大學淺言新註 (Lü Dongbin's Annotation)
New Commentary on the Great Learning in Plain Language (大學淺言新註, Dàxué Qiǎnyán Xīnzhù) is a 1947 spirit-writing revelation attributed to Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓), the immortal patriarch known in Yiguandao as the Lord of Abundant Blessings (孚佑帝君). Through spirit-writing at the Qianyuan Hall in Xi'an, Lü Dongbin composed a complete line-by-line commentary on Confucius's Great Learning — one of the Four Books of the Confucian canon.
The text makes an extraordinary claim: that the chapters on the Investigation of Things (格物) and the Extension of Knowledge (致知), lost when the Qin Emperor burned the classics over two thousand years ago, have now been restored through heavenly mandate. The philosopher Zhu Xi famously substituted his own commentary for these missing chapters in the twelfth century. Lü Dongbin's restoration presents the original text as received through spirit-writing — a two-thousand-year gap filled by an immortal's brush.
Through the lens of Yiguandao theology, the commentary reinterprets the Great Learning's "eight steps" (格物, 致知, 誠意, 正心, 修身, 齊家, 治國, 平天下) as stages of spiritual return to the Wuji (無極) — the Limitless Origin. "Bright virtue" (明明德) becomes the recovery of one's original nature; "renewal of the people" (親民) becomes the work of awakening all beings to their own nature. The text presented here covers the prefaces, the three opening essays, the complete commentary on the main text (經), the commentary chapters (傳) on Illuminating Bright Virtue, Renewing the People, Resting in the Highest Good, and Knowing the Root, and the restored chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge. The complete work is presented here: all prefaces, essays, and commentary chapters through the General Discussion.
The Chinese source text is from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com), which states: "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate" (歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通). This is the first English translation.
Self-Preface by Lü Dongbin
The Great Learning is a book of the Confucian way -- the path of inner sagehood and outer kingship. Its substance unfolds into distinct forms; its application converges into a unified whole. Nothing is lacking -- it is truly the golden elixir for cultivating one's nature and fulfilling one's destiny, the pathway for ordering the family and governing the nation.
In former times, I mistakenly placed it alongside the other classics, calling it merely one book among the Four Books. Now, taking it up again, I find it vastly changed from what I once knew -- I cannot help but feel the distance between then and now.
As the world descends into the final era, catastrophe gathers upon catastrophe. Thick clouds and poisonous haze have drawn a curtain of desolation and darkness. The common people do not trace these afflictions to their source. They say: "What is fixed by fate, reason cannot shift; what catastrophe has brought, no one can turn back."
But if we follow the stream to its source -- where does the corruption lie?
The root of the catastrophe is this: everyone has come to regard the Confucian teaching as rotten, and the study of the classics has fallen into ruin. Seeing this, I reflected deeply. To turn back this great catastrophe, to shore up the collapsing tide -- beyond exhorting goodness to correct the human heart -- nothing short of a fundamental solution will do.
What is this fundamental solution? The chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge.
When the lineage of the Dao descended through the ages to the Qin dynasty, the cosmic timing ordained concealment. The texts suffered the devastating fire -- and the chapters on Investigation and Extension alone were lost. The very first step on the path of entry was obscured! Two thousand years and more have passed since then, and no one has recovered the source.
Now the time has come to the Third Period. The Dao and catastrophe descend together -- the Dao to awaken the lost, catastrophe to shake the world awake. This is the wondrous working of Imperial Heaven -- though the people of the world do not yet recognize it!
I humbly received the luminous mandate of Imperial Heaven, and by the timing of the age have composed these supplementary chapters on Investigation and Extension -- so that the broken moon may become whole again, its light shining across the globe, and all who would ascend to the realm of benevolence may at last have a first step to climb.
This is what I mean by the fundamental solution. Only after this fundamental solution can people understand: illuminating one's bright virtue is the substance; practicing the renewal of the people is the function. May the world and all future generations have something by which to guide their way.
Written in the thirty-sixth year of the Republic of China, the year Dinghai, in the first ten days of the first month, by the Lord of Abundant Blessings, at the Qianyuan Hall in Xi'an.
Preface by Wang Xinzhai
The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean together transmit the heart-method of the sages -- the way of inner sagehood and outer kingship. Since the Qin fires, the chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge alone have been lost -- an unresolved case for a thousand years. Though many Confucian scholars have offered commentary, those two chapters remain missing as before.
Alas! The Investigation of Things is the very first step of the Great Learning. If one does not know to be careful with the subtle stirrings of heart and material desire, does not know to check the impulses of unwholesome intention -- yet wishes to advance through the seven remaining steps -- this is abandoning the root and chasing the branches!
The Qin fires burned -- why did they destroy only these chapters? Was it because the lineage of the Dao was destined to go into hiding? Or because the text was not meant to be revealed before its time? These doubts have never been resolved.
In this final era, the human heart has lost its ancient virtue. All because no one knows how to be careful with heart and desire, or how to check unwholesome intention -- how then can they illuminate bright virtue as the substance and practice the renewal of the people as the function?
Therefore the Lord of Pure Yang, seeing this clearly and moved by compassion for heaven and humanity, has composed a new commentary on the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean in plain language. The spirit within is revealed without remainder, so that even the most ordinary person may understand at a glance -- and all may know that the great root and great source of nature and principle lies nowhere but within oneself.
Furthermore, the chapters on Investigation and Extension have been composed to meet the needs of the age. The unresolved case of a thousand years is at last settled! From now on, the Great Learning is made whole!
When this book goes forth, everyone may understand and faithfully follow it -- truly a vessel of compassion for saving the world. My humble knowledge is shallow -- how dare I write a preface? Yet under the Lord's command, I dare not refuse. I string together these few words, humbly appending them to the work, and hope that the wise of the four seas will not withhold their instruction. This is my preface.
Written in the thirty-sixth year of the Republic, the year Dinghai, early spring, by Wang Xinzhai of Yuling, Shandong, at the Qianyuan Hall in Xi'an.
Preface by Zhu Xiuwu
The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean are the inherited writings of Confucius -- the means to awaken the world's understanding of its own nature, and the path to fulfilling that nature completely. Where can this be seen? The Three Principles at the opening say everything. Taking the illumination of bright virtue as the substance and the renewal of the people as the function -- only then can one rest in the highest good.
To know what one's nature rests upon, one must rest in Wuji -- the Limitless. To reach the Limitless, one must faithfully follow the path of settling, stilling, finding peace, and reflecting, step by step without disorder. And though the work of settling, stilling, peace, and reflection requires effort, in truth these capacities already exist within one's own nature! To seek the work of settling the body, stilling the intention, calming the heart, and reflecting in the nature, one cannot but begin from the Investigation of Things. For if the stirrings of the heart and material desire are not investigated, if the tangles that surround them are not cleared away, one cannot hope to settle the body. And if the luminous body is not settled, then stilling the intention, calming the heart, and reflecting in the nature -- these three great sacred works -- become truly difficult!
Investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire, and the luminous body and the physical body become like jade without flaw, gradually entering into settledness. When the body is settled, the intention is still. When the intention is still, the heart is calm. When the heart is calm, the nature reflects -- and what it reflects upon is that all the people of the world have not yet awakened to their own bright virtue. From this arises a surging resolve: to use one's own awakened nature to awaken those who have not yet awakened, so that all may recover their original nature. This is the origin of the way of renewing the people.
Yet as the age declines and the winds of the world blow contrary, people abandon the great method of the measuring-square and put it aside on a high shelf, paying it no mind. They chase the strange and the novel instead, and waves of extravagance flood the mortal world. If this continues, the faint light of the Dao-heart will flicker and die, and the future of the world does not bear thinking about.
By fortune, the Elder Brother received the imperial decree and mercifully revealed its meaning: to dispel catastrophe and stem disaster, to turn back the collapsing tide, there is no choice but to return to the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean as the guiding principle. Yet reflecting on the commentaries of previous worthies -- the language is deep and profound, and those of shallow learning can only sigh at the vastness before them.
Therefore I respectfully entreated the Lord of Pure Yang to descend to the writing-altar, and in about a month the commentary of the entire book was complete in plain language. Reading the contents, the substance and function are clear, and the principle is fully present. Furthermore, the precious truth that was not concealed -- the complete original text of the Investigation of Things chapter -- has been supplemented to meet the needs of the age, to dispel the confusion of all, so that everyone may find the stairway to the realm of sagehood.
The original text of the Investigation of Things was lost without remainder in the Qin fires. Over two thousand years have passed, and no one has understood its true meaning -- truly lamentable! Now, by grace, it has been supplemented. For all beings, it is as though the clouds have parted and the sun is seen again -- truly a great fortune for the world!
Reflecting on the Buddha's grace, vast as heaven, beyond all naming -- I earnestly hope that wherever this commentary on the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean reaches, all will immerse their hearts in contemplation and use it to transform the world. When the human heart is at peace, bright virtue will shine, and the Great Unity of all nations will surely be realized!
As this commentary is printed, I am commanded to write a preface to honor the sacred text. I am ashamed of my humble limitations -- how dare I write a preface? Yet the Buddha's command cannot be disobeyed. I compose these few plain words, humbly appending them to the work, and hope the wise of the four seas will not withhold their instruction. This is my preface.
Written in the thirty-sixth year of the Republic, the year Dinghai, spring, by Zhu Xiuwu of Changshan, Shandong, at the Qianyuan Hall in Xi'an.
My View of the Great Learning
The Great Learning is a text whose meaning is supremely deep, whose principle is supremely subtle -- it is the great vehicle of Wuji, the Limitless. Yet look again closely, and you will see it is also a text of the utmost simplicity and clarity, describing the most level and ordinary of practices.
Alas! The way of the sages has always been level and ordinary. It does not prize the strange or remarkable. People tend to look at it as ordinary and fail to practice it -- a mistake! For the ordinary way is precisely the path that leads to the realm of the sages. What a pity that the people of the world cannot hold fast to three words: sincerity, perseverance, and steadfastness.
Therefore the Great Learning urges and admonishes, earnestly and ceaselessly, to encourage all future generations. As I compose my commentary, I cannot help but sigh: how bitter is the sage's compassion for the world, how meticulous his method of teaching!
In sum, the essence of the Great Learning is entirely contained in the Three Principles, with nothing left unsaid. In the middle ages, it was said that half the Analerta was enough to govern the world -- but what need is there for even half? The Great Learning's bright virtue and renewal of the people, applied to governing the nation and bringing peace to the world, could never be exhausted!
In ancient times, Yao and Shun yielded to one another, ruling by simply sitting with folded hands, and the people were honest and their hearts were simple. What need was there for axes and halberds to subdue them? The essential elements of governing the nation and the best method of teaching the people are nothing other than this: first illuminate your own bright virtue, then practice the renewal of the people -- and transform the billions of common folk so that all illuminate their own bright virtue.
When bright virtue is restored to its original state, it appears in one's words and deeds. One governs one's own body -- what need is there for laws to constrain it? When everyone has the spirit of self-governance, body, heart, and nature are fused in one furnace, returning to the realm of principle. Not only are such people sages in this life -- when their bodies pass away, they become immortals and Buddhas.
Therefore the Great Learning's Eight Steps begin with the Investigation of Things. What is the Investigation of Things? It is the initial work of inner sagehood. Where can this be seen? When selfish desires are completely purified and the Heavenly Principle flows freely, one's nature and the Heavenly Principle become like the autumn sky reflected in a long river -- one color as far as the eye can see -- and bright virtue is restored.
Practice the renewal of the people as the function, extending one's innate knowledge as the outer kingship. This is what the sage taught the father and mother of the people: the place to begin is here, and this is the Great Learning's most urgent point.
As such, when the intention is aroused, sincerity must follow. When the heart acts, the body must accord. Thus the nature is the sage-king, the heart is the worthy minister, the intention is the citizen, and the body is the servant. Nature holds the authority, the heart and body work together, and all is conducted in accordance with the Dao.
One must understand that body, heart, and nature have three great distinctions: the nature is inherently good; the heart is inherently both good and not-good; the body is inherently turbid. If the nature holds its authority, then the heart and body are governed together -- and though the wandering heart tries to stir, and the wayward body tries to act, they cannot succeed!
Therefore Investigation of Things, Extension of Knowledge, Sincerity of Intention, and Rectification of the Heart -- these four steps are the substance of inner sagehood. When the inner substance is complete, it overflows from one's person, and the body is cultivated without needing to be cultivated! From one's own body, where does the practice begin? One must first order the family. How does one order the family? When the inner sagehood is complete, it appears in word and deed: modesty, deference, diligence in self-discipline, governing the household with the Dao, handling affairs with impartiality. Who has ever seen such a person whose family is not ordered? To order the family, one must first order the heart. Order the heart, and the body cannot but be ordered. Fail to order the heart, and the body cannot be ordered. A nation is the gathering of families. If each family is ordered, with no blemish within, and virtue is extended outward -- it is like a spring wind reaching everywhere, and all things flourish. The light of bright virtue inspires, and all rise in response. As the sage said: "Faster than the posting of a decree."
Thus the nation is greatly governed, and all know that benevolence is the substance and righteousness the function. High and low defer to one another, and a gentle wind of harmony blows. A nation is no different from a family, or a single body! As King Wen transformed the people through virtue -- the feudal lords admired him, scholars and commoners craned their necks to see -- there has never been one who did not thus become king of all under heaven.
Therefore: cultivating the body, ordering the family, governing the nation, and bringing peace to the world -- these are the function of outer kingship. If one abandons the substance of inner sagehood and tries to practice the function of outer kingship, I know it cannot be done.
The Definition of the Great Learning
What is the definition of the Great Learning? As discussed above in "My View," the Great Learning teaches those who govern the people to cultivate the substance of inner sagehood in order to achieve the function of outer kingship. But one might ask: can ordinary people follow this too?
I say: certainly they can! For the sage's intention in establishing the teaching was never limited to one group. The text says: "From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all without exception take the cultivation of the body as the root." From this, the general principle is clear! Regardless of rank or station, so long as one is utterly sincere and unceasing, and one's nature is restored to its original brightness -- when one reaches the highest good, what distinction is there between noble and humble?
Zhu Xi commented: "The Great Learning is the learning of the great person." In my view, this is exactly wrong -- the opposite is true. I say: the Great Learning is precisely the learning of the small person. For if one is already a "great person," with heart already purified, nature already radiant, emulating the vastness of heaven and fulfilling all the capacities of one's nature -- what need is there to study further? The Great Learning is what the small person studies. The "small person" means the common person. And yet the common person's nature is no different from the nature of the sage. If one can investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire within, and seek one's innate knowledge; if the intention that arises is always sincere, and the heart's movements are always followed by the body in accordance -- then though one's station is that of a common person, one's work has already reached the realm of the great person.
Alas! People do not study on their own. It is as though they have a precious treasure locked away and do not know what it is for. The bright virtue lies buried beneath the dust; the brilliant moon is hidden behind thick clouds and deep mist. If everyone faithfully follows and practices the Great Learning, persevering from beginning to end without slackening -- then the "great person" is no longer simply great, and the "small person" is no longer simply small! When all reach the summit, our natures have not the slightest difference. Alas, that the world does not understand! The sigh is beyond measure.
The Source and History of the Great Learning
People all say: the Great Learning contains the words of Confucius, recorded by Zengzi. This is its source and history.
I say: this is not so. How do I know? I can tell you: before heaven and earth existed, the Way of the Great Learning already was. The Way of the Great Learning is like the sun and moon coursing through the sky, like the rivers and seas flowing across the earth. That which weaves heaven and earth into splendid tapestry -- that is the Great Learning. That which nourishes and sustains all things -- that is the Great Learning.
Before heaven and earth existed, the Three Principles and Eight Steps of the Great Learning had no written text, no visible form -- and yet the substance, function, purpose, and power of the teaching already existed. It was only when Confucius received the heart-method of the One Thread and held the non-dual learning of the nature that he summarized the Great Learning of all heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things into written form.
As for the source: I believe it did not begin with Confucius. It began with the Heavenly Way itself. I ask the gentlemen who cultivate the Dao to reflect deeply on this.
Commentary on the Main Text
The Way of the Great Learning
The Way of the Great Learning lies in illuminating bright virtue, in renewing the people, and in resting in the highest good.
Character explanations: "Great Learning" means the study of developing the greatness of one's own nature. The first "bright" (明) means the work of cutting, polishing, chiseling, and grinding. "Bright virtue" (明德) means one's original nature. "Renewing the people" (親民) means extending the capacities of one's own nature to transform all people under heaven, so that each recovers their own nature. "The highest good" (至善) means the realm of Wuji -- the Limitless.
Passage commentary: The Way of the Great Learning lies within each person's nature-heaven. Since it is already within one's nature-heaven, why must one study it further? Because when a person falls into the red dust of this world, constrained by the endowment of vital energy and obscured by material desires, the fullness of their nature-heaven sinks into ten thousand fathoms of dust. Therefore, one must apply the work of cutting, polishing, chiseling, and grinding, in order to restore the brightness of one's nature-heaven.
The Great Learning, in other words, is the study of learning to develop and express one's nature-heaven. Though one is studying heaven itself, in truth the study never goes beyond one's own body! Therefore, first investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire, remove selfish desires, and restore one's original nature -- and the work of inner sagehood within oneself reaches its resting place. When the work of inner sagehood is complete, the substance is firm. Then add the function of renewing the people.
What is "renewing the people"? The "people" here means the good citizens within one's own body. What are the good citizens? They are the nature-heaven itself. To help all people under heaven befriend their own good citizens -- this is what the sage called "benefiting the whole world."
Yet if I alone have a radiant and luminous nature-substance, what joy is that to Imperial Heaven? Based on the heart of Imperial Heaven, which regards all equally -- may all people under heaven be able to apply the work of cutting, polishing, chiseling, and grinding, and recover the supreme radiance of their nature-heaven. Extending from oneself to others, without the slightest trace of self -- one can say that the work of illuminating bright virtue is inner sagehood, and the work of renewing the people is outer kingship.
When the work of inner sagehood and outer kingship is complete -- a single word becomes a law for all the world and all future generations; a single deed becomes a model for all the world and all future generations. In this life, such a one is called a sage; beyond this life, an immortal or a Buddha. The realm of the highest good arrives without one ever having to seek it.
Knowing Where to Rest
When you know where to rest, you have settledness. From settledness comes stillness. From stillness comes peace. From peace comes reflection. From reflection comes attainment.
Character explanations: "Knowing where to rest" means knowing the place where one should rest. "Settledness" means reining in the monkey-mind and tying down the horse-will, not letting them gallop freely, giving them a home. "Stillness" means pure quietude and non-action, thinking of this and only this, morning and evening. "Peace" means the body has something to follow, the heart has somewhere to return, the nature has a place to rest -- each finding its proper place, step by step without confusion. "Reflection" means the inner work is already complete, and one now reflects on whether the outer work will succeed -- carrying the utmost concern of compassion for heaven and pity for humanity, reflecting that people have not yet cultivated their nature, that the world is not yet at peace. "Attainment" means exhausting all the capacities within one's nature, widely establishing sacred merit, transforming people through compassion, pitying the world through sorrow -- regarding the three thousand great-thousand worlds as one body and the billions of people as one's own siblings. From the radiance of one's own nature-heaven, extending to all billions of siblings, so that each recovers their own nature -- and one's own attainment of Buddhahood comes without seeking it.
Passage commentary: If each person resolutely follows through on the Three Principles above, the result is reaching the utterly supreme, unsurpassable realm of the highest good. But for the first step of learning the Great Learning's work, one must first know: where does the heart rest? It rests in the nature-heaven. When the heart has somewhere to return to, the nature settles of itself! After the nature is settled, the body seems to be and not to be, the heart seems present and not present, the nature seems thus and not thus. Pure quietude and non-action, all merged into one principle -- still as a mountain, moving like a river and sea -- and one reaches the realm of true stillness. This is what is meant by: the body has something to follow, the heart has somewhere to return, the nature has a place to rest.
