征:征验,显露于外。(5)无疆:无穷无尽。(6)见(xian):显现。章:即彰,彰明。

【译文】  真诚是自我的完善,道是自我的引导。真诚是事物的发端和归宿,没有真诚就没有了事物。因此君子以真诚为贵。不过,真诚并不是自我完善就够了,而是还要完善事物。自我完善是仁,完善事物是智。仁和智是出于本性的德行,是融合自身与外物的准则,所以任何时候施行都是适宜的。 

所以,极端真诚是没有止息的。没有止息就会保持长久,保持长久就会显露出来,显露出来就会悠远,悠远就会广博深厚,广博深厚就会高大光明。广博深厚的作用是承载万物;高大光明的作用是覆盖万物;悠远长久的作用是生成万物。广博深厚可以与地相比,高大光明可以与天相比,悠远长久则是永无止境。达到 这样的境界,不显示也会明显,不活动也会改变,无所作为也会有所成就。


【读解】

不能只做到自我完善 好学近乎智,力行近乎仁。  这里把智、仁与真诚的修养结合起来了。因为,真诚从大的方面来说,是事物的根本规律,是事物的发端和归宿;真诚从细的方面来说,是自我的内心完善。所以,要修养真诚就必须做到物我同一,天人合一。而要做到这一点既要靠学习来理解,又要靠实践来实现。  这里最值得注意的是真诚的外化问题,也就是说,真诚不仅仅像我们一般所理解的是一种主观内在的品质,自我的道德完善,而是还要外化到他人和一切事物当中去。  自己解放了,全人类都解放了,世界也就大同了。自己真诚了,他人真诚了,真诚无处不在,无时不有,世界也就美好无欺了。  说到底,还是真诚的奇妙神功。

真诚是没有止息的 — 生生不息,真诚不已。这是懦学修身的要求。不仅不已,而且还要显露发扬出来,达到悠远长久、广博深厚、高大光明,从而承载万物,覆盖万物,生成万物。而这正是天地的法则,说穿了,还是由真诚的追求而达到与天地并列为三的终极目的。