When the nature is at peace, the work of inner sagehood is complete. The "reflection" and "attainment" that follow -- these are the outer work, which one can also call the way of renewing the people. Though inner sagehood may be complete, one must constantly carry the heart of compassion for heaven and pity for humanity, transforming the world with earnest and tireless words. If even one person's nature-heaven has not yet been illuminated, one's own nature-heaven has not yet reached the ultimate summit.
Reflection means: reflecting that the beings of the world have not yet awakened, reflecting that the nature-heaven of one's fellow beings remains unilluminated. This is taking all beings as one's concern and all under heaven as one's worry -- "worrying before all under heaven worries, rejoicing after all under heaven rejoices." Measuring what one's nature knows, expressing what one's nature can do -- establishing oneself, one establishes others; reaching attainment, one helps others reach attainment. Like a spring wind that reaches everywhere, caressing every face -- all things sprout before it, and every person brightens with joy. When all beings awaken to their nature, one's own outer work is attained.
Root and Branch, Beginning and End
Things have root and branch. Affairs have end and beginning. To know what comes first and what comes after -- this is to draw near the Way.
Character explanations: "Things" means objects with form and substance. "Root" means the source from which things arise. "Branch" means the ten thousand particularities. "Affairs" means the work of renewing the people and ferrying all beings. "Beginning" means the starting point. "End" means the conclusion. "Knowing" means thorough understanding. "First" means the pre-heaven that endowed us with our nature from Imperial Heaven. "After" means the post-heaven of the parents who gave us birth. "The Way" means the ultimate realm of Wuji.
Passage commentary: All concrete things in the world must have a source. Take a single plant: its source lies in a seed so small it is barely visible -- this is the root of the thing. The plant sends up shoots from its root, grows branches and leaves from its trunk, and finally produces billions of tiny seeds -- this is the branch, which is also the return from branch to root. Without the root, where would the branch come from? Without the branch, there would be no means to return to the root. The root gives rise to the branch; the branch returns to the root.
As for human affairs: most things in this world begin well but end poorly. Beautiful situations end in suffering. But one who has recovered the nature-heaven takes the work of renewing the people as one's proper task, thinking of it morning and evening, pressing forward with the tireless spirit of ceaseless effort, taking the summit of the highest good as the destination. If one begins with diligence but ends in laziness -- never mind the work of renewing the people -- even the smallest task will never succeed.
Let me offer a comparison: the beginning and end of heaven itself. Look -- every year spring, summer, autumn, and winter come and go; heat and cold alternate without the slightest error. From the creation of heaven and earth to their final collapse, not a single year is otherwise. Not even a single month, a single day, a single hour. What great beginning and great end! Why do people not learn from this? If one could match the beginning and end of heaven and earth, there is nothing in heaven or on earth that could not be accomplished.
What does "knowing first and after" mean? "Knowing" means clearly understanding the order of our existence -- both before and after. If one can understand the source of one's nature and the origin of one's body, then naturally the way of filial piety cannot be omitted. But ordinary understanding limits filial piety to "following the parents' wishes and nourishing their bodies." How great this filial piety is! Yet one does not realize that fulfilling the filial duty of the pre-heaven is also part of the whole.
What is "pre-heaven filial piety"? The spiritual natures of all beings under heaven were born from a single source -- this is why we call all the people of the world our siblings. How does one fulfill this filial piety? By recovering one's own nature-heaven, by practicing the work of renewing the people, and by leading brothers and sisters hand in hand back to the origin -- together reaching the realm of Wuji. This is the great filial piety toward the pre-heaven that endowed us with our nature.
Therefore, filial piety toward the pre-heaven and filial piety toward the post-heaven -- two great forms of filial devotion -- are equally important. If one can practice both, one draws near the Way! One might even say: one has reached the ultimate Way.
Furthermore, this passage analyzes principle, vital energy, and form: "things have root and branch" -- this is form. "Affairs have end and beginning" -- this is vital energy. "Knowing first and after" -- this is principle. To understand the Way through principle, energy, and form -- one will not go wrong.
The Eight Steps in Reverse
Those in ancient times who wished to illuminate bright virtue throughout the world first governed their nations. Those who wished to govern their nations first ordered their families. Those who wished to order their families first cultivated their own bodies. Those who wished to cultivate their bodies first rectified their hearts. Those who wished to rectify their hearts first made their intentions sincere. Those who wished to make their intentions sincere first extended their knowledge. The extension of knowledge lies in the investigation of things.
Character explanations: "Bright virtue" means the Dao-heart -- when the heart is still and strife has ceased, the image of the Great Unity. "Govern" means to administer. "Order" means to order the family, first ordering the heart. "Cultivate" means to overcome the self. "Rectify" means to dwell in the center, neither leaning nor tilting, perfectly centered and correct. "Sincere" means without falseness. "Extend" means to spread broadly. "Investigate" means to remove -- to investigate the stirrings of the heart and expel the stirrings of the body.
Passage commentary: This passage proceeds from function back to substance. It says: the ancient sage-kings and worthy ministers first restored their own bright virtue, and then practiced the function of renewing the people. If they wished all people under heaven to illuminate their own inherent bright virtue, where should they begin? They had to begin by helping the scholars and people of their own nation investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire and extend their innate knowledge -- only then could bright virtue be illuminated throughout the world.
If they wished to help the scholars and people investigate and extend, they had to begin from the family. The proverb says: "Governing a nation is easy; ordering a family is hard." Why? The way of governing a nation, besides practicing benevolent government, supplements what is lacking with law. But ordering a family is not so -- it requires the great power of transformation. First order the hearts; let every word and deed of the whole household be guided by virtue; let all be able to illuminate their own bright virtue -- and then, though the household has a thousand mouths, the heart is one.
To order the family, one must first cultivate one's own body. The method of cultivating the body is nothing else: at the first step, words and deeds must correspond; set aside the self and follow others; empty the heart and accept all things; throughout the twelve double-hours of the day, as though standing before spirits. Zengzi said: "Ten eyes watch; ten hands point. Trembling and careful, fearing that one's virtue is not enough to transform others -- how much less can one act rashly!"
To reach this step, one must first rectify the heart. The heart is the master of the entire body, the ancestor of all appearances. What the heart sends forth, the intention must follow; what the intention stirs, the body must carry out. This heart stands centered and does not lean -- clear as water stretching across a long sky, one color for ten thousand miles -- the vast and righteous vital energy fills the great expanse.
To reach this step, one must begin from making the intention sincere. How is the intention made sincere? The intention is the emanation of the heart: the heart sends forth, the intention follows -- they are one connected body. This intention floats and drifts like something suspended in empty space, without foundation, now good, now evil, with no fixed resting place. If the character "sincerity" is not applied to it, where will it settle? What is sincerity? It means without falseness. When the intention is sincere in its arising, the body's actions accord with principle. When the intention holds to utmost sincerity, the heart is perfectly centered and correct.
To reach this step, one must extend one's innate knowledge. Innate knowledge is one's own nature. "Extend" means to spread it broadly and carry it far. If innate knowledge is buried, where will heart and intention find their home? When the heart has no home, it has no resting place, and though one wishes to rectify it, one cannot.
The nature is the sovereign. The heart is the minister. The intention is the citizen. The body is the servant. When the sovereign-heart is wise and bright, cherishing great virtue, then heart, intention, and body can work together, and all is practiced in accordance with the Dao. But if the sovereign loses its position, then sand flies and floods rage, and what was auspicious becomes calamitous! How then can one find the Way?
To extend one's innate knowledge, one must first investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire -- removing all that the endowment of vital energy constrains, all that material desire obscures, all acquired and corrupted habits -- and recover the inherent, original nature. Then all the attainments above arrive without one having to seek them.
This passage proceeds from function back to substance: the ten thousand particularities all return to one root, energy and form all return to one principle. The proverb says: "Water flows a thousand courses and returns to the great sea." This is what is meant.
In sum: the sacred classics and worthy commentaries, the Buddhist teachings and Daoist scriptures, their thousands and tens of thousands of words -- all come down to one thing: the nature. What the nature sends forth, principle cannot take away. What principle gives rise to, number cannot shift. Where number arrives, how can human beings force their way? Yet to shift one's number -- what difficulty is there? Follow the steps of the Great Learning, practice them in the real world, and destiny is made by my own hand, while blessings are granted by Heaven. This is certain.
The Eight Steps Forward
When things are investigated, knowledge is extended. When knowledge is extended, the intention becomes sincere. When the intention is sincere, the heart is rectified. When the heart is rectified, the body is cultivated. When the body is cultivated, the family is ordered. When the family is ordered, the nation is governed. When the nation is governed, all under heaven is at peace.
Passage commentary: When all the constraints of vital energy and the veils of material desire -- all acquired and corrupted habits -- are thoroughly investigated and removed, it is as though the clouds and fog have been swept away and the blue sky appears again! When this is extended broadly and carried far, reaching the full capacity of one's innate knowledge, one fulfills one's heavenly duty of transforming the people. At this point, though the intention might wish to be evil, it finds no companion -- and so it is sincere. When the intention is sincere and comes to rest, the heart may stir incorrectly and the intention will not follow -- how then can the heart fail to be rectified? When the heart dwells in perfect rectitude, one feels the heart-source gradually merging into the nature-sea -- how can the nature not be radiant and bright?
Therefore, investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification are the work of inner sagehood. When the body is cultivated, it appears in word and deed. The great virtue moves others -- no one can fail to bow their head and accept transformation. When every heart in the household is united, only then is the family ordered. A nation is the gathering of families. When my family is ordered, other families look to it with admiration. Extend this broadly and carry it far -- all turn toward the spring wind. Supplement this with law, and the nation is greatly governed. When the nation is governed, the feudal lords respond, court and countryside look up in admiration, scholars and commoners crane their necks -- how can all under heaven not be at peace?
Therefore, cultivating the body, ordering the family, governing the nation, and bringing peace to the world are the work of outer kingship. When substance and function are both clear, inner sagehood and outer kingship are both complete!
The Universal Principle
From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all without exception take the cultivation of the body as the root.
Character explanations: "Son of Heaven" means the ruler of all under heaven, who acts in Heaven's place and teaches and nourishes the people. "Common people" means all the people. "All" (壹) is another name for Wuji -- it is the beginning of number.
Passage commentary: The Son of Heaven acts in Heaven's place, teaching and nourishing the people, and must begin from his own body. To begin from his own body, where must he start? From the investigation of things, extension of knowledge, sincerity of intention, and rectification of the heart -- step by step without disorder, advancing in proper sequence, so that the work of inner sagehood is sufficient. Then the pollution of the nature-heaven is entirely cleansed, and the whole body is luminous, pure as jade. Without speaking, he transforms the nations; by the example of his person, he teaches the people. Extending this broadly and carrying it far, all the people under heaven know that cultivating the body is the root. The people are already self-governing -- what need is there to be governed?
The sage-king's governing of the people is not the governing of their bodies. It is the governing of their hearts! If you govern only the body without governing the heart, you abandon the root and chase the branch. If you can govern the heart, the body cannot fail to be governed. If you govern only the body, the heart cannot fail to wander.
The sage-king does not govern the people. He transforms them. To bring about the transformation of all, the work of one's own inner sagehood must be complete.
Governing and transforming are truly different -- can one fail to think carefully about this?
"From the Son of Heaven to the common people" -- the range is vast beyond measure. Consider any group: its leader is the sovereign, and those under its direction are the subjects. A single business: the manager is the sovereign, and the employees are subjects. So long as the manager acts as an example with one body, words and deeds in harmony, treating others as oneself -- there is no one below who will not give full loyalty to the manager. This starts from one small group. Any group, any organization is the same. From the small, one can extend to the great.
From the Son of Heaven to the common people, all without exception take the cultivation of the body as the root. From each small group's sovereign and subjects, extend to the sovereign and subjects of all under heaven. When every small group has a wise sovereign and loyal subjects, the sovereign and subjects of the great world are the same. What principle is this? If the sovereign and subjects of all under heaven do not follow Heaven's Way and carry out Heaven's deeds, how can the small groups' sovereigns be wise and their subjects loyal? Therefore, from the conditions of the small groups, one naturally understands the great.
This is the principle of the One Thread -- it cannot be changed. Do not think that "sovereign" means only the emperor, and "subject" means only the officials. Every group is a sovereign and subjects; every organization is a sovereign and subjects. People of the world -- do not cling to one interpretation!
Root and Branch, Thick and Thin
When the root is disordered, the branches cannot be well-governed. To treat what should be thick as thin, and what should be thin as thick -- this has never been.
Character explanations: "Root" means investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification. "Branch" means cultivation, ordering, governing, and bringing peace.
Passage commentary: When the root is disordered -- meaning the four steps of investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification have not been followed in proper sequence -- and one wishes to practice cultivation, ordering, governing, and bringing peace, this is truly impossible! It is like watering a plant: if you water the branches and leaves instead of the root, the more you water, the more it withers. Should one not be alarmed?
To abandon the root and chase the branch is the most fundamental error. What is "thick"? It is the nature. What is "thin"? It is emotion. One should treat what is thick with thickness, and what is thin with thinness. The person of virtue never treats the thick thinly, nor the thin thickly.
General Discussion
The Great Learning, though called "the learning of the great person," when traced to its root, is truly the learning of every person. Every person possesses a heaven-endowed spiritual nature, perfectly round and perfectly bright -- in the sage it does not increase, in the ordinary person it does not decrease. Women and children are all the same.
In childhood, the nature is purely good -- this is the original nature. As one grows older, constrained by vital energy and obscured by material desire -- this is the acquired nature. Every person possesses the greatness of this nature, but how sad that they do not know to seek it! This is what is meant by: "Great, yet not knowing one's greatness; small, and yet acting small."
Confucius spoke and Zengzi recorded. The entire text, in all its meaning, does nothing more than urge every person to seek their own greatness. What is great? The nature. What is small? Emotion.
If one can take the greatness of one's own nature and resolve to apply the work of "renewing day after day, day after day renewing, and again renewing" -- restoring the great nature to its original state -- then one's single cup of pure water poured into the great ocean merges without distinction.
Yet the greatness of the nature is not something one person alone possesses. All the people of the world possess it. If even one person under heaven has not yet recovered their original great nature, then my nature is not yet great to its utmost! Therefore the way of the Great Learning is the study of seeking one's great nature.
To seek one's great nature, what work must one learn? One must use investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification -- step by step without disorder -- pressing forward with determination. Sweep away all traces of self and other, regarding others as oneself -- for our natures are siblings! If I have awakened to my nature, and my siblings are still lost -- how can my heart bear it? Therefore one must practice the renewal of the people, setting aside the self to follow others, taking the responsibility of transforming all people into goodness, and lifting the world toward the Great Unity.
When every person has something for the body to follow, somewhere for the heart to return, a place for the nature to rest -- then I have reached the highest good! What is the highest good? When my single cup of pure water is poured into the great ocean and merges without distinction -- this is the highest good. If the cup of water has even a speck of dust, then when poured into the sea, the mark will be visible!
The highest good is the true emptiness of Wuji. When the greatness of my nature merges with Wuji -- this body is no longer merely my body. Why? Because it is great without outer boundary, pervading all of heaven and earth. All things are myself! How could one regard a body of four limbs and a hundred bones as the self?
At this point, the highest good has no further step to climb. This is something even women and children can accomplish -- if only people would not abandon themselves. The sigh of pity is beyond measure!
Therefore the ancient sages taught the world: begin from the work of investigating things, and ascend to the supreme vehicle. If one overcomes the self for a single day, one is a sage for that single day. If one overcomes the self for a whole life, one is a sage for a whole life. The highest good is stored within the body! May all the people of the world turn the light around and look within.
As for the passage "Things have root and branch, affairs have end and beginning, knowing first and after draws near the Way" -- the sage gently and patiently guides, leading people into sagehood step by step. If one can understand that things have root and branch, and turns inward to reflect -- even a thing can return to its root, how much more a person! The proverb says: "Plant melons, get melons. Plant beans, get beans." Plants can return to their root. Should a person not be alarmed?
What are the root and branch of a person? This must be discussed on two levels -- nature and form. My nature, endowed by pre-heaven: where is its root-source? In True Principle. My body, born of post-heaven: where is its root-source? In my parents. Pre-heaven and post-heaven, these two great roots and great sources -- once clearly understood -- one should recover one's nature and return to the root, returning to True Principle; and fulfill filial piety and uphold the root, obediently nourishing one's parents. If one can do this, like a plant returning to its root -- then one is as constant as heaven and earth, as enduring as sun and moon. What affair could fail to be carried through from beginning to end?
From this clear understanding of pre-heaven and post-heaven, and thorough penetration of the original and the acquired nature -- one draws near to the Way of the highest good! The sage, deeply fearing that people of the world and future generations would find it easy to read the book but impossible to practice it, first uses "things" and "affairs" as the gateway to virtue, showing the distinction of first and after -- and then the path to the highest good is not difficult to travel.
When the work of inner sagehood is complete, outer kingship follows as swiftly as the wind and the thunderclap. The Three Principles and the Eight Steps are threaded through by the One -- truly like an arrow that does not waver.
The Commentary Chapters (傳)
The following commentary chapters elaborate on the main text of the Great Learning using quotations from the Book of Documents, the Book of Odes, and other classics. They were traditionally attributed to Zengzi. The final restored chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge are Lü Dongbin's restoration, through spirit-writing, of text he claims was lost since the Qin dynasty book-burning over two thousand years ago.
Commentary on Illuminating Bright Virtue
The Announcement to Kang says: "He was able to illuminate virtue."
Character explanations: The Announcement to Kang is from the Book of Zhou. "Able" (克) means capable. "Bright virtue" (明德) means one's original nature.
Passage commentary: To "illuminate virtue" means to exhaust all the capacities of one's bright virtue. What can bright virtue do? The Five Constant Virtues are inherent within it. To practice the Five Constants is to follow one's nature -- which is called the Way. This means: it arises from bright virtue, and ultimately returns to bright virtue. One might ask: what principle is this? I say: the Five Constants are issued from bright virtue. When one can exhaust the capacities of the Five Constants, only then is bright virtue truly illuminated!
The Taijia says: "He constantly regarded Heaven's bright mandate."
Character explanations: The Taijia is from the Book of Shang. "Regarded" (顧) means constantly to attend to it. "This" (諟) means precisely this.
Passage commentary: What is called "Heaven's bright mandate": Heaven endows each person with the true principle of emptiness and luminous clarity -- this is called the nature. When the nature circulates throughout the body, it is called destiny. My destiny originates from my nature; my nature originates from principle. Destiny and the utterly still, empty principle-heaven are in intimate communication at every moment.
My single body is like a small heaven and earth. This body can merge with the Three Ultimates. Heaven's brightness illuminates my destiny. Therefore, when a single good thought arises, Heaven knows it; when a single evil thought arises, Heaven knows it. My heart is like a broadcasting station -- the moment the heart-waves are sent forth, waves upon waves spread outward in layers, and though heaven and earth are vast, they are covered in an instant. This is how my heart has its causes, and Heaven has its awareness.
Therefore the person of moral virtue fixes the divine gaze of the eyes, fearing the stirring of the heart-demon, in order to preserve the bright virtue mandated by Heaven -- and one must also cultivate the nature and fulfill one's destiny. How is the nature cultivated? The method is none other than investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification. How is destiny fulfilled? If destiny is wealth and honor, use that wealth to benefit the world. If destiny is poverty and lowliness, solidify one's resolve and accept one's lot. This is the overall meaning of "constantly regarding Heaven's bright mandate." (The Three Ultimates are Wuji, Taiji, and Huangji.)
The Canon of Yao says: "He was able to illuminate great virtue."
Character explanations: The Canon of Yao is from the Yao Dian. "Great" (峻) -- the Yushu writes it as 俊, meaning great.
Passage commentary: To be able to recover one's great and lofty virtue, and to exhaust all the capacities of that great virtue.
All are from self-illumination.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: What is called "bright virtue" is, in simple terms, one's own nature. To recover one's own nature -- this proceeds from oneself. From the greatness of one's own nature, extending to the natures of all -- one helps all beings recover their own nature.
Commentary on Renewing the People
Tang's basin inscription says: "If you can renew yourself for one day, then renew yourself day after day, and again each new day."
Character explanations: Tang is the founding ruler of the Shang dynasty. "Basin" (盤) is a vessel for bathing. "Inscription" (銘) means a self-admonishing phrase engraved upon the vessel.
Passage commentary: In ancient times, every sage-king who received Heaven's bright mandate and bore a great responsibility between heaven and earth -- who rescued the people from chaos -- first cultivated the work of their own nature, in order to relieve the people from their inverted suffering. Therefore Tang's basin inscription was not an inscription upon a vessel; it was an inscription upon the heart. The vessel inscription warns the body; the heart inscription warns the nature. To bathe the body is easy; to bathe the heart is hard. When the heart is bathed, the nature is nearly bathed. After the nature is bathed, heavenly principle shines forth -- this is the small Wuji within one's own body.
To apply this work: bathing the body lies in bathing the heart; bathing the heart lies in bathing the nature. Day after day renewing -- like the waters of rivers and seas, flowing from a distant source without the slightest interruption. If one does not bathe one's own heart and nature, then even if all the rivers and seas were used to bathe the body, what benefit would it be to the heart and nature?
The Announcement to Kang says: "Make the people new."
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: One might ask: do people have old and new? I say: they do. What are "new people"? The people of the original nature. What are "old people"? The people of the material body. When the original nature is restored, circulating through the body and illuminating the whole form -- then though the body is called old, it becomes as though wholly new! The excellent method for recovering the original nature's good citizens is described in full above -- there is no need to repeat it.
The Ode says: "Though Zhou is an old state, its mandate is ever new."
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Greater Elegance, "King Wen." "State" (邦) means nation. "Mandate" (命) means Heaven's bright mandate.
Passage commentary: Virtue has no old age -- it is eternally new, like the blue of the sky, which after a thousand autumns has still not stained. When one recovers one's own bright virtue and transforms the people, then even an old state becomes new. When bright virtue is tarnished, even a new foundation becomes old. All things in the world are the same: when the platform of the heart is pure and clear as autumn water, then even studying old books, their flavor is new. When the platform of the heart is dark and clouded, listless and dispirited, then even reading new books, their meaning is old. Things are neither new nor old -- it lies only in whether the platform of the heart is clear or dark.
Commentary on Resting in the Highest Good
Therefore the person of virtue spares no effort in reaching the utmost.
Character explanations: "Person of virtue" (君子) means one who has achieved virtue. "The utmost" (極) means the place of the highest good.
Passage commentary: The person of virtue spares no effort in reaching the utmost -- this may be analyzed in three levels: principle, vital energy, and form.
One may ask: where does Wuji (the Limitless) reach its utmost? I say: it reaches its utmost in nothingness. Nothingness is true emptiness -- utterly still, yet when touched, perfectly responsive. Within nothingness, wondrous being!
Where does Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) reach its utmost? I say: it reaches its utmost in "supreme." The character "supreme" (太) is the character for "vital energy" (气天). If one pushes the dot below the character upward, it becomes clear sky (天). "Sky" is "one-great" (一大) -- one is the beginning of all numbers, the source of all things. Therefore Yao transmitted to Shun: "Sincerely hold fast the center." Four characters of the heart-method. Shun transmitted to Yu: "The human heart is perilous, the Dao-heart is subtle; be refined, be one, sincerely hold fast the center." Sixteen characters of the heart-method. This "one," standing upright, connects heaven above and earth below, stretching across the four directions. Fuxi gazed upward and downward and drew one line to open heaven -- this is that one. Form this "one" into a circle, and it becomes the symbol for Wuji -- round, luminous, clear, nowhere and everywhere. But this "one" is still within the realm of form. Where does the "one" return? I say: it returns to nothingness. Wuji was originally without even this one; the circle is merely a symbol. Vital energy is the sky of one-supreme, and after 129,600 years this sky too collapses and returns to Wuji. So: Taiji reaches its utmost in "supreme" -- this is the meaning.
Where does Huangji (the Imperial Ultimate) reach its utmost? I say: it reaches its utmost in "imperial" (皇). What is "imperial"? The nature is sovereign over the body. This body is modeled on heaven and patterned after earth. The nature is its sovereign -- is this not the emperor of one's own body? The sage recovers the original nature, follows the Five Constant Virtues in word and deed, inherits the source of the Dao Lineage, and brings all people to the great transformation. Heaven must then bestow the great mandate -- to be the teacher of ten thousand generations. Thus the sage is the utmost of the Imperial Ultimate.
Take the character 皇 apart: it is "white king" (白王). In other words: without any worldly rank or title, simply a luminous white king. Thus the sage is called "the uncrowned king." Yet the nature is also a pristine white sovereign -- and so "imperial" (皇) fits. Every person is endowed with this nature-sovereign, only it is obscured by stirrings of heart and material desire. If one investigates these stirrings and recovers the nature, it shines throughout the universe -- this is the one-great of Taiji. Extending this to transform the people, helping all recover the nature-sovereign within, practicing loyalty and filial piety -- the work of one-great is complete. Then one returns the one to true principle, resting in the highest good -- this is the return to root and source. Everyone has the substance of a sage -- how sad that people do not awaken!
Thus: the person of virtue who speaks of form reaches the utmost of form. The person of virtue who speaks of vital energy reaches the utmost of energy. The person of virtue who speaks of principle reaches the utmost of the void. Three levels of persons of virtue, corresponding to sage, worthy, and common -- each different, but all shaped by one's own cultivation.
The Ode says: "A domain of a thousand miles -- it is where the people rest."
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Hymns of Shang, "Dark Bird." "Domain" (邦畿) is the capital of the king. "Rest" (止) means to dwell.
Passage commentary: The domain of a thousand miles is where the material body of the people dwells. This is the surface meaning. In its deepest sense, it is otherwise. Every person has their own domain; every person has their own good citizens. The ancients compared the body to heaven and earth: the nature is the good citizen within the body; the body is the domain of the nature.
One might ask: in the previous section the nature was compared to the sovereign, and now it is compared to a citizen -- is this not self-contradictory? I say: no. Sovereign and citizen are distinctions of the post-heaven world. The nature belongs to the pre-heaven. In the pre-heaven, what distinction is there between sovereign and citizen? The nature may be called sovereign; it may equally be called citizen. If one applies the work of investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification to the domain of one's own body, following the sacred steps in proper order, the domain is greatly governed and the original nature is restored.
The nature is the sovereign of one's body. When the nature assumes its authority, the words and deeds of the body do not transgress propriety. The good citizen that is the nature rests within the domain of the body -- but only as a temporary dwelling. When the domain of the body is greatly governed, and one extends from oneself to others, benefiting all under heaven, then the good citizen that is the nature ultimately returns to Wuji.
The Ode says: "The orioles sing merrily, resting on the wooded hill." The Master said: "When resting, the bird knows where to rest. Can a person fail to be as good as a bird?"
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Minor Odes, "Orioles." "Orioles" (緡蠻) describes the sound of birds. "Wooded hill" (丘隅) is a corner of a hill with dense trees.
Passage commentary: Here Confucius cites the Ode to admonish all the world and future generations. The orioles know to rest on the wooded hill -- how much more should human beings! The orioles rest on the wooded hill; that is their resting place. A person lives a busy life, chasing fame and profit, and in the end rests in the grave -- is that rest? I say: no.
A person must know the place where one ought to rest. Where is that place? Turn the question over and over, and it comes down to one thing: the nature. First recover one's nature, and Wuji appears within the body. Then apply the work of "one-great" to benefit all under heaven, and return "the one" to Wuji -- helping all under heaven illuminate their nature-heaven and rest in the place of Wuji.
When the nature knows where to rest, then after the material body dies, the nature-pearl is round and bright, shining for ten thousand ages. Like Confucius -- one word becomes a law for all the world and all future generations; one deed becomes a model. Was he not the same as any person? There is no distinction between sage and common -- it lies only in knowing where to rest or not knowing.
The Ode says: "Solemn, solemn was King Wen -- unceasingly luminous, reverent in his resting." As a ruler he rested in benevolence. As a minister he rested in reverence. As a son he rested in filial piety. As a father he rested in compassion. In dealing with his people he rested in good faith.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Greater Elegance, "King Wen." "Solemn, solemn" (穆穆) means profoundly deep and enduring. "Unceasingly" (緝) means continuing. "Luminous" (熙) means radiant.
Passage commentary: Great indeed, the Ode of King Wen! King Wen received Heaven's great mandate and was the great sage who inherited the Dao Lineage of the Red Sun era. His nature-heaven was radiant, shining with great light, extending it broadly and carrying it far, renewing the people and transforming all beings. In the land of Qi, no one picked up lost items on the road; doors were not bolted at night -- clear as the blue of the sky, bright as autumn water without a trace.
How did King Wen govern his nation? Did he possess some extraordinary method? I say: no. It is a method inherent in every person -- nothing more than following the Five Constant Virtues of one's nature and manifesting them outwardly.
As a ruler, he rested in benevolence. What is benevolence? Benevolence occupies the eastern direction, its vital energy is warm, its virtue is the giving of life. This is the great pre-heaven virtue of cherishing life. The ruler should emulate this! Humble, yielding, patient -- transforming others. Establishing virtue, establishing words -- teaching the people.
As a minister, he rested in reverence. Reverence means omni-reverence. Like Zengzi's "ten eyes watching, ten hands pointing" -- treading as though on the edge of a deep abyss, walking as though on thin ice, trembling and careful. First revere one's own heart; then revere one's own nature. When heart and nature each receive one's reverence, then the outward expression is also reverent.
As a son, he rested in filial piety. People know only that they are children of their post-heaven parents, not that they are also children of the pre-heaven Mother. The material body was born of one's parents; the spiritual nature was endowed by the Mother. Follow the parents' wishes and nourish their bodies -- this is filial piety toward post-heaven parents. But all people are siblings of the pre-heaven. To practice the work of renewing the people, to transform others so each recovers their nature, to turn back the collapsing tide and bring the world to peace -- this is filial piety toward the pre-heaven Mother who endowed us with our nature.
As a father, he rested in compassion. Compassion means both stern and tender. To teach one's children in the Way, to guide them in virtue -- this is true compassion. To indulge their extravagance and luxury is a woman's compassion. Heaven is awesome yet not angry -- those who receive its power know fear. Heaven bestows virtue upon all people without dwelling on it -- those who receive it know gratitude. This is the stern compassion of heaven and earth. Parents are heaven and earth -- they give life, nourish, teach, and guide, awakening the child's innate capacity for self-motivation, stirring the child's innate spirit of self-reliance.
Good faith means not being deceitful. Take the character for faith (信) apart: it is "person" (人) and "word" (言). When another speaks to me, and I speak to another -- between us lies true faith. Faith is as universal as earth -- there is nothing it is not, nothing it does not serve. Plants grow from earth; whatever is sown is reaped, without any deception. When a person loses faith, they first deceive themselves and then deceive others. Faith is the center of heaven, the pivot of earth, the master of the body -- connecting the four cardinal virtues, embracing all goodness. The great function of faith! May all beings under heaven break through the dust of worldly attachments, awaken from the delusion, quickly ascend the path of awakening, and find true faith to return to the source. This is my deepest hope.
The Ode says: "See the bends of the Qi, with green bamboo in luxuriant growth! There is our elegant prince -- like one who cuts and files, who carves and polishes! How grave, how awe-inspiring! How majestic, how illustrious! Our elegant prince -- he can never be forgotten!" "Like cutting and filing" -- this refers to the Way of learning. "Like carving and polishing" -- this refers to self-cultivation. "Grave and awe-inspiring" -- this refers to inner trembling. "Majestic and illustrious" -- this refers to bearing and dignity. "Our elegant prince can never be forgotten" -- this means that his virtue, having reached the fullness of goodness, cannot be forgotten by the people.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Airs of Wei, "Bends of the Qi." (Detailed character glosses omitted for brevity; see source text for complete 字解.)
Passage commentary: The Ode of the Bends of the Qi says: look at the bends of the Qi River, see the elegant and flourishing posture of the green bamboo. What does this mean? Bamboo is empty within. A person should be the same -- empty, able to contain all things; humble, and thereby gaining benefit. Scholarship and virtue enter gradually. The proverb says: "Mount Tai does not refuse small stones, and so attains its height; rivers and seas do not reject small streams, and so achieve their depth." This means: within emptiness, there is substance. Bamboo is empty at heart but has lofty aspirations. Thus bamboo may be burned, but its joints cannot be destroyed -- this means an empty heart enables one to contain all things, while a settled heart enables one to hold firm to one's purpose.
Then one applies the work of cutting, filing, carving, and polishing, advancing step by step through investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification, and one naturally becomes grave and careful. Why grave? The body possesses both the nature and the demon. The nature is weak and the demon is strong. Therefore the person of virtue fears the inner demon's arising and trembles at the outer demon's provocations. One must guard the nature's round brightness with utmost gravity, and stand firm against inner and outer demons with warrior resolve -- trembling and careful.
If for a single moment one is not reverent, not careful, and there is one thread of an opening -- the demon enters through the gap. Terrifying indeed! Gravity and care guard the interior. Warrior resolve repels the exterior. Upholding heaven and earth's perfect impartiality, nourishing the vast and righteous vital energy -- awesome yet not angry, those who feel the power are awed; virtue overflowing outward, rain and dew touching all, those who receive the blessing are grateful. Thus the illustrious person of virtue who possesses both power and virtue is cherished by the people like a father and mother, revered like a spirit -- how could they ever be forgotten?
"Like cutting and filing" is the work of the Way of learning. What is the Way of learning? It is first cultivating the utmost virtue in order to realize the utmost Way. "Grave, careful, resolute, firm" -- guarding the interior, repelling the exterior. When the inner demon has been investigated away and the outer demon cannot approach, innate knowledge appears and original truth is revealed. The intention is necessarily sincere; the heart keeps perfect rectitude. The utmost virtue is cultivated; the utmost Way gradually crystallizes -- one gradually approaches the ultimate.
To cultivate the utmost virtue, one must follow investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification, step by step in self-cultivation, so that the nature-heaven is luminous. When the utmost virtue is complete and the utmost Way has crystallized -- then the person and Heaven are one body. Without anger, the people are more awed than by axe and blade. The people serve such a one like a spirit, cherish such a one like a parent -- and this transformation spreads everywhere.
Though the Ode was composed by the people of Wei to praise Duke Wu, my commentary looks beyond Duke Wu -- this is the conduct of Confucius himself. If every person follows this, the sage is made from the common. The proverb says: "All sages were once common people. How could there be a sage who was always a sage?" This is certain.
The Ode says: "Ah! The former kings are not forgotten." Later rulers honored what they honored and loved what they loved. The common people delighted in what delighted them and benefited from what benefited them. This is why even after their passing they are not forgotten.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Hymns of Zhou, "Splendid." "Ah" (於戲) is an exclamation of admiration. "Former kings" refers to Kings Wen and Wu. "Benefit" (利) means the rightful profit of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Passage commentary: King Wen's utmost virtue. King Wu's great virtue. King Wen inherited the Way. King Wu carried it into action. Therefore Confucius said: "Wu and the Duke of Zhou were truly filial! The filial are those who skillfully continue the will of their fathers and skillfully carry on their work."
The former kings received Heaven's bright mandate, bore the great responsibility between heaven and earth, continued heaven's work and established the ultimate to transform all generations. Yet though there was the former king's pure virtue, there must be a later king to continue it, so that the virtue shines through ten thousand ages and never perishes. Therefore: to serve one's parents is to serve one's heart; to continue the parents' will is to continue their purpose. What the former king honored as worthy, I also honor as worthy -- what I honor is precisely the former king's purpose. What the former king loved, I also love -- what I love is precisely the love of the former king's virtue.
Continuing the former king's utmost virtue and spreading the transformation to all people, so that every person recovers their nature and knows self-rectification -- then the people rejoice in what the former king rejoiced in, and worry as the former king worried. All joy and worry are received from the former king. The former king taught the benefit of the righteous -- and so the people teach and benefit themselves. To teach and benefit oneself is precisely to receive the teaching and benefit of the former king.
Though the former king has passed, his great Way and great virtue equal heaven and earth, shine like sun and moon, and illumine ten thousand ages. Yet the former king's utmost virtue is principle itself -- and even when heaven, earth, sun, and moon collapse, the former king's virtue remains. Can it be that even heaven, earth, sun, and moon cannot compare to the former king's utmost virtue?
Commentary on Knowing the Root
The Master said: "In hearing lawsuits, I am like anyone else. What is necessary is to bring about that there are no lawsuits!" Those without real substance cannot carry their arguments to completion. This overawes the hearts of the people. This is called knowing the root.
Character explanations: "Like anyone else" (猶人) means not different from others. "Real substance" (情) means what is genuine.
Passage commentary: The great transformation of the sage is visible here in a single glimpse. He governs through non-action, teaches without words. When the great transformation has spread everywhere, the people govern themselves. Before the great transformation has fully spread, even if there are those who bring lawsuits, the sage's bright virtue shines like sun and moon traversing the sky, illuminating all things, reaching into every subtlety -- those without genuine grounds cannot carry their arguments to completion. Right and wrong are judged clearly, crooked and straight are plainly distinguished, and the litigants come to know the sage's power and feel gratitude for his virtue. Though they began in dispute, they end in harmony. Thus when the sage taught in the state of Lu, within three months it was well-governed. What need was there for skill in settling disputes? This is the sage's first work of renewing the people.
This is called knowing the root. This is called the fullness of knowledge.
The Restored Chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge
What follows, through "This means that without knowledge extended, one cannot make sincere one's intentions," is Lü Dongbin's restoration, through spirit-writing, of the lost chapters on Investigation and Extension.
The meaning of "extending knowledge lies in the investigation of things" is this: when the heart harbors greed, the nature is pulled askew. When the heart harbors anger, the nature is blocked. When the heart harbors delusion, the nature is scattered. When the heart harbors craving, the nature is displaced.
Character explanations: Greed, anger, delusion, and craving are the four stirrings of heart and material desire. "Greed" (貪) tends toward selfish desire. "Anger" (嗔) tends toward hatred. "Delusion" (癡) is excess. "Craving" (愛) is improper longing. "Askew" (辟) means tilted to one side. "Blocked" (塞) means knotted and stuck. "Scattered" (蕩) means drifting. "Displaced" (遷) means moved from one's place.
Passage commentary: To extend innate knowledge broadly, one must investigate the stirrings of heart and material desire. The heart's source proceeds from the nature; the heart is the spiritual seedling of the nature. Therefore the obstacles of heart-stirrings are the obstacles of the nature itself! The transformations of heart-stirrings are instantaneous and infinite, but in sum they are nothing more than greed, anger, delusion, and craving.
At the center of greed lies desire. Desire is selfish emotion. When post-heaven selfish emotion prevails, one's pre-heaven impartial principle is obscured. How can the nature not be pulled askew to one corner?
At the center of anger lies fury. Fury pushed to its extreme becomes hatred. Know that among the affairs of this world, eight or nine out of ten are not as one wishes. To encounter adversity without patience -- then resentment against heaven and blame of others arises. Once this heart rises -- one resents heaven's unfairness, and blames others for their injustice -- how can the nature not be pulled by these forces into blockage?
Delusion gives rise to excess. The deluded heart pursues fame, pursues wealth and honor -- delusion is aspiration stretched too far. When deluded wishes cannot be fulfilled, suffering and distress arise, and from this, arrogance toward others and contempt for the humble -- releasing the monkey-mind and horse-will to gallop without restraint. How can the nature not be pulled by these forces into scattering?
Craving can only arise from attachment. This attachment is not the benevolent person's universal love -- it is the blood-heart's love of sensory pleasure and material gain. Craving is delusion: when what one craves -- the pleasures and possessions that are not in one's lot -- is desired but not obtained, then deluded thoughts blaze! How can the nature not be pulled by these forces into displacement?
Thus greed, anger, delusion, and craving arise through mutual causation; desire, fury, scattering, and displacement follow in their wake. To recover innate knowledge and extend it broadly, one must uproot these four stirrings of the heart completely.
Therefore to investigate the heart's stirrings: curb greed and desire, and the nature is set right from its askew state. Still the anger and fury, and the nature is opened from its blocked state. Dissolve delusion and excess, and the nature is gathered from its scattered state. Uproot craving and attachment, and the nature is returned from its displaced state.
Character explanations: "Curb" (戒) means to remove. "Set right" (扶) means to correct. "Right" (正) means the great center. "Still" (息) means to endure and contain. "Open" (闢) means to break through. "Open" (揚) means to release broadly. "Dissolve" (消) means to extinguish. "Gather" (收) means to bring back. "Settled" (定) is near to stillness. "Uproot" (剷) means to cut off completely. "Return" (挽) means to turn around. "Rest" (止) means having a settled place.
Passage commentary: This passage follows directly from the above. The heart-stirrings give rise to greed, anger, delusion, and craving -- and the nature is dragged along. They arise through mutual causation: the nature is pulled askew, blocked, scattered, and displaced. The original nature is then obscured by the acquired nature.
To extend innate knowledge and awaken to the nature's origin -- what must be done? The good prescription is set out below:
The nature is originally centered and perfectly correct. Fallen into the post-heaven world, it is dragged by greed and desire until it tilts askew. Recognizing that greed and desire are wrong and harmful to the nature's correctness -- curbing greed and removing desire -- one sets right the tilted nature, restoring its original correctness.
The nature is originally capable of great expansion and great contraction -- "released, it fills the six directions; gathered, it withdraws into the most hidden place." Fallen into the post-heaven, it is dragged by anger and fury until it is blocked. Recognizing that anger and fury are wrong and harmful to the nature's expansion -- stilling the anger and enduring the fury -- one breaks open the blockage, restoring the nature's original breadth.
The nature is originally peaceful stillness. Fallen into the post-heaven, it is dragged by delusion and excess until it drifts and scatters. Recognizing that delusion and excess are wrong and harmful to the nature's settledness -- dissolving delusion and removing excess -- one gathers the scattered nature, restoring its original settledness.
The nature originally knows where to rest. Fallen into the post-heaven, it is dragged by craving and attachment until it is displaced. Recognizing that craving and attachment are wrong and harmful to the nature's resting place -- uprooting craving and severing attachment -- one returns the displaced nature, restoring its original resting.
When the nature is correct, it does not lose its harmony and equilibrium. When the nature is broad, it does not lose its capacity to extend afar. When the nature is settled, it does not lose its serene stability. When the nature rests, it does not lose its capacity to reach the summit. Thus the full substance and great function of the nature are complete.
Therefore the person of virtue guards the heart's stirrings at the hidden and subtle level, and arrests evil intentions at the moment of arising.
Character explanations: "Guards" (慎) means with utmost care. "Hidden and subtle" (隱微) is the place between the stirring and the not-yet-stirring. "Arrests" (遏) means to halt. "Moment of arising" (動機) is the first faint wave of the heart.
Passage commentary: In this era of the Third Period, catastrophe spreads everywhere. If we trace the source of the catastrophe, it arises from the hidden and subtle stirrings of the heart. Greed, anger, delusion, and craving all arise from the failure to guard the heart at this hidden and subtle level.
Therefore the heart is the herald of the Great Unity; the heart is the trigger of catastrophe; the heart is the pivot of all affairs; the heart is the pathway of spirits and gods. If one does not guard the heart's stirrings at the hidden and subtle level, then evil intentions drift and wander, and their arousal follows by mutual causation.
The sage possesses no special skill -- "his heart is simply at rest." This is nothing more than guarding the hidden and subtle, arresting the moment of arising. The heart and intentions are worthy of both reverence and fear. Reverence: the heart that aspires toward sagehood. Fear: the heart that plots wickedness. Alas! To extend innate knowledge -- guarding the heart's stirrings and arresting evil intentions -- this is the urgent task of the present.
If the work of investigating things cannot be brought to perfection, and yet one wishes to extend innate knowledge -- it is like building a house: if the foundation is not firm and one wishes to raise the upper storeys, collapse is certain! To skip the investigation of things and attempt the seven higher steps is like watering a tree -- not moistening the root but sprinkling the branches; seeking flourishing, one gets only withering.
Therefore the investigation of things is the essential method of sacred cultivation. May all who aspire to the Way heed my words. Practice them bodily. Then the heart's stirrings can be investigated, the nature-substance will be round and bright, and the utmost Way will crystallize.
Therefore when the heart's stirrings obscure, they obscure one's own nature. When the body's stirrings manifest, they stain one's own heart. To investigate the heart's stirrings is to recover the nature's origin. To expel the body's stirrings is to awaken to the heart's source. Nature, heart, and body are one thread. These three cannot be separated -- just as the root, trunk, and branches of a plant cannot be divided. The nature and heart dwell within: this is called self-awakening. The body acts outwardly: this is called awakening others. Therefore the work of inner sagehood and outer kingship -- how can either be lacking?
Character explanations: "Obscure" (蔽) means to cover over. "Stain" (染) means to gradually infect. "Origin" (初) means the original face. "Expel" (驅) means to drive out, also meaning to remove. "Awaken" (覺) means to make clear. "Source" (源) means flowing far from a distant origin, ceaselessly and without stain. "Plant" (植) means trees and such.
Passage commentary: The nature's source is principle itself. The original nature is brilliant. Fallen into the post-heaven, it is constrained and covered by vital energy and material form, and heart-stirrings arise. When heart-stirrings arise, it is as though clouds and fog cover the blue sky. What are "heart-stirrings"? The previous chapter explained them in detail -- no need to repeat.
What are "body-stirrings"? When the heart's four stirrings are not guarded at the hidden and subtle level, greed, anger, delusion, and craving proliferate and grow, acting through the body and expressing themselves outwardly. Heart-stirrings arise in the heart and manifest through the body -- gradually staining and infecting until the heart's source is buried.
Therefore the nature, in heaven, is called principle. Endowed in a person, it is called nature. When the nature governs the body, it is called heart. When the heart sends forth and manifests outwardly, it is called body. The names are three, but the reality is one thread. Principle is the root. The nature is the trunk. The heart is the main branch. The body is the twigs. When the root withers, the leaves wilt. When the nature is bright, the body is upright. Nature, heart, and body cannot be separated, just as the root, trunk, branch, and twig of a plant cannot be divided.
To water a plant, moisten the root. To cultivate the body, first awaken to the nature. When the nature is restored to its origin, the heart has something to rely on -- this is called self-awakening. Then add the work of benefiting all, transforming all people to recover their own nature -- this is called awakening others. Therefore the way of inner sagehood and outer kingship cannot lack either one.
As for the subtle difference between heart-stirrings and body-stirrings, the following text explains it:
When heart-stirrings proliferate, they cannot help but obscure one's own nature. Therefore the sage guards the heart-stirrings at the hidden and subtle level -- the place where the heart-stirrings have not yet moved. Though they have not yet moved, holding to the single word "guard" -- heart-stirrings can never arise! When heart-stirrings can never arise, the utmost nature is always brilliant. When the utmost nature is always brilliant -- this is the recovery of the nature's origin.
Character explanations: "Proliferate" (滋) means to grow. "Spread" (蔓) means to extend. "Hold" (持) means to keep. "Brilliant" (皓) means bright.
Passage commentary: Heart-stirrings are greed, anger, delusion, and craving. Once the four stirrings of the heart have arisen, they proliferate and spread beyond all restraint, and the brilliant utmost nature is obscured. Therefore what the sage guards against is the hidden and subtle place -- the place where the heart's four stirrings have not yet moved. Though they have not yet moved, one must not be careless! One must stand as though at the edge of a deep abyss, walk as though on thin ice -- trembling and careful in one's guardianship, correcting all that falls short. Guarding the hidden and subtle is even more essential than guarding the manifest.
In this way, from where would heart-stirrings arise? When heart-stirrings cannot arise, there is never a time of proliferation and spreading. Nature is empty, heart is at ease -- as though the dense clouds and fog have been swept away and one sees again the blue of the clear sky. The utmost nature, in its original substance, is radiant and bright, constant and unchanging. This is the original face of the utmost nature.
When body-stirrings are manifest, they cannot help but stain one's own heart. Therefore the worthy person expels the body-stirrings at the manifest level -- because the heart-stirrings were not guarded at the hidden and subtle level. When heart-stirrings are not guarded in the space before they move, greed, anger, delusion, and craving blaze forth, and they appear in word and deed! This is what is called "body-stirrings manifest." Therefore to expel the body's stirrings is to awaken to the heart's source. But the heart is easily moved -- the deep fear is that one begins with diligence but ends with laziness. If so, the body-stirrings will manifest again. If one can consistently awaken to the heart from beginning to end, one will also gradually advance from awakening to the heart toward awakening to the nature! When the summit is reached, it is one and the same.
Character explanations: "Manifest" (昭著) means clearly visible. "Blaze" (熾) means like fire catching an object -- beginning faintly and growing fierce. "Advance" (趨) means to enter.
Passage commentary: Body-stirrings are the heart's four stirrings that have already moved and are now clearly visible in the body. Heart-stirrings arise in the heart and manifest through the body -- staining and infecting until the heart's source is submerged.
The worthy person only knows the human heart but does not yet know the Dao-heart; only knows to expel the body's stirrings at the manifest level but does not know to guard the heart's stirrings at the hidden and subtle level. Why? The level of cultivation is different.
The body-stirrings become manifest because the heart's stirrings were not guarded in the space before they moved. Because this hidden space was not guarded, greed, anger, delusion, and craving blaze like fire catching an object -- from faint to fierce! And they appear in word and deed. The body is the heart's servant; when heart-stirrings proliferate and express through the body, how dare the body not obey?
The worthy person's cultivation, though not equal to the sage's, can still perceive the wrongness of the body's stirrings. To expel them thoroughly -- this is the worthy person's awakening to the heart's source. But the heart is flowing and restless -- the heart flows and shifts because it does not know where to rest. Where does the heart rest? In the utmost nature. The worthy person has not yet recovered the nature -- so where can the heart settle? This is why the heart flows and shifts.
The deep fear is that the work of expelling body-stirrings and awakening to the heart's source cannot be maintained from beginning to end -- that the flowing heart will still shift one's resolve, and body-stirrings will return as before. But if one holds firmly to sincerity, constancy, and resolve -- the heart like an arrow, the will like a blade -- expelling the body's stirrings to the wilderness, then one can gradually advance from awakening to the heart toward the path of awakening to the nature. From worthy to sage -- when the summit is reached, it is one and the same.
This means: without investigating things, one cannot extend one's knowledge.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: Without investigating the heart's stirrings and without expelling the body's stirrings -- how can one extend innate knowledge?
The meaning of "making one's intentions sincere lies in extending one's knowledge" is: when heart-stirrings have not yet arisen, this is called the center and harmony -- innate knowledge, which is the nature. When heart-stirrings have arisen, this is the moment of impulse -- the tangled and jumbled intention. Therefore to guard the heart's stirrings at the hidden and subtle, to arrest evil intentions at the moment of arising -- this is to recover innate knowledge and reach the utmost principle.
Character explanations: "Tangled and jumbled" (紛乘) means entangled confusion. "Reach" (臻) means to arrive at. As before for the rest.
Passage commentary: After things are investigated, knowledge is extended -- this is certain. In the work of inner sagehood, investigation and extension are the root; sincerity and rectification are the branch. Therefore one guards the heart's stirrings in the space between stirring and not-yet-stirring, in order to recover innate knowledge and reach the utmost of principle. The work of investigation and extension has already exhausted the way of inner sagehood. When inner sagehood is sufficient, sincerity of intention arrives without one having to seek it! Just as when the trunk of a plant grows straight, the branches stand upright of themselves. The heart is the center between nature and intention. Above the heart is the nature; below the heart is the intention. When heart-stirrings have not yet arisen, there is the great center -- innate knowledge. When heart-stirrings have arisen, there is the evil intention's impulse. Therefore to guard the heart's stirrings at the hidden and subtle, and arrest evil intentions at the moment of arising -- then the nature is recovered. The nature is originally the greatest -- one body with principle itself. Innate knowledge and innate capacity, extended broadly and carried far, pressing on to Wuji and there resting.
Therefore to investigate heart-stirrings and extend innate knowledge -- this is the work of inner sagehood. When the sage's work is sufficient, then the intention becomes sincere without seeking sincerity, and the heart becomes correct without seeking correction. Though the sequence lists four steps, in reality there are only two. Because heart and intention are stored within the body, they too are counted among the work of inner sagehood.
Character explanations: "Stored" (儲) means hidden within.
Passage commentary: The work of investigation and extension is the great root of inner sagehood. Investigating the heart's stirrings to extend innate knowledge; extending innate knowledge to reach the utmost of principle. Heart and intention are servants of the nature. When the nature is recovered, sincerity and rectification arrive without seeking them. The sacred sequence lists four steps -- investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification -- but in reality, it is only investigation and extension. Because the sage counts heart and intention as stored within the body, they are also listed under the work of inner sagehood. Investigation and extension are the root; sincerity and rectification are the branch. When the root is established, heart and intention are naturally sincere and correct.
This means: without knowledge extended, one cannot make sincere one's intentions.
(Lü Dongbin's restoration ends here.)
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: When innate knowledge is recovered and one reaches the utmost of principle, then the intention becomes sincere without seeking sincerity.
Commentary on Sincerity of Intention
What is meant by "making one's intentions sincere" is: do not deceive yourself. To hate evil as one hates a foul smell, to love goodness as one loves beauty -- this is called self-satisfaction. Therefore the person of virtue must be watchful in solitude.
Character explanations: The first characters of "hate" and "love" are both verbs [falling tone]. "Self-satisfaction" (謙, read as 慊) means contented fulfilment. "Do not" (毋) is a prohibition. "Deceive" (欺) means to obscure and conceal. "Foul" (惡臭) means foul and putrid air. "Self-satisfaction" (謙) is an open and humble heart. "Watchful in solitude" (慎獨) means being watchful in the place known only to oneself -- not deceiving one's own heart, not deceiving one's own heaven.
Passage commentary: The Great Learning is a single continuous flow of vital energy -- unfathomable. The phrase "making one's intentions sincere means not deceiving yourself" is simply this: do not deceive your own heart. If you would not deceive your own heart, you must first establish true faith. When true faith is established and you do not deceive your own heart, then you do not deceive heaven either. The empty, supremely still Heaven of Principle dwells thought by thought within our nature-heaven.
To hate evil as one hates a foul smell -- principle and desire fundamentally cannot merge, just as ice and fire cannot sustain each other. Where principle endures, desire perishes; where desire arises, principle dies. The two are enemies. But when our great central true faith is established and we deceive neither our own heart nor heaven, then desires find no gap to enter. Thus we abhor desire as we abhor a foul stench, and it withdraws of its own accord.
When selfish desire is entirely cleansed, heavenly principle flows freely. The nature hangs like a pearl, and all demons hide. The Five Constant Virtues are inherent in the nature-body. To follow the Five Virtues inherent in one's nature and put them into practice, acting tirelessly -- this is like loving beauty with total devotion.
Satisfaction means openness. The nature is originally empty like the vast sea -- there is no small stream it will not receive. Extended broadly and carried far, it reaches the utmost principle.
Why, then, must the person of mature virtue be watchful in solitude? The person of virtue takes emptiness as reality. The small person takes substance as reality. The person of virtue cultivates the nature that cannot be seen or heard. The small person contends for wealth that has form and substance. In the end, the empty and formless endures forever, while form and substance perish. Therefore when the person of virtue dwells in the place unknown to others but known to oneself alone, one is solemn as though spirits stood at one's side -- not daring the slightest desire. This is taking emptiness as reality.
The small person dwelling idle does what is not good, stopping at nothing. On seeing the person of virtue, they furtively hide their badness and display their goodness. Yet others see into them as clearly as they see their own lungs and liver -- what use is the pretense? This is what is meant by: "What is sincere within manifests outward." Therefore the person of virtue must be watchful in solitude.
Character explanations: "Idle" (閒) is pronounced xian; "dwelling idle" means dwelling alone. "Furtively" (厭) is read by Zheng Xuan as 黶; the appearance of deflation and concealment. "Hide" (揜) means to conceal. "Display" (著) means to make manifest. Lungs and liver are both organs of the five viscera; the lungs govern breathing, the liver governs the storing of blood.
Passage commentary: This passage should not be read as referring to the world outside the body -- one must search for its meaning within oneself. Within the human body too there is a distinction between person of virtue and small person: the nature-heaven of great centrality and perfect rectitude is the person of virtue; the private desires of cunning and deceit are the small person. Though principle often fails to overcome desire, the small person of private desire can never truly deceive the person of virtue that is the original nature.
Thus Mencius said: "When the breast is upright, the eyes are bright; when the breast is not upright, the eyes are dim." Whether one deceives oneself or realizes one's Buddha-nature, it necessarily shows in the countenance.
When a person dwells in idleness, the small person of private desire stirs up endless turmoil -- not a single thought or reflection is good. The moment a thought arises, it travels a thousand miles in an instant. The mind reaches toward some distant place of sensory pleasures and material wealth -- no matter how far removed, a single thought arrives there. Though the world is vast, desire's thoughts can traverse it all in a moment.
Yet when one's own Buddha-nature, one's own heaven, shines forth at certain moments, desire loses its power. To then push aside one's badness and display one's goodness is mere pretense. But our own Buddha-nature sees through pretense with truth, swift as autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves -- lungs and liver are laid bare, not the slightest thing can be concealed. What benefit, then, has the small person of private desire?
To make one's intentions sincere, one must firmly rein in the monkey-mind and horse-will within one's own body. Establish true sincerity and true faith, and the small person who exploits every gap to create turmoil within the body will be captured with hands bound! Thus even when dwelling alone in one's room, it is as if facing the open sky.
Master Zeng said: "Ten eyes watching, ten hands pointing -- how awe-inspiring!"
Character explanations: "Awe-inspiring" (嚴) means imposing and majestic.
Passage commentary: The ten eyes are not the eyes of the ten directions; the ten hands are not the hands of the ten directions. Consider the character ten (十): it penetrates heaven and earth vertically and spans the four directions horizontally -- great enough to encompass all, subtle enough to enter all. How could the ten eyes and ten hands be sought outside ourselves?
When the blood-heart seizes its chance to move, our own nature -- the ten eyes watching, the ten hands pointing -- is impartial in its majesty and cannot be deceived.
As for the deeper meaning, this old immortal dares not reveal it. Seek the Heavenly Way swiftly, and it will become clear of itself.
Wealth adorns the house; virtue adorns the person. When the heart is broad, the body is at ease. Therefore the person of virtue must make sincere their intentions.
Character explanations: "Wealth" (富) means fullness. "Adorns" (潤) means to give luster. "At ease" (胖) is pronounced pan and means peaceful and comfortable.
Passage commentary: This passage should not be read on the surface -- one must first explore it from the depths of heart and nature. Every person is wealthy. Someone might ask: "What does this mean? If everyone is wealthy, then no one is poor?" I say: not so. Every person's nature possesses the Five Constant Virtues -- they do not increase in the sage, they do not diminish in the ordinary person. What distinction of wealth and status can there be?
Yet falling into the post-heaven world and being overwhelmed by sensory pleasures, though wealthy one does not know one's wealth. The sage is wealthy because awakened to the nature. The ordinary person is poor because lost to the nature. The difference between wealth and poverty lies only in awakening or delusion.
If we can restore our original nature to brightness, we are as wealthy as the sage. Wealth is the nature's full brightness. The house is the body. When the nature's light is full and bright, overflowing outward, does it not adorn our body?
The virtue that adorns the person is precisely the Five Virtues within the nature. Follow the Five Virtues, put them into diligent practice, renew the people and ferry all beings -- and our bodhi-body flourishes with luxuriant branches and blossoming flowers. The bodhi is nothing but the Five Energies and Three Flowers within the body. This is what is meant by: "When outer merit is complete, the Five Energies gather at the origin without needing cultivation, and the Three Flowers converge at the crown without needing practice."
When inner and outer merit are both sufficient, our heart-platform is vast and the nature-body is at peace. "When the heart is broad" means the heart rests in the nature. "The body is at ease" means the nature-body is fully bright. Therefore the person of virtue who would have a broad heart and an easeful body must first make sincere their intentions. The intention returns to the heart, the heart rests in the nature -- and thus one finds the root.
Commentary on Rectification of the Heart
What is meant by "cultivating the body lies in rectifying the heart": when the body harbors anger, the heart cannot attain rectitude. When it harbors fear, the heart cannot attain rectitude. When it harbors fondness and pleasure, the heart cannot attain rectitude. When it harbors worry and anxiety, the heart cannot attain rectitude.
Character explanations: Master Cheng Yi said: the "body" (身) in "the body harbors" should be read as "heart" (心). 忿 is pronounced fen. 懥 is pronounced zhi. 好 and 樂 are both in the falling tone. "Anger and resentment" (忿懥) means rage.
Passage commentary: Whenever the heart-platform harbors anger, fear, fondness, or worry, these are all obstructions of vital energy. When energy-obstructions arise, the heart-platform is unclean. When the heart-platform is unclean, material desires proliferate, and the heart is difficult to rectify.
When the heart gives rise to anger, it approaches hatred. When hatred arises, the nature is blocked and loses its expansiveness. When the heart gives rise to fear, it approaches delusion. A deluded heart and deluded actions bring disasters upon oneself, which then produce more fear. When fear arises, the nature is displaced and loses its rectitude. When the heart gives rise to fondness, it approaches greed. When greed arises, the nature is pulled askew and loses its rectitude. When the heart gives rise to worry, it approaches delusion -- the mind deluded by fame, the mind deluded by wealth, the endlessly scheming deluded mind is the person trapped in worry. When worry arises, the nature is scattered and loses its stability.
Therefore one who would cultivate the nature must first hold the heart steady. When the heart is rectified and does not give rise to anger, fear, fondness, or worry, then the nature is not pulled askew, not blocked, not scattered, not displaced -- and one attains the Way of the Center and Harmony.
When the heart is not present, one looks but does not see, listens but does not hear, eats but does not know the flavor.
Character explanations: "Looks" (視) means the spirit of the eyes is focused. "Hears" (聞) means the clarity of the ears is focused. "Flavor" (味) means the peaceful, effortless quality of the nature-heaven.
Passage commentary: The heart is the master of the body. The heart is the servant of the nature. When our heart does not communicate with the original nature, then the principle by which the nature-heaven sees, the heart cannot see; the principle by which the nature-heaven hears, the heart cannot hear; the peaceful flavor of the nature-heaven, the heart cannot taste.
When heart and nature are not unified, this is the ordinary person. Even events that have not yet come to pass -- our heart cannot discern them. When heart and nature are unified, this is the sage, the worthy, the immortal, the Buddha. Even the affairs of a hundred generations are seen as clearly as the palm of one's hand.
This is not divination by yarrow stalks. It is our own nature that knows all, understands all. When heart and nature are united, then when the nature sees, the heart sees; when the nature hears, the heart hears; the peaceful, effortless flavor within the nature, the heart has already tasted.
Therefore the person who has crystallized the utmost Way, in the first awakening of their nature, foreknows fortune and misfortune -- this is the very principle. What need is there for hexagrams and divination?
This is what is meant by: "Cultivating the body lies in rectifying the heart."
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: Therefore to cultivate the body, one must first be watchful of heart-stirrings. When the heart is rectified, it unites with the nature-heaven and becomes one.
Commentary on Cultivation of the Body
What is meant by "ordering the family lies in cultivating the body": toward those one loves, one becomes partial. Toward those one despises, one becomes partial. Toward those one fears and respects, one becomes partial. Toward those one pities, one becomes partial. Toward those toward whom one is arrogant and careless, one becomes partial. Those who can love yet see the faults, and dislike yet see the merits -- they are rare in the world.
Character explanations: "Partial" (辟) is read as 僻, meaning biased. The 惡 in "dislike," 敖, and 好 are all in the falling tone. 鮮 is in the rising tone. "Pity" (矜) means to have compassion. "Arrogant" (敖) means haughty. "Careless" (惰) means negligent. "Rare" (鮮) means few.
Passage commentary: The center is the great root of all under heaven. In heaven it is called principle; endowed upon the human body it is called the nature. The nature expresses through the heart; the heart directs the entire body. If one investigates to the utmost the principle of great centrality and perfect rectitude, it is inherently present within the body.
Yet when a person falls into the post-heaven world, the heart becomes turbulent. Thoughts of good and evil arise constantly; reflections on right and wrong multiply endlessly. The heart of great centrality is then shaken by post-heaven emotions and desires.
Therefore to cultivate our material body, we must first awaken our spiritual body. The spiritual body is the master; the material body is the servant. Love, contempt, reverence, pity, and arrogance -- these are emotions. Do not let the emotions of the post-heaven shake the nature of the pre-heaven. If nature and emotion are not distinguished, how can one cultivate one's body?
To cultivate the material body of the post-heaven, first awaken the spiritual body of the pre-heaven. When the spiritual body holds the center, the material body maintains rectitude. Thus there is no one toward whom one is partial in love, contempt, reverence, pity, or arrogance. Standing as the head of a household and treating all equally, there is no partiality. Without partiality, though the family has a thousand members, the heart is one heart. Thus the family cannot fail to be well-ordered.
If one is in the position of a son or younger brother, the same applies when seeking to order the family. Those one loves and reveres are one's parents. If a sibling has gone astray, one transforms the heart of contempt into a heart of compassion -- compassion that grieves for one who has stumbled into evil. Move them, transform them, fulfilling one's own responsibility. In time, one will naturally win back their heart. Never, because a sibling has gone astray, show an arrogant or dismissive attitude. Know that in this world there is no person who cannot be transformed. If someone does not respond to our efforts at transformation, we must turn inward and examine: is our own nature awakened or lost? Is our own heart rectified or biased? If our nature is awakened and our heart rectified, we may trust that there is no one who will not be transformed.
Of the person we favor: is this person purely good? If their words and deeds contain even one point of evil, then we recognize the evil within their goodness and do not let our favorable regard conceal their faults. Of the person we dislike: is this person purely evil? If their words and deeds contain even one point of goodness, then we must recognize the goodness within their evil and not let our dislike conceal their merits.
In sum: transform the small evil within the good until it becomes purely good; transform the small good within the evil until it too becomes purely good -- and only then rest.
The sage is one body with heaven. Therefore to love yet know the faults, to dislike yet know the merits -- this knowing is not the knowing of the post-heaven world. It is the innate knowledge of the recovered nature. Only then can one order the family. But to reach this step, innate knowledge must be recovered to its original state. How many people in all the world have recovered their innate knowledge?
Thus the proverb says: "No one sees the evil in their own child; no one sees the abundance of their own seedlings."
Character explanations: "Proverb" (諺) is pronounced yan. "Abundance" (碩) means greatness. "Proverb" means a folk saying.
Passage commentary: What a beautiful saying! "Evil" is the turbidity of the blood-heart. "Seedlings" is the spiritual sprout of the Dao-heart. In other words: no one knows the evil of their own blood-heart; no one knows the greatness of their own Dao-heart.
The blood-heart is the heart of material desire -- like a rebellious child. Yet though one knows the rebellious child's evil and lets them have their way, one will eventually suffer the consequences. The blood-heart's harm to us is worse even than a rebellious child's. Know its evil and thoroughly cleanse it. Then the blood-heart transforms into the human heart, and the human heart transforms into the Dao-heart.
Yet the Dao-heart is originally vast, and no one knows its vastness. The blood-heart veils the Dao-heart, like thick clouds covering the sun, obscuring its greatness. One must know the evil of one's blood-heart and sweep it clean entirely; know the greatness of one's Dao-heart and make it ever more radiant and bright. Thus the Dao-heart merges with Wuji.
This is what is meant by: "Without the body cultivated, the family cannot be ordered."
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: If one knows the evil of one's blood-heart and does not cleanse it, knows the greatness of one's Dao-heart and does not restore it to its original state -- knowing without practicing, how can one hope to cultivate the body? Without cultivating the body, few can order their family. My reason for pouring out my heart and soul in annotating the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean is not so that people merely know their meaning -- my deepest wish is that all under heaven know and put them into personal practice.
Commentary on Governing the Nation
What is meant by "to govern the nation one must first order the family": there has never been a person whose own family cannot be taught, yet who can teach others. Therefore the person of virtue, without leaving the family, perfects the instruction of the nation. Filial piety is the way to serve one's sovereign. Fraternal respect is the way to serve one's elders. Compassion is the way to lead the multitude.
Character explanations: 弟 [fraternal respect] is in the falling tone. 長 [elders] is in the rising tone. The rest as before.
Passage commentary: Investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification are inner sagehood. Cultivation, ordering, governing, and bringing peace are outer kingship -- this has already been annotated. The person of virtue first cultivates the work of inner sagehood, which is the substance. Then one practices the way of outer kingship, which is the function.
Filial piety, fraternal respect, and compassion are inherently possessed by the heavenly nature. "Without leaving the family, one perfects instruction of the nation" means that one's body IS the nation. In the nation within the body, one preserves principle and arrests desire. The nature assumes authority; heart and body serve together -- and there is great order. Then one extends this to the household: filial toward parents, friendly with siblings, compassionate toward children and nephews -- and the family is ordered. When the family is ordered, one extends from the family outward and can govern the nation.
Governing the nation within the body and governing the nation outside the body are one continuous thread. One who fulfills filial piety toward parents has never failed in loyalty to the sovereign. One who fulfills the way of fraternal respect toward elder siblings has never failed in deference to superiors. One who leads the people with the way of compassion toward the young has never failed to win the hearts of the multitude.
As I annotate to this point, my heart is moved! I see that heaven and earth are exceedingly tender toward humanity, yet also exceedingly stern. Someone asks why. I say: if a person can hold fast to the three words -- sincerity, constancy, firmness -- preserving principle and arresting desire, awakening the nature's beginning, fulfilling filial piety, fraternal respect, and compassion in the family and extending them to the nation, one ultimately realizes the Way in heaven and leaves a name in the human world. Is this not heaven and earth being exceedingly tender?
But if one preserves desire and arrests principle, lost to the root of the nature, failing in filial piety, fraternal respect, and compassion at home, unable to extend them to the nation, self-blinded before one's own heaven -- one ultimately falls into ten thousand catastrophes, forever in the cycle of rebirth, the white of white jade turned to foul turbidity. Is this not heaven and earth being exceedingly stern?
Alas! Tenderness and sternness -- it is for each person to choose.
The Announcement of Kang says: "As if guarding an infant." If the heart seeks it sincerely, though one may not hit the exact center, one is not far from it. No one has ever learned to raise a child before marrying.
Character explanations: "Infant" (赤子) is another name for the nature. "Hit" (中) is in the falling tone. "Marrying" (嫁) means a maiden going to her husband's home.
Passage commentary: Every person between heaven and earth is endowed within the body with the nature of the infant. Falling into the dusty world, it is veiled by energy and matter, losing its spiritual brightness. If one sincerely turns toward the Way and searches inward, seeking to recover the infant, then the great center is revealed. In the process of seeking the infant, before the infant is fully recovered, though one has not yet hit the mark of principle, the distance from truth is not great.
From the pre-heaven we came -- no one first learned how to guard the infant-nature and only then fell into the post-heaven world.
When one family practices benevolence, the whole nation is stirred to benevolence. When one family practices yielding, the whole nation is stirred to yielding. When one person is greedy and violent, the whole nation is thrown into disorder. Such is the mechanism. This is what is meant by: "One word can ruin an affair; one person can settle a nation."
Character explanations: "Ruin" (僨) is pronounced fen and means to destroy. "Greedy" (貪) means exceeding one's portion. "Violent" (戾) means cruel. "Mechanism" (機) means the driving force.
Passage commentary: When the nature is not bright and the heart is not settled, thoughts and consciousness are in turmoil. When the nature is bright and the heart settled, thoughts do not move recklessly, and the nation of one's body is greatly governed. When the Son of Heaven's family practices benevolence and yielding, the whole nation follows in benevolence, righteousness, and humility. When the Son of Heaven is greedy and violent, the whole nation is greedy and rebellious. When the sovereign has the Way, the nation is stirred to benevolence. When the sovereign loses the Way, the nation's standards collapse. Whether the nation is stirred to benevolence or falls into ruin -- where lies the mechanism? In whether the sovereign has the Way or not. What does it mean to have the Way? The nature is bright, the heart settled, thoughts do not move recklessly. When one's body has the Way, governing one's nation has the Way.
Yao and Shun led the world with benevolence, and the people followed them. Jie and Zhou led the world with cruelty, and the people followed them. When a ruler's commands contradict his own desires, the people will not obey. Therefore the person of virtue must first possess a quality in themselves before demanding it of others, and must first be free of a fault in themselves before condemning it in others. There has never been a person who harbored unforgiveness and yet could persuade others.
Character explanations: 好 is in the falling tone. Yao and Shun were the sage-kings of antiquity. Jie and Zhou were the tyrant-kings of antiquity. "Forgiveness" (恕) means extending oneself to others. "Persuade" (喻) means to make understand.
Passage commentary: Yao and Shun brightened their own bright virtue and led all the people of the world with the way of benevolence, causing all the people to recover the bright virtue they each possessed -- how could the people not sincerely rejoice and follow? Jie and Zhou veiled their heavenly conscience, gave free rein to desire and cruelty, and led the world with tyranny. The people who followed them did not follow from the heart but were compelled by force.
If one's own nature-heaven is obscured, how can one hope to restore the nature-heaven of all the people? The people will not follow. Therefore the sage-king's governance of the nation must begin with governing the nation of one's own body. When the nation of one's body is governed, the nation one leads can hardly fail to be governed. The person of virtue must first master oneself before mastering others. Without mastering oneself, few can master others.
Loyalty is the substance; forgiveness is the function. Loyalty means the center of the heart. Forgiveness means being as the other's heart. If one's own center is not established and one would be as another's heart -- such a thing has never existed.
Therefore governing the nation lies in ordering the family.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: Therefore to govern the nation, one must first practice the way of forgiveness within the family. When the family is ordered, the nation can begin to be governed.
The Ode says: "The peach tree is tender and young, its leaves so lush and green. When this maiden goes to her husband's home, she brings harmony to her household." Bring harmony to the household, and afterward one can instruct the nation's people.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Airs of Zhou, "Peach Blossoms." "Tender and young" (夭夭) describes youth and beauty. "Lush" (蓁蓁) means flourishing. "This maiden" (之子) means a young woman. "Going to her husband's home" (于歸) means to marry.
Passage commentary: A single original nature -- tender and flourishing as the young peach -- is what every person possesses. In other words: the infant. "Going to the husband's home" is, in other words, the nature falling from the pre-heaven into the post-heaven. Having fallen into the post-heaven, its brightness is veiled.
If one would master the self and restore propriety, one must first fasten tight the heart and intentions. When material desire is entirely cleansed, heavenly principle flows naturally -- only then can one bring harmony to the household, and afterward instruct the nation's people.
The nature is likened to the young peach -- how great the meaning! The young peach begins from the peach pit. This benevolence (仁, which shares its sound with "pit") belongs to the east and to wood; its energy is warm; its virtue is the giving of life. The peach blossoms from the pit and ultimately returns to the pit. The human nature is endowed by heaven and ultimately returns to principle.
The Ode says: "Harmony with brothers, harmony with brothers." When there is harmony among brothers, then one can instruct the nation's people.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Minor Odes, "Tall Southernwood."
Passage commentary: Body, heart, and nature are three brothers. When brothers are divided, there is conflict within the walls -- this is the ordinary person. When brothers are harmonious, united as one -- this is the sage's body. When the brothers of body, heart, and nature each fulfill their Way, then one can practice the work of renewing the people and extend instruction to the nation.
The Ode says: "Her deportment is without fault -- she rectifies the four quarters of the nation." When one's conduct as father, child, and sibling is worthy of emulation, then the people emulate it.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Airs of Cao, "Turtledove." "Fault" (忒) means error.
Passage commentary: The person of virtue awakens the nature within and practices propriety without. When what emerges hits the mark, how can there be error? Embracing the way of renewing the people, with the great vow of rectifying the hearts of the people, one must first be filial to parents, friendly with siblings, compassionate to children. When one's own conduct as parent, child, and sibling is worthy of emulation, then the myriad people can follow. The great vow of renewing the people and transforming the multitude can thus be gradually realized.
This is what is meant by: "Governing the nation lies in ordering the family."
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: Therefore one who would govern the nation must first order the family. One who would order the family must first order the heart.
Commentary on Bringing Peace to the World
What is meant by "bringing peace to the world lies in governing one's nation": when the ruler treats the aged as the aged should be treated, the people are stirred to filial piety. When the ruler treats elders as elders should be treated, the people are stirred to fraternal respect. When the ruler has compassion for the orphaned, the people do not turn their backs. Therefore the person of virtue possesses the way of the measuring square.
Character explanations: 長 is in the rising tone. 弟 is in the falling tone. "Turn their backs" (倍) is the same as 背. 絜 is pronounced xie. "Treating the aged as aged" (老老) means revering one's own elders. "Treating elders as elders" (長長) means respecting one's own senior relatives. "Stirred" (興) means to be moved and inspired. "Orphaned" (孤) means a young child who has lost their father. "Measuring" (絜) means to gauge. "Square" (矩) is the tool for making right angles.
Passage commentary: One who would be a father and mother to the people must first cultivate one's own body, so that the effect is immediate -- as a pole casts its shadow. I revere my own elders: following their wishes, nourishing their bodies, fulfilling the way of a child. The ancients said: those above act, those below emulate -- and the entire nation's people will revere their own elders with filial piety.
I respect my own senior relatives with humility, deference, patience, and yielding, fulfilling the way of fraternal respect -- and the entire nation's people will respect their own elder siblings. Likewise, bearing the great compassion of grieving for heaven and pitying humanity to succor the orphaned and widowed -- and the people will follow this way of compassionate love and not turn their backs.
When I honor my own parents and can transform the people with filial piety, causing all the people to honor their own parents -- this is fulfilling filial piety toward the pre-heaven. Why? The pre-heaven regards all people as children. When all the people each fulfill filial piety toward their post-heaven parents, then the ruler can fulfill filial piety toward the pre-heaven Sage. If even one person in the world has not honored their elders, then filial piety toward the pre-heaven Sage is still incomplete. Therefore the person of virtue who would cause all the people of the world to honor their elders and respect their seniors must set the example with their own body.
What you dislike from those above you, do not use in directing those below you. What you dislike from those below you, do not use in serving those above you. What you dislike from those ahead of you, do not use in leading those behind you. What you dislike from those behind you, do not use in following those ahead of you. What you dislike from those on your right, do not use in dealing with those on your left. What you dislike from those on your left, do not use in dealing with those on your right. This is called the way of the measuring square.
Character explanations: 惡 [dislike] and 先 [lead] are both in the falling tone.
Passage commentary: This further explains the meaning of "measuring square" from the text above. If I do not wish those above to treat me without propriety, then I must use this to gauge the hearts of those below, and not dare direct them without propriety. If I do not wish those below to be disloyal to me, then I must use this to gauge the hearts of those above, and not dare serve them with disloyalty. So it is with those ahead, behind, left, and right -- none are otherwise.
Therefore the person of virtue takes the heart of all the world as their heart, and does not rely on their own heart alone. Why? Because the heart springs from the nature, the nature is endowed by heaven, and all people under heaven are the same. The utmost principle is the source from which all people's natures are endowed. When every person seeks this source, the person of virtue's way of the measuring square hits the mark without effort.
The Ode says: "O happy person of virtue -- father and mother of the people!" What the people love, love it. What the people hate, hate it. This is what it means to be a father and mother of the people.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Minor Odes, "There is a Terrace on the Southern Mountain." 樂 is pronounced luo. 只 is pronounced zhi, a modal particle. 好 and 惡 are both in the falling tone.
Passage commentary: The person of virtue cultivates their own nature and awakens all others' natures, causing all to awaken to their own nature. Taking the awakening of all natures as one's own nature's joy -- this is the happy person of virtue. The mature person of virtue takes what all natures love as what one's own nature loves, and what all natures hate as what one's own nature hates. All natures together are heaven. Dare one not love what heaven loves? Dare one not hate what heaven hates? When love and hate are both referred to heaven -- then one is worthy to be father and mother of all the people.
The Ode says: "That lofty Southern Mountain, with its craggy stones! Resplendent Teacher Yin -- the people all look to you." Those who possess a nation must not be careless. If they are biased, they become an object of punishment for the whole world.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Minor Odes, "The Southern Mountain." 節 is read as "jie," meaning loftily towering. 辟 is read as 僻 [biased]. 僇 is the same as 戮 [punishment]. "Towering" (節) describes something prominently high. "Teacher Yin" (師尹) is Grand Preceptor Yin of the Zhou dynasty. "All" (具) means together. "Biased" (辟) means partial.
Passage commentary: The myriad people are heaven. Follow the Way of heaven, carry out the will of heaven -- only then is one fit to be above the people. Like the Grand Preceptor of Zhou, resplendent in authority but sparse in virtue -- the myriad people scrutinize, and their scrutiny IS heaven's gaze. Therefore the people are the nation's heaven -- indeed they are. "Heaven sees as my people see; heaven hears as my people hear." The ruler is heaven's servant. If one harbors a single selfish thought, heaven will certainly perceive it. How can the possessor of a nation not be watchful? If love and hate are not impartial, one has lost heaven's heart. What the world punishes is precisely what heaven, acting through human hands, punishes.
The Ode says: "Before Yin lost the hearts of the people, they could match the Lord on High. Take warning from Yin -- the great mandate is not easy to keep." This means: win the multitude and you win the nation; lose the multitude and you lose the nation.
Character explanations: From the Book of Odes, Greater Elegance, "King Wen." 喪 is in the falling tone. 儀 is written as 宜 in the Ode. 峻 is written as 駿 in the Ode. 易 is in the falling tone. "Hearts of the people" (師) means the multitude. "Match" (配) means to pair with. "Take warning" (監) means to look upon as a mirror. "Great" (峻) means vast. [Page number artifact removed.]
Passage commentary: First lose the people's hearts and then lose the nation. First win the people's hearts and then win the nation. Before Yin lost the hearts of all the people, the virtue of the former emperors could match the heart of the Lord on High. But look upon Yin's loss of the world -- they could not preserve heaven's bright mandate.
When heaven bestows the great mandate upon me to be the first awakener of all the people, and I remain lost in my nature-heaven and the Five Constant Virtues, unable even to awaken myself -- how much less can I awaken all the people! Therefore to accord with the people's hearts is to accord with heaven's heart. Heaven's bright mandate IS the seeing and hearing of all the people. Recover the Five Virtues of one's nature and extend them to all the people, causing the people to look to one and listen as though to a spirit! Thus one is worthy to be the awakener of all the people. If the people's hearts are lost, then heaven's bright mandate cannot be preserved, and the Lord on High's mandate will surely transfer to one of greater virtue. First lose one's own heart, then lose the people's hearts. Lose the people's hearts and the nation follows them. The mirror of Yin is not far off -- can the possessor of a nation not take warning?
Therefore the person of virtue first attends to virtue. Having virtue, one has the people. Having the people, one has the territory. Having the territory, one has the resources. Having the resources, one has the means.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: The mature person of virtue of antiquity, with inner sagehood complete, held themselves in trembling vigilance, the nature-pearl radiant and expansive. Every word and deed issued from the nature, and rarely failed to accord with virtue. Why be watchful? For fear that the outer demon seizes a gap to enter. When virtuous conduct overflows outward, one renews the people and transforms the multitude, awakening all natures so each recovers its own -- how can one fail to win the people's hearts?
All natures are one with one's own nature. Cause all the people to cultivate the field of their nature and each guard their own small patch of ground. Then in this world one is called a sage, and upon leaving the world one is called an immortal or Buddha. Taking the pre-heaven's Buddha-fruit as one's treasure, dwelling eternally in the Pure Land, neither born nor perishing, neither stained nor pure, enjoying the pre-heaven's clear blessings -- such treasure is inexhaustible. Possessing pre-heaven treasure and embracing the heart of saving the world, one establishes spiritual teaching and communication, responding to all who call, transforming the common people -- this is the function.
Virtue is the root; wealth is the branch. To take what is outside as inside and what is inside as outside is to struggle with the people and seize from them.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: This has been explained in detail in earlier chapters. If one does not begin with inner sagehood but harbors only the wish for spiritual attainment, then one abandons the root and chases the branch. To wish to transform all the people while oneself still employing the branch -- this is nothing but plundering the people's benefit. Not merely failing to help, but actively harming.
Therefore: when wealth is gathered, the people scatter. When wealth is dispersed, the people gather.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: "Wealth gathered" means cultivating only oneself -- being among the first to awaken yet not using one's prior awakening to awaken those who follow. Then the people's hearts, not knowing their own natures, can hardly avoid scattering in confusion. When one's nature is fully bright and one practices the work of renewing the people and transforming the multitude, fulfilling the nature's capacity and extending it to all the people -- this is "wealth dispersed." And the people can hardly fail to gather as one. When all the people gather as one heart, it is nothing other than the wholeness of Wuji itself.
Therefore: words that go out perversely will come back perversely. Goods that come in perversely will go out perversely.
Character explanations: "Perversely" (悖) is pronounced bei and means contrary to principle.
Passage commentary: This is the cyclical principle of heaven and earth. The person of virtue of antiquity did not take one's own heart as the standard, but the hearts of all the world. What I do not desire, all the people do not desire. For every cause there is a fruit; for every form there is a shadow. If my words go out contrary to principle, then others will return words contrary to principle. If goods come in to me contrary to principle, then my descendants will be unable to preserve them and they will go out to others contrary to principle. If I do not act contrary to principle, then others will not respond with what is contrary. Alas! Cause and effect, like a shadow following its form.
The Announcement of Kang says: "The mandate is not constant." This means: follow the good and you gain it. Depart from the good and you lose it.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: How great these words! The sage and the ordinary person are the same -- the difference lies only in awakening or delusion. Any person must never despair or abandon themselves. If one diligently follows the steps of investigation, extension, sincerity, and rectification in proper order, pressing forward with firm resolve, and inner sagehood is complete -- then heaven will surely bestow the mandate to teach the people. First cultivate the utmost virtue, and the utmost Way will crystallize. Heaven's bright mandate will be gained. Thus even the reckless can become a sage.
If a sage degenerates, leaving the tall tree for the dark valley, then heaven's great mandate will surely be transferred. Therefore the sage, until the very moment of the coffin lid closing, cannot be judged conclusively as a sage. And the reckless, until the very moment of the coffin lid closing, cannot be judged conclusively as reckless. A person's standing during life cannot be finally determined.
A book of Chu says: "The state of Chu takes nothing as treasure except goodness."
Character explanations: A book of Chu (楚書) refers to the Chu language. "Treasure" (寶) means an object of great value.
Passage commentary: The ruler whose inner sagehood is complete, whose nature-body is fully bright, takes the utmost goodness of the Way of Wuji as the highest treasure, transforming and teaching the people. Such a nation can hardly fail to be governed.
Uncle Fan said: "A person in exile takes nothing as treasure except benevolence toward kin."
Character explanations: Uncle Fan (舅犯) is Fox Yan, styled Zifan, uncle of Duke Wen of Jin. "A person in exile" (亡人) -- Duke Wen was then a prince, in exile abroad.
Passage commentary: The great benevolence of heaven and earth is the giving of life; the great virtue of heaven and earth is the love of life. Therefore the ruler draws upon the benevolence of heaven and earth toward one's kin to transform all the people, and takes this as the national treasure -- surpassing any seal of office.
The Oath of Qin says: "Let there be one minister, sincere and simple, without other abilities. But his heart is at ease, as if he had room for all. When another person has an ability, it is as if he himself has it. When another person is admirable and wise, his heart delights in it -- not merely in word does he say so, but he truly can contain it. Such a one can preserve my descendants and common people. How beneficial indeed! But if another person has an ability and he is envious and hates him; if another person is admirable and wise and he obstructs him so he cannot succeed -- such a one truly cannot contain others, and cannot preserve my descendants and common people. How perilous indeed!"
Character explanations: The Oath of Qin (秦誓) is a chapter of the Book of Documents. 个 is read as jie; the Book writes 介 [sincere]. 斷 is pronounced duan. 媢 is pronounced mao. "Sincere and simple" (斷斷) means of single and unwavering purpose. "Admirable" (彥) means a person of exceptional gifts. "Wise" (聖) means penetrating clarity. "How beneficial indeed" (尚亦有利) expresses the hope of benefit. "Envious" (媢) means jealous. "Obstructs" (違) means to oppose and thwart. "Perilous" (殆) means dangerous.
Passage commentary: A thousand words all come down to one nature. The nature originally has no abilities -- it only possesses utmost sincerity, unceasing, containing all things, directing all faculties of the body. Though the nature has no abilities, the heart's ease suggests the nature's own capacity, for the heart's abilities issue from the nature that has no abilities. The heart's abilities are as if the nature's own abilities; the heart's lucid penetrating clarity likewise draws the nature toward pure goodness. The nature, in its utmost sincerity, contains all things -- this is not something the heart can express in words.
The nature's light is radiant as the blazing sun in a clear sky, shining for ten thousand miles. Then the great center overflows outward. In this world one is called a sage; upon leaving the world, one is called an immortal or Buddha. The teaching left to descendants and common people ensures that the sacred Way extends endlessly.
But if the nature-heaven is veiled by energy and matter, and the blood-heart masters the body, then distinctions of self and other arise. Seeing another's nature-body fully realized, one feels no admiration but only jealousy and hatred. Seeing another's heart-platform clear and bright, one opposes rather than welcomes it. Such a one not only cannot preserve descendants and common people -- one's own nature sinks to fathomless depths.
Only the benevolent person can banish such men, driving them out to the four barbarian lands and refusing to share the Central Kingdom with them. This is what is meant by: "Only the benevolent person can truly love others and truly hate others."
Character explanations: "Banish" (迸) is read as 屏, an interchangeable usage. "Drive out" (放) means to relocate. "Exile" (流) means a sentence of banishment. "Refuse to share" (迸) means to separate. "Barbarian lands" (夷) means the remote borderlands.
Passage commentary: Extending from within the body outward, the principle is the same. Our own nature is the benevolent person. The evil of the blood-heart is desire. Principle and desire are enemies, constantly in conflict. If principle prevails, it banishes desire to the remote borders and does not share the body with it. If desire prevails, it banishes principle just as surely. The nature's love for others means wishing all natures to awaken to their own nature. The nature's hatred means grieving that all natures remain lost. The love and hatred of the nature are the love and hatred of heaven and earth themselves.
To see the worthy and not raise them up, or to raise them up but not give them precedence -- this is negligence. To see what is not good and not dismiss it, or to dismiss it but not send it far away -- this is error.
Character explanations: "Far" (遠) is in the falling tone. "Negligence" (命) means carelessness.
Passage commentary: Nothing is worthier than the nature; nothing is less good than desire. Our original nature is purely good and without evil, but falling into the post-heaven, it becomes constrained by energy and veiled by matter. Yet there may be those who know their nature is good but cannot raise it to master the body. Even if the nature is raised but desire is not eliminated, then heavenly principle is still not complete -- this is negligence toward the nature-heaven. Without genuine knowing, there can be no genuine doing. The heart lacks resolve, wavering and indecisive. If one sees the evil of desire but cannot retire it, or retires it but cannot distance it completely, then desire can still seize a gap to enter -- and the error is immense.
To love what others hate and to hate what others love -- this is called violating human nature. Disaster will inevitably reach such a person.
Character explanations: 夫 is pronounced fu. "Violating" (拂) means going against.
Passage commentary: The reason a person's body invites disaster is the heart's desires. What the nature loves, the heart's desires must hate. What the nature hates, the heart's desires must love. If one does not resolve with total determination to root out the heart's desires, then one violates the benevolent person that is the nature. The benevolent person is the nature-heaven within the body. To violate one's own nature-heaven is to go against heaven itself! One who goes against heaven will inevitably receive heaven's disaster.
Therefore the person of virtue has a great Way: it must be gained through loyalty and faithfulness, and lost through arrogance and excess.
Character explanations: "Loyalty" (忠) means giving one's utmost. "Faithfulness" (信) means being without pretense. "Arrogance" (驕) means self-aggrandizement. "Excess" (泰) means extravagant indulgence.
Passage commentary: The Way is sought within the body -- there is nothing it does not illuminate. "Person of virtue" refers to the nature. The nature inherently possesses the Five Constant Virtues. To follow the nature's Five Virtues and act accordingly is the Way. To teach others in this Way, one must be loyal and faithful -- and then one wins the people's hearts. To depart from this is the arrogant and excessive mind. As a tree that leans casts a crooked shadow -- how can one hope to win the people's hearts?
The production of wealth has a great Way: let the producers be many and the consumers few; let the workers be diligent and the spenders moderate. Then wealth will always be sufficient.
Character explanations: 恒 is pronounced heng. "Diligent" (疾) means swift. "Moderate" (舒) means sufficient. "Always" (恒) means constant.
Passage commentary: The mature person of virtue of antiquity, with inner sagehood complete, extending from within outward, practices the way of outer kingship: transforming each person to fulfill their heavenly vocation. When the nation has no idle citizens, the producers are many. When the court has no undeserved appointments, the consumers are few. When the seasons of farming are not disrupted, the workers are diligent. When expenditure matches income, the spenders are moderate.
From within the body: "no idle citizens" means the nation of one's body is greatly governed, all faculties fulfill their roles, and the nature-heaven is radiant -- its Way is inexhaustible. "No undeserved appointments" means one's inner nation is governed by the nature-sovereign, serene and at peace -- no intrusive desires hold court, sage-sovereign and worthy-minister, no undeserved desires at all. Thus what drains the spirit is few. "Not disrupting the seasons" means the nature-heaven should be allowed to flourish without obstruction by desire. When it is not obstructed, reaching the utmost principle is swift. "Expenditure matching income" means gauging one's virtue, fulfilling the nature's capacity, and transforming all the people. When all the people awaken to their nature, the nature is at ease, the heart is sufficient, and the body stands in the Way. Thus the pre-heaven attainment must come through these four post-heaven paths.
The benevolent person uses wealth to elevate the body. The unbenevolent person uses the body to accumulate wealth.
Character explanations: As before.
Passage commentary: The benevolent person of virtue elevates and expands the bodhi-body through genuine merit and real goodness. The unbenevolent person uses the body of the four elements to scheme and contend for material wealth. The treasure of the benevolent person's genuine merit shines for ten thousand ages. The material wealth of the unbenevolent person exists only while the body exists -- when the person perishes, the wealth-demon follows. What boundless regret! Why do worldly people not recognize what is real and what is false?
There has never been a case where the ruler loved benevolence and the people below did not love righteousness. There has never been a case where the people loved righteousness and their work was not brought to completion. There has never been a case where the wealth in the treasury was not truly their wealth.
Character explanations: "Treasury" (府庫) means the place where wealth is stored.
Passage commentary: The people are like grass in the wind -- they follow the nature of the breeze. When the ruler's nature-body is fully bright and extends universal love to all the people, the people below cannot fail to love righteousness and be loyal to the ruler. The people's hearts are heaven's heart. Win the people's hearts and heaven's heart responds! Therefore when the ruler maintains the great benevolence of heaven and earth, constant and unchanging, the people's hearts of righteousness and loyalty to the ruler -- how could they not endure? When the people's hearts are won, the wealth in the treasury, though called the nation's, is truly the people's. Under such conditions, how can a nation fail to prosper and flourish?
Meng Xianzi said: "A household that keeps a team of horses does not inspect chickens and pigs. A family that uses ice at funerals does not keep cattle and sheep. A house of a hundred chariots does not keep ministers who gather taxes. Rather than have ministers who gather taxes, better to have ministers who steal." This is what is meant by: "A nation does not take profit as profit -- it takes righteousness as profit."
Character explanations: 畜 is pronounced xu. 乘 and 斂 are both in the falling tone. Meng Xianzi was a worthy minister of Lu, whose name was Zhongsun Mie. "Keeping a team of horses" (畜馬乘) means a gentleman first appointed as a minister. "Using ice at funerals" (伐冰之家) means a minister of rank or above who uses ice in ancestral sacrifices. "A house of a hundred chariots" means a landholder. "Gathering" (斂) means collecting levies.
Passage commentary: The ruler who fulfills the nature and knows heaven -- having known heaven, knows the people. Transforming the people with benevolence, guiding them with righteousness, willing to sacrifice personal profit rather than harm the people's strength. Therefore better to have ministers who steal than ministers who gather taxes. Let the people awaken their natures and each fulfill the capacity within their nature. Governing the nation with benevolence as substance and guiding the people with righteousness as profit -- how can one not hope for good governance?
A person who takes charge of a nation and devotes themselves to accumulating wealth must have fallen under the influence of the small person. They may call it good, but the small person's management of the nation brings disaster and harm together. Though there be a good person, there is nothing they can do about it. This is what is meant by: "A nation does not take profit as profit -- it takes righteousness as profit."
Character explanations: 長 is in the rising tone. "Devotes" (務) means to focus exclusively. "They" (彼) refers to the ruler. "A person who takes charge" (長者) means the leader of all the people.
Passage commentary: When heaven bestows the great mandate upon the leader of all the people, the Lord on High entrusts the mandate to one person so that this one person may transform all the people, each fulfilling their Way. If the ruler does not take this as the root of teaching the people, and instead is consumed by greed, devoted to goods and riches -- then even as one among the myriad people one would be insufficient, how much less as the leader of all! This is the small person among all the people. If such a one governs the nation, heaven's disasters and human calamities will come in rapid succession -- like Jie and Zhou. Though there be loyal and good persons to support and assist, there is nothing that can be done.
Therefore the way of governing the nation is to transform all the people so each fulfills their nature -- this alone is the one true method. When the nature is fulfilled, then benevolence dwells in the heart, and righteousness serves as profit.
General Discussion
The Great Learning is a book of the Way to the Great Unity. From what point can this be seen? At present, the great catastrophe spreads everywhere and the common people are in desperate straits. If we trace the catastrophe to its source, it lies entirely in the veiling of one's own nature and the exploitation of one's own emotions. Over time the nature becomes ever more blocked, the disposition of one's vital energy ever deeper, desires ever more excessive, until the great purpose for which heaven and earth gave one life, and the heavenly vocation one ought to fulfill, are entirely cast aside. Therefore the heart is the first awakener on the road to the Great Unity, and the heart is the source of the great catastrophe. Alas! The heart is the pivot that creates catastrophe and the pivot that ends it.
The heart that brings the Great Unity is the Dao-heart of heaven-endowed bright virtue. The heart that creates the catastrophe is the blood-heart stained by material desire. Between these two hearts there is a clear distinction! Every person possesses bright virtue and true nature, endowed from the realm of principle, purely good and without evil. Alive within us, active and free -- yet this bright virtue's Dao-heart, originally a flawless white jade in the pre-heaven, upon entering the realm of vital energy becomes entangled by the four appearances, and the root of object-chasing and object-pulling is established. The heart that once penetrated heaven and earth is thus transformed into the post-heaven heart of this world.
Where is the essential point of the sage's teaching? Nothing more than causing every person to investigate away the material desires of the post-heaven blood-heart, in order to recover the purely natural Dao-heart of the pre-heaven. When every person's heart is recovered, the Great Unity of the world appears at once. Therefore to enter the realm of the Great Unity, nothing less than every person following the Way of the sacred classics will suffice.
Commentary by previous worthies is not lacking -- their words are concise and their reasoning clear, and I deeply admire them. Yet there is one imperfection: they do not emphasize earnest practice. Know that the sage established his teaching and bequeathed his writings to ten thousand ages not so that later generations might use them as a stepping-stone to wealth and status or a ladder to official rank. The teaching is to cause every person to awaken their nature, every individual to find their heart, so that all may rest in the highest good and together reach the utmost principle. This is the sage's true intention.
Seeing this, I did not presume upon my dull abilities but annotated in plain language -- simple words, clear meaning. Every phrase, every sentence, never departs from the three words: nature, heart, body. This is the fundamental solution. When nature, heart, and body are divided, one is an ordinary person. When nature, heart, and body are one, one is a sage. What matters most is the two words: earnest practice. Practice with all one's strength, in utmost sincerity and without ceasing -- the realm of the sage and the pass of the worthy are open to every person. As for how to enter the gate of virtue, how nature, heart, and body are to be fused as one -- this has been annotated in full detail above. There is no need to repeat it. May all under heaven turn their light inward and reflect.
Colophon
New Commentary on the Great Learning in Plain Language (大學淺言新註) is a 1947 spirit-writing commentary attributed to Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓), received at the Qianyuan Hall in Xi'an. The full work comprises Lü Dongbin's self-preface, two disciple prefaces, three opening essays, and a complete line-by-line commentary on the entire Great Learning with character explanations and passage commentary -- including the restored chapters on the Investigation of Things and the Extension of Knowledge, claimed to have been lost since the Qin dynasty book-burning.
This translation presents the complete text: the three prefaces, the three opening essays, the commentary on the main text (經), all ten commentary chapters (傳) -- covering illuminating bright virtue, renewing the people, resting in the highest good, knowing the root, the restored chapters on investigation and extension, sincerity of intention, rectification of the heart, cultivation of the body, governing the nation, and bringing peace to the world -- and the final general discussion. The translation of the Great Learning in Plain Language is now complete.
Good Works Translation from Chinese by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Translated from the Chinese source text by Tulku Mingdao (明道), Tulku Huideng (慧燈), and Tulku Heguang (和光), Yiguandao Translators. This is the first English translation. Gospel register. The English was independently derived from reading the Chinese; the established Yiguandao translations in the Good Works Library were consulted for terminological consistency.
🌲
Source Text: 大學淺言新註（呂祖註釋）— 全文
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
自序
大學一書，儒教内聖外王之道也。體之分化，用之關合，無不皆備矣，誠修性了命之金丹，齊家治國之路徑。曩昔時，誤與諸經並齊曰：四書之一篇耳。於今捧視，迥與前異，不禁有今昔之感。降及末運，頻仍諸劫，濃雲毒霾，現出悽慘陰沈之幕。黎庶不窮其源，咸曰：數之所定，理不得而移之；劫之所至，人不得而挽之。溯流窮源，其弊焉在？究其劫始，乃係人人悉以儒教為腐，學經廢弛之咎耳。余因有鑑於此，繼之以思，如欲挽此浩劫，扶此狂瀾，除勸善以正人心外，非續之以根本解決不可。何曰根本解決？格物、致知二章是也。因道脈相衍至秦，運數應隱，故慘遭離火之焚，獨失格致二章，迷入門之階梯矣！如是已歷二千餘載，無復知其源者。時值三期，道劫並降，道以覺迷，劫以警世。此皇天之妙用，世人惜未識哉！余恭奉皇天明命，應運補述格致二章，使殘月復圓，光照全球，咸令登仁造域者，初步有所階梯耳。此所謂根本解決，根本解決後，始知明其明德為體，實踐親民之功為用也。如是則庶幾令天下後世有所憑照云爾。
歲在中華民國三十六年歲次丁亥元月上浣孚佑帝君序於西京乾元堂
序（王心齋）
蓋學庸一書，乃聖門心法之傳，内聖外王之道也。自經秦火之後，獨失格物、致知二章，歷千秋而為懸案矣，雖經諸儒註解，但該二章仍缺如故，嗚呼！格物者乃大學初步階梯也。心物之隱微而不知慎，意惡之動機而不知遏，欲邁以上七條，是捨本而逐末矣！然秦火一炬，何以獨失此章歟？以其道脈之應隱耶？抑以其書之非時不洩耶？猶是群疑弗決矣！降及末運，人心不古，皆因人人不知心物之慎，意惡之遏，何能明其明德為體，實踐親民為用哉！是以純陽帝君有鑑於此，具悲天憫人之心，將學庸用淺言新註，內中精神洩盡無遺，俾使庸庸士庶，一見易於明瞭，咸知性理之大本大源不出己身耳。復將格物、致知二章應運補述，真是千古懸案，一旦解決，從此大學可全璧矣！此書一出，人人瞭解，恪遵奉行，可為救世之慈航也。小子智識淺陋，何敢作序，然有帝君之命，不敢違逆，爰綴數語，勉附驥尾，尚望四海高明，不吝指教為幸，是為序。時在民國三十六年歲次丁亥孟春山東於陵王心齋序於西京乾元堂
序（朱秀梧）
蓋學庸者，孔氏之遺書，啟發天下後世覺性之功、盡性之徑也。於何可見？首之三綱領已詳盡無餘矣！蓋以明德為體、親民為用，方可止於至善也。能知性之所止，止於無極；欲造無極，必須恪奉定靜安慮，循序不紊之路而作，雖奉定靜安慮之功，實際乃我性中所具矣！如欲求其身定、意靜、心安、性慮之功，非從格物入手不可。因其心物不格，紛繞其間，欲求其身定不可得。靈身弗定，意靜、心安、性慮三大聖功誠為艱矣！格其心物，則靈身、色身猶白玉之無瑕，漸入於定矣！身定則意靜，意靜則心安，心安則性慮起矣！性慮者，慮天下萬民不覺明德性也。由是勃然興起，以我先覺之性覺後覺，使各復其性，此親民之道之所由來也。然既明德足，親民之功欲罷而弗能者矣！降及末流，世風不古，好惡不公，咸以絜矩大法為無關緊要，相率置諸高閣，無有問津者。以致專尚奇異，奢風侈波泛瀾塵寰，若長此以往，微微道心，奄奄殆盡，世界前途，何堪設想？幸蒙師兄奉敕垂諭，大意謂欲想消劫弭禍，挽回狂瀾，非復尊學庸以為主旨不可，俯思先賢所註，文意深奧，凡學識淺者，多望洋興嘆！因之敬懇純陽帝君臨壇，以淺言新註，約月餘而全書註竣。捧讀內容，體用分明，理無不備。復蒙不密真寶，竟將格物全章文言應運補述，真是千古懸案，一旦解決，從此大學可全璧矣！此書一出，人人瞭解，恪遵奉行，可為救世之慈航也。俯思佛恩如天，浩大莫名，務望學庸到處，希各沉心參悟，用以宣化，人心得平，明德必明，而天下萬國必實現大同矣！茲值註成付梓，因命作序以光聖典，小子自愧固陋，何敢作序，乃以佛命難違，謹作俚語，借附驥尾，尚望四海高明，不吝指教為幸。是為序。歲在民國三十六年歲次丁亥春季山東長山朱秀梧序於西京乾元堂
大學之我見、大學之定義、大學之源流
大學之我見
大學一書，其意至深，其理至微，係無極大乘大法。復細觀之，亦係極簡極明之文，至平至庸之行也。嗚呼！聖人之道，原自平庸，不尚矜奇，人每視為平庸而弗踐之，誤矣！豈知平庸之道，正趨聖域之道也。惜乎！世人誠、恆、堅三字不能抱定耳。故學經諄諄誥誡，以勵後世，吾註解之下，不勝感嘆，聖人憫世之心苦，教誨天下後世之法密也。總言大學經旨，三綱領已道盡無遺矣！中令所謂半部論語而治天下，何用半部哉！學經之明德親民，用之以治國平天下而不盡也。曩昔堯舜揖讓，垂拱而治，萬民渾渾，其心樸樸，焉用鈇鉞而降之哉！究其治國之要素、教民之良法，不外自明明德實踐親民，以化億兆庶民咸明其明德。明德復初，見於言行，將其自治於一身，焉用法而轄之乎。人人各有自治精神，身心性融化一爐，歸於理域，不但在世為聖化之民，身逝亦證薩薩陀陀之仙。故大學之八條目，先以格物入手，何曰格物？內聖之初功也。於何可見？私慾淨盡，天理流行，性與天理，如長天秋水相映一色，明明德復。實踐親民之功為用，致我良知以外王也。此聖人所教為民父母者，應由是處入手，至懇切大學要之處也。如是則舉意必誠，動心必正，性為聖君，心作賢明之臣，以道化身，則身、心、性融為一矣！性本至靜，有感隨通，發於心而役其身，莫非皆道也。須知身、心、性亦有三大分別，性本至善，心本有善有不善，身本惡濁者也。如性秉其權，則心身共役，雖欲心之妄動，身之妄行，誠難為矣！故格物、致知、誠意、正心，此四部為內聖之體也。內體具足，溢於一身，則身不修而修矣！由身推用，何處着手？則必先齊其家，欲齊其家，當何如也？內聖具足，見於言行，謙恭忍讓，兢兢持己，治家有道，處事秉公，夫有如是不家齊者，欲其齊家，如是則齊家之心也。齊其心則身未有不齊者，不齊其心而欲齊身，誠難為矣！一國乃各家宗之集，如果用齊家作起，內顧無瑕，施德於外，如春風到處，萬物然，明德感昭，群起相應。聖曰：速於置郵而傳命。誠然！如是一國大治，咸知仁為體、義為用，尊卑禮讓，惠然和風，一國與一家、一身誠無異矣！猶文王以德化民，感昭天下，諸侯咸慕，士民引領，如是則未有不王天下者。故修身、齊家、治國、平天下，此外王之用也。茍捨內聖之體而欲實作外王之用，吾知其非然也。
大學之定義
大學定義者何？以上大學之我見所論，此為萬民上者，應修內聖之體，以達外王之用。或曰：庸庸士庶，何可法乎？吾曰：非然。須知聖人立教之意，本不執定一端而論。自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本之語，由是可見梗概矣！無論尊卑貴賤，只要至誠不息，明性復初，及其止於至善，何分尊卑貴賤哉！朱註曰：大學者大人之學也。以吾所見非然，正與所論相反。我曰：大學者，正小人之學也。然既稱為大人，已內格無物，性珠圓明，效天之大，盡性之能事，何須又復學也。所謂大學者，正小人之所學，小人者細民也，因雖係細民，性之所具，與聖賢無異。茍能內格心物以覓良知，意之所發，誠必隨之；心之所舉，身必如之。如是雖身係細民，而學功已屆大人之境。嗟乎！人不自學，猶密藏珍器而不知作何用也。大好明德埋於塵紛之下，極明皓月藏於濃雲深霧之中，人人恪遵學經奉行，始終不怠，雖大人亦非大人，小人亦非小人矣！及其造峯，吾性無絲毫之差別。噫！世人不悟，何勝浩嘆！
大學之源流
大學源流，人咸曰孔子之言，而曾子述之，此其源流也。吾曰：非然。何知其非然也？我可以說：未有天地，而大學之道已在。大學之道，如經天之日月，行地之河海，織成錦繡乾坤者，大學也；長養萬物之功者，大學也。在未有天地之時，大學之綱領條目、文字畫面雖無，而經體、經用、經旨、經功則有矣，不過至孔聖時，得一貫心法，懷不二性學，將乾坤萬物之大學總括於書面耳。至於源流，相信不自至聖始，乃係天道以啟端也，願修道君子幸熟思焉。
經文
大學之道：在明明德，在親民，在止於至善。
【字解】大學者，發揚自性之大也。明即切磋琢磨之功。明德即原性。親民即推自性之能事，化天下同胞，使各復其自性之謂。至善即無極境界。
【節解】大學之道，在人之性天中。既在性天中，又何必復學也？因其人落紅塵，氣稟所拘，物慾所蔽，將充份之性天而陷於萬丈塵氛之內，所以必須用切磋琢磨之功，以期復明性天也。大學者換而言之，即令人學習發揚性天之學也，雖係學天，而實不出己身耳。故先格心物、除私慾，原性復初，自身之內聖功夫則到止境，內聖之功具足即體固矣！復加以親民之用。何曰親民？民者，身中之良民也。良民者何？即性天也。使天下同胞各親其良民，即聖人所謂兼善天下也。然我一人性體靈明，皇天何喜？本乎皇天一視之心。願天下同胞，咸能用上切磋琢磨之功，復回性天之極大光明。由己推人，毫無人相，可以說明明德之功，係內聖也；親民之功，係外王也。內聖外王之功具足，一言而為天下後世法，一行而為天下後世則，在世曰聖賢，出世曰仙佛，至善境界不行而至矣。
知止而后有定，定而后能靜，靜而后能安，安而后能慮，慮而后能得。
【字解】知止即知己所當止之境。定者羈心猿繫意馬，不能任其馳騁，使其有所歸宿也。靜者清靜無為，念茲在茲，朝斯夕斯也。安者身有所循，心有所歸，性有所安，各得其所，次第不紊也。慮者內功已足，而慮外功之弗成，抱悲天憫人之至慮，慮人不修性，慮世不清寧也。得者盡其性中之能事，廣建聖功，慈以化人，悲以憫世，三千大千視為一體，四億七千萬悉如同胞，由我性天之光明，而推及億兆同胞，各復自性，而我之佛果，不期其得而自得也。
【節解】以上三大綱領，人各能毅然作去，結果達到至極無以復加至善之境界。然初步欲學大學之功，須先心知止於何處？曰止於性天也。心有所歸，而性不問自定矣！性定之後，則此身若有若無，此心如在如不在，此性若非然而不非然也。清靜無為，渾然一理，靜若山嶽，動似河海，而達到真靜之境界，此所謂身有所循，心有所歸，性有所安矣！性既安則內聖之功具足，以下慮與得者，此其外功也，亦可以說是親民之道耳。內聖雖係具足，必以悲天憫人之心常抱，苦口婆心化世，一人性天未明，己之性天猶未明至極峯耳。慮者，慮世界眾生不悟，慮社會同胞性天未明，此以眾生為慮，以天下為憂也。亦即先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂是也。量己性之所知，發己性之所能，己立立人，己達達人。如春風到處靄然拂面，萬物為之芽，人人為之喜色也。如是眾生覺性，而己之外功得矣。
物有本末，事有終始，知所先後，則近道矣。
【字解】物：即有形質之物。本：即發物之源頭。末：萬殊也。事：親民渡眾之事也。始：即開端。終：即結局。知：即明徹。先：即先天賦性皇。後：即後天生我父母也。道：即無極至境。
【節解】凡世界具體之物必有源頭，例如一株植物，源頭在其極細極微之顆種裏，此其物之本也。此株植物由根發本，自本生枝長葉，終於結億萬極細極微之顆種，此其末也，亦即由末返本耳。如物無本，則末從何來？無末則返本無從，本能生末，末復能返本也。至於人間，凡是一事多半有始無終，美滿之事情，結果陷於苦惱。如復性天之人，以親民之功，為己應份之事，朝斯夕斯，念茲在茲，乾乾不息之真精神而矢志前進，將以造至善之極峯為終矣。茍其始勤終怠，莫言親民之事，縱極細極微之事亦萬無一成，我且拿個比喻：蒼天之始終也，試觀之，每年春夏秋冬，寒來暑往分毫不錯，從開天闢地為始，傾天陷地為終，無有一年不是如此，甚至無有一月一日一時不是如此者。大始大終，人何不法歟？果能如天地之始終，凡天事人事無一不成也。知所先後者何解？知者，明徹我形覺之先後也。能明曉性之源頭，身之由來，當然孝道是不可少者。然在一般明哲來論：順親之心，養親之身，大哉孝乎！殊不知盡先天之孝，亦在孝之一端也。何曰先天孝？天下眾生靈性，本是一所生，所以方稱世界之人皆我同胞也。此孝何盡？能將我性天復初，實現親民之功，俾兄弟姐妹攜手還原，共造無極境界，此謂孝先天賦性之，盡孝之大也。所以盡孝於先天，盡孝於後天，兩層大孝，可以說為並重也，果能如是則近道矣！亦曰造至道矣也可。然此節分析理氣象焉，物有本末，象也；事有終始，氣也；知所先後，理也；以理氣象而悟至道，庶乎其不差矣。
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。
【字解】明德：道心也，心靖息爭，大同之景象也。治：治理也。齊：齊家先齊心也。修：克己也。正：居中也，不偏不倚，大中至正。誠：無虛也。致：推廣也。格：除也，即格心物、驅身物也。
【節解】此一節乃由用返體也。言古代聖君賢相，將自己明德復初，而後實踐親民之用。欲使天下同胞，咸明其固有之明德，應當由何處入手？必須先將本國士民格其心物、致其良知，然後始能明其明德於天下。欲將國內士民格其心物、致其良知，必須先由家庭作起。諺曰：治國易而齊家難。何也？治國之道，除行仁政外，以法濟其所不足。齊家則不然，需用大化之力，先齊其心，舉家言行範於道德，咸能明其明德，而後家有千口，心只一心也。然欲齊其家，必須先修其身，修身之法無他，初步必須言行相顧，捨己從人，虛心容物，二六時中，如對鬼神。曾子曰：十目所視，十手所指，戰兢自持，恐德不足以化他人，而況肆之乎！但欲作到此步，必須先正其心，心者一身之主，萬相之宗。心之所發，意必隨之；意之所動，身必行之。此心中立不倚，澄然如長天之水，萬里一色，浩然正氣，充塞兩大。欲作此步，非先從誠意上手不可，意何以誠？意者心之發，心發意隨，一體連貫。此意蕩蕩如虛空懸掛，本無着落，忽善忽惡，本無止象，如不加以誠字，則渺渺何着？誠者何？即不虛之謂。意發中誠，身行合理，意存至誠，而心則大中至正矣。欲至此步者，必須致其良知，良知即自性也。致者，推廣行遠也。如良知埋沒，心意又安所歸乎！心既無歸，仍無止境，雖欲正而不可得。性者君也，心者臣也，意者民也，身者役也。君心克明，峻德是懷，而心、意、身始能共役，而踐之以道也。君失其位，則飛沙橫流，變吉祥為禍殃矣！而又安能得其道哉。欲致其良知，必須先格心物，將氣秉所拘，物慾所蔽，一切傳染之性咸去，恢復固有本然之性，則以上造詣不行而至矣。此章係由用返體，萬殊總歸一本，氣象終還一理。諺曰：水流千遭歸岱海。此之謂也。總言，聖經賢傳，佛學道典，千言萬語，不外一性，性之所發，理不得而奪之；理之所生，數不得而移之；數之所至，人安得而強之乎！欲移其數何難，遵循大學條目，實地力行，則命由我造，福自天申矣！信然。
物格而后知至，知至而后意誠，意誠而后心正，心正而后身修，身修而后家齊，家齊而后國治，國治而后天下平。
【節解】是以將後天一切氣秉所拘、物慾所蔽，傳染之性悉數格去，則猶撥雲霧而重睹青天矣！如是推廣行遠，致達我良知之所能，以盡其天職而化民也，意雖欲惡不得其伴矣！故曰誠。誠其意，意有所止，雖心發以不正，而意亦弗隨之，心安得不正乎！心居至正，覺心源漸趨性海，性安得不磊落光明哉！故格致誠正，內聖之功也。身既修，見於言行，大德所感，未有不俯首而受化之者。舉家心齊，始曰家齊。國者，一家一家所集合也。我家齊，眾家慕之。推廣行遠，咸向春風，復濟之以法，而國大治矣！國治，諸侯響應、朝野仰望，士民引領，安謂天下不太平乎！故修齊治平，外王之功也。體用分明，則內聖外王備矣！
自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本。
【字解】天子：天下元首，替天行道，教養萬民者。庶人：萬民也。壹：無極代稱，數之始也。
【節解】天子元首替天行道，教養萬民，必須由己身作起。欲從己身作起，當先由何處入手？必自格物、致知、誠意、正心，次第不紊，循序而進，內聖之功方足，如是則性天污垢消盡，一身瑩瑩，潔白如玉，以不言化諸國，以立身教萬民，推廣行遠，天下萬民咸知修身為本，民已自治，何用被治乎？故聖君之治民者，非治民身也，治民心也；只治其身，不治其心，則捨本而逐末矣！如能治其心，而身無有不治者；空治其身，而心亦未有不馳者。故聖君非治民也，化民也。欲實現萬民皆得其化，非己身內聖之功具足不可。治民、化民，誠有分析，可不細思歟。所謂自天子以至於庶人，其間泛濫無疆矣！可以說一個團體，為其團體之長即君，被其所使即臣。如一個商號，經理，君也，其下臣也。只要經理一身作則，言行合度，待人如己，未有其下而不盡忠於經理者。此從一個小範圍說起，任何團體皆然，由小推大，方能極言。自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本也。先由一個小團體之君臣，而推到整個天下之君臣；個個小團體，君明臣忠，則大天下之君臣亦然。此何理也？假如大天下之君臣，不順天之道，執天之行，安能化小團體之君明臣忠哉！故由各個小團體之景象，則自知大矣！此一貫之理，不可移焉，休謂君只言皇上，臣只言官也，一個團體莫非君臣，一個組織莫非君臣，世人休執一也。
其本亂而末治者否矣；其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也。
【字解】本者格致誠正是也。末者修齊治平是也。
【節解】所謂其本亂者，乃格、致、誠、正四步功夫皆未循序作到，而欲實踐修齊治平之舉，誠為難矣！如同灌溉植物，不溉其根而灑枝葉，則愈灑愈枯，人可不自警歟！所以捨本逐末，乃是根本極大錯誤。厚者何？曰性。薄者何？曰情。應厚其所厚，薄其所薄為然，故道德君子未有厚者薄待，薄者厚遇也。
總論
大學一書，雖曰大人之學。究其根源，乃人人之學也。人人各具天賦靈性，至圓至明，在聖不增，在凡不減；婦人孺子，莫非皆然。人在幼稚，性本至善，曰本然之性。身歲漸長，氣拘物蔽，曰傳染之性。人人各具其性大，惜乎不知覓耳，此所謂大而不知其大，小而反行小矣！孔子言，曾子述，一篇經文，總括意義，無非令人人各覓其大。何為大？曰性。何為小？曰情。如能將我具有之性大，下定決心，用上茍日新，日日新，又日新功夫，將性大復初，則我一杯之水純潔，傾於大海之中，渾然焉分。然而性大者，非一人獨具，天下萬民悉具也。天下有一人未復其本然性大，則我性何足為大？所以大學之道者，即令人人學其覓性大之道也。欲覓性大，當學何功？須用格致誠正，循序不紊功夫，矢志前進，將人相、我相蕩然掃淨，視人猶己，性係同胞也。我覺性，同胞迷性，我心何忍？故應實踐親民渡眾，捨己從人，化人人為善之責，躋世界為大同之任。人人身有所循、心有所歸、性有所安，則我臻至善矣！何曰至善？能將我一杯之潔水，傾於大海之中，渾然不分，此至善也。假杯水有纖塵之染，則傾海之後，亦顯然有斑矣！至善者，無極真空也。我之性大與無極合並則我一身則非我矣！何也？大而無外，窮極乾坤，萬物即我也，豈視一四肢百骸之軀為我哉！如是則至善無階可升矣。此事縱婦人孺子各皆能之，惟人自棄，何勝浩嘆！故古聖教世，先令世人由格物之功着手，而達於上上之乘。茍一日克己，則即一日聖賢；終身克己，則即終身之聖賢，至善者身儲焉！願天下萬民迴光返照耳。其下，物有本末，事有終始，知所先後，則近道矣之語，乃聖人循循善誘，引人入聖之法也。人能知物有本末，返躬自想，一物尚能返本，何況人乎！俗語曰：種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆。植物尚能返本，人可不自警歟！人之本末為何？具性形兩層論：先天賦我之性，本源在何？曰真理也。後天生我之身，本源在何？曰父母也。先後兩層，大本大源，既已明曉，應當復性返本，歸於真理。盡孝抱本，順養父母，果如是如植物之返本，則誠若天地，恒若日月，安有事而不終始乎！由此明瞭先天、後天之分，洞徹本然傳染之性，則近於至善之道矣！聖人深恐天下後世之人，讀是書誠易，行是書則望洋生嘆耳。故先以物與事作入德之徑，曉先後之殊，則不難趨進至善之路，內聖之功具足，則外王如風行迅雷之速。綱領條目，一以貫之，真如矢之不倚耳。
傳文（康誥至格致二章）
康誥曰：克明德。
【字解】康誥：周書。克：能也。明德：本然之性也。
【節解】所謂克明德者，即是盡其明德之能事。明德何能？五常之德具焉。實踐五常，即率性之謂道，所謂發於明德，而終歸於明德也。或問曰：此何理也？我曰：五常係由明德所發，能盡其五常之能事，則明德始為明矣！
太甲曰：顧諟天之明命。
【字解】太甲：商書。顧：謂常自在之也。諟：猶此也。
【節解】所謂天之明命者，天以空洞靈明之真理賦於人身，曰性。性運週身曰命。然我命之由來出於性，性之由來出於理，命與至靜空洞之理天息息相通也。我之一身如小天地，一身可能融會三極，天之明，照我之命。故一念善，天必知；一念惡，天必曉。我心如廣播電台，心浪一發，則波波羅羅層層外出，乾坤雖大，頃刻即遍，此我心有所因，而天有所覺也。所以道德君子，目神注視。懼心魔之動，以保全上天命我之明德，而我亦須修性了命也。性何修？命何了？修性之法無他，格致誠正是也；了命之法無他，命富貴，借富貴以濟世；命貧賤，固窮以安命也，此所謂顧諟天之明命之總意矣。（三極者：無極、太極、皇極。）
帝典曰：克明峻德。
【字解】帝典：堯典。峻：虞書作俊，大也。
【節解】能復其峻大之德，以盡大德之能事也。
皆自明也。
【字解】見前，
【節解】所謂明德者，簡言即自性也。欲復其自性，是由己復。由自性之大，推以群性，復其眾生自性之大也。
湯之盤銘曰：茍日新，日日新，又日新。
【字解】湯：商朝始君也。盤：沐浴之器也。銘：名其器，以自警之辭也。
【節解】凡古之聖君受天明命，承負大任，撥亂拯民者，皆先修其自性之功，以解生民倒懸之苦也。故湯之盤銘，非所以銘器，乃銘心也。銘器以身警，銘心以性警。故身浴易，而心浴難，心浴則浴性近矣。性浴而後，天理昭著，則即身中之小無極耳。所以欲用此功，身浴在於心浴，心浴在於性浴，日日自新，如江海之水，源遠流長，略無間斷也。茍不自浴其心，自浴其性，縱使江海之水以浴我身，於心性有何益哉？
康誥曰：作新民。
【字解】如前。
【節解】或曰：民亦有新舊乎？我曰：然。何謂新民？何謂舊民？所謂新民者，原性之民也。所謂舊民者，色身之民也。原性之民復初，運於一身，光潤全體，雖色身曰舊，則儼若原性之新矣！欲復原性之良民，其精良之法，前邊盡載，無容重述矣。
詩曰：周雖舊邦，其命維新。
【字解】詩經大雅文王篇。邦即國。命即上天之明命。
【節解】德無舊，萬古常新，如蔚藍之青天，千秋不染其色也。復己明德，以化萬民，雖舊邦亦新，污瑕明德，雖新基亦舊。凡世間之事無不皆然，心台純潔，湛若秋水，雖溫故書，其味亦新。心台濃烏，萎靡不振，雖讀新書，其意亦舊，事無新舊，而在心台之潔與烏耳。
是故君子無所不用其極。
【字解】君子：即成德之君子。極者至善之地也，
【節解】所謂君子無所不用其極者，列分三等：曰理、曰氣、曰象。或問：無極極於何處？吾曰極於無。無者真空，寂然不動，感而遂通，無中妙有也。復問曰：太極極於何點？吾曰：極於太。太者氣天也，如將太下一點，用力推上去，即湛然為天矣！天者一大也，一為數始，萬事萬物之源。故堯傳舜曰：允執厥中。四字心法也。舜傳禹曰：人心惟危，道心惟微，惟精惟一，允執厥中。十六字之心法也。此一伸直，通天徹地，橫貫四方，故伏羲氏仰觀俯察，一畫開天是也。將一作圈，則即無極之代稱，圓通靈明，無在無不在也。但此一，仍係有象。或問曰：一歸何處？吾曰：歸於無，無極本無一，此圈不過用以代之而已。氣乃一太之天，終有傾陷，歷盡十二萬九千六百年，此天仍復歸於無極耳。故曰：太極極於太，此之謂也。或曰：皇極極於何處？吾曰極於皇，皇者何？性主一身，此身法天象地，性主之，豈非一身之皇乎。聖人復其本然之性，率性中五常之德實踐於言行，承道統之淵源，使萬民歸大化，天必降之以大任，作萬世師表也。故至聖乃為皇極之極耳。試將皇字拆開看，白王也。換而言之，即無後天之爵封，瑩瑩一白王耳，故至聖曰素王。然性者亦係潔白如玉一王也，故曰皇矣。然人皆賦有性皇，不過被心物所蔽耳。如格心物，己性復初，昭然宇宙，亦即太極之一大，展一化民，使天下士庶內復性皇，外踐忠孝，各親其親，各長其長，一大之能事畢矣。將一極於真理，歸宿至善，即返本還源耳。人皆聖賢之體，惜乎人弗悟也。是言象之君子，極於象質；言氣之君子，極於氣體；言理之君子，極於虛無，三等君子，即分聖賢愚，各有不同，惟人自造詣焉
詩云：邦畿千里，惟民所止。
【字解】詩經商頌玄鳥篇。邦畿：王者之都也。止：居也。
【節解】所謂千里之邦乃萬民色身之止處也。此係用淺意來論，極其深奧非然。人人各有邦畿，人人各有良民也。古人曾以己身法天象地，性者，身中良民也；身者，性之邦畿也。或問曰：上節將性比皇，此又比民，何其自相矛盾也？吾曰：非然。皇與民，後天之尊卑有別。性者，先天也。先天何有皇、民之別哉！故性曰皇可，亦曰民焉也可。如將我一身之邦畿，用上格致誠正，循序不紊聖功，次第進行，邦畿大治，原性復初矣。性者一身之君，如性攝其權，一身言行則不踰矩也。良民之性，止於一身之邦畿，不過臨時止處耳。一身邦畿大治，推己及人，兼善於天下，則身中良民之性，仍歸於無極矣。
詩云：緡蠻黃鳥，止于丘隅。子曰：於止知其所止，可以人而不如鳥乎？
【字解】詩經小雅緡蠻篇。緡：詩作綿。緡蠻：鳥聲。丘隅：山角樹木密茂之處。
【節解】此孔聖引詩以誥誡天下後世也。言緡蠻之黃鳥，尚知止於丘隅，況於人乎。緡蠻之黃鳥止於丘隅，乃其止也。人生碌碌一世，營名利，結果止於墳墓，即為止乎？吾曰：非然。人須知其所當止之地，當止之地在何？反覆辯論，不外一性。首先復其性，則身中無極現焉。繼之用太極一大之功兼善天下，復將一大還於無極，咸令乾坤蒼黎明己性天，止於無極之處也。性知所止，則色身歿後，性珠圓明，萬古常昭。如孔聖一言而為天下後世法，一行而為天下後世則，不皆同人乎！有何聖凡之別？惟在知止不知止耳。
詩云：
穆穆文王，於緝熙敬止。為人君，止於仁；為人臣，止於敬；為人子，止於孝；為人父，止於慈；與國人交，止於信。
【字解】詩經大雅文王篇。穆穆：深遠悠久之意。於緝之於：音烏，嘆美辭。緝：繼續也。熙：光明也。
【節解】大哉！文王之詩篇也。文王受天大任，為紅陽繼承道脈之大聖。性天磊落，放大光明，推廣行遠，親民化眾，故岐地路不拾遺，夜不閉戶，湛然蒼天之蔚藍，明似秋水之無物。蓋文王治國，有何奇方歟？吾曰：無。人人固有之方耳，不外率性中之五常以見於外也。故為人君者止於仁，仁何解？仁居東方，其性秉溫，此先天好生之大德也。為人君應予效矣！謙恭忍讓以化眾，立德立言以教民，則仁猶未至極也。此何謂？先天生民曰大德，先天罰民亦曰大德，為人君者先復己性，放大光明，萬民咸慕，各皆自覺其性，雖立法而無犯，縱有越法者，施之以法，正施之以德也。如是，則與天地合為一焉。為人臣止於敬，敬者無不敬也。如曾子所謂：十目十手，臨淵履薄，戰兢自持，慎其所獨。先敬己心，繼敬己性，心性各得我之所敬，則我身之表外亦即無不敬矣。夫無不敬，則念茲在茲，朝斯夕斯，懼心物於動也。盡臣之敬，克君心非，引君以道而後已焉。為人子止於孝，人只知為後天父母之子，而不知亦為先天皇之子也。色身之源，父母生也；靈性之源，皇賦也。順親心、養親身，此所以盡孝於後天父母也。凡是一人皆係先天同胞，用以新民渡眾之功，化人人各復己性，挽狂瀾之既倒，躋世界於康樂，此盡孝於先天皇也。為人父止於慈，慈者，嚴慈也。教子以道，導子以德，真慈也。任其侈、任其奢者，婦人之慈也。故天威而不怒，而受威者知懼；施德於萬民而不居德，而受德者知德；此天地之嚴慈也。父母者天地也，生之、養之、教之、導之，啟發子之自動之性，鼓震子之自立之心而後已焉。信者：不欺之謂。試將信字拆開看，乃人言也。人與我言，我與人言，其間即含真信。夫信之普如土，莫非皆是，莫非皆用也。如土中生物，種甚得甚，毫不欺人。夫人失信，先自欺而後欺人，未有先欺人而後自欺也。信者，天之中、地之樞、身之主，通四端，兼萬善，信之偉用大矣哉！願天下眾生，突破塵緣，醒悟迷津，速登覺路，覓真信以返源，是吾所厚望焉。
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。
【字解】詩經衛風淇澳篇。澳：於六反。菉：詩作綠。猗：韻音阿。僩：下版反。喧：詩作咺，詩作諼並況晚反。恂：鄭比讀作峻。淇：水名。澳：隈也。猗猗：美盛貌，興也。斐：文貌。切：以刀鋸。琢：以椎鑿，皆裁物使成形質。磋以鑢鐋，磨以沙石，皆治物使其滑澤也。治骨角者，既切而復磋之；治玉石者，既琢而復磨之，皆言其治之有緒，而益致其精也。瑟：嚴密之貌。僩：武毅之貌。赫喧者：盛大之貌。諠：忘也。道：言也。學謂講習討論之事。自修者省察克治之功。恂慄：戰懼也。威：可畏也。儀：可象也。
【節解】詩衛風淇澳篇上言：瞻彼淇水之隈，形容綠竹美盛之姿態。此何意？竹者：空虛也。人亦然，虛能容物，謙則受益，道德學問皆係有漸而入者。諺曰：泰山不卻拳石，故能成其高大；江海不擇細流，故能成其淵深。此謂虛中不虛，虛中伏實也。竹有虛心，兼有高志，是以竹可焚，節不可燬，此言虛心始能容物，定心所以立志也。然後用切磋琢磨之功，循進格致誠正之道，則自知嚴密敬慎矣。何曰嚴密？人身具性亦具魔，性弱而魔強，故君子懼內魔之生，怯外障之鼓動，所以嚴密保持性之圓明，武毅以震內外魔障，戰兢自持也。如一時不敬、一時不慎，有一線之可乘，則魔由隙而入矣，良可懼哉！嚴密敬慎以持內也，武毅剛正以震外也。秉天地之至公，養乾坤之浩氣，威而不怒，而受威者咸懼其威；德行溢外，雨露均沾，而被惠者咸感其惠，故德威兼備之磊落君子，萬民奉若父母，威若鬼神，焉有遺忘之理。是以如切如磋之功，道學也。何謂道學？先修至德以凝至道之學也。如嚴密、敬慎、武毅、剛正，持震內外，內魔已格，外障弗至，良知呈獻，天真畢露矣。意發必誠，心動守正，至德已修，至道漸凝，則漸造極矣。故欲修至德，必須依照格致誠正，次第自修，大學 - 26 -
以期性天光澤也。如至德全、至道凝，則人與天一體耳。不怒而民威於鈇鉞，民奉之若神明，事之如父母，而我教化遂普，萬民各親其親，各長其長，各復自性，性天空洞，放大光明，此所謂復己性，始能覺群性也。雖是衛人讚美武公，但我所註，恐武公不及，乃至聖之行也。人人奉此，聖由凡作。諺曰：聖人皆是凡人作，安有聖人作聖人。信然。
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。
【字解】詩經周頌烈文篇。於戲：音嗚呼，嘆辭。樂：音洛。前王謂文武也。利者士農工商所求應份之利也。
【節解】文王至德，武王大德；文王承道，武王行道。故孔聖云：武王、周公其達孝矣乎，夫孝者，善繼人之志，善述人之事者也。先王承天之明命，負大任於兩間，繼天立極，以化萬世。然雖有先王之純德，必有後王之繼德，始能德昭萬古而不歿焉。故奉親奉心、繼親繼志。先王所賢，我亦其賢，我所賢，正先王之志也；先王所親，我亦其親，我所親，正親先王之德也。繼先王至德，普化萬民，人人咸知復性，人人咸知自正，人即各知自修，則萬民樂先王之所樂，憂先王之所憂，憂樂皆受之於先王也。先王教之利，而我自教自利，自教自利者，正所受先王之教利也。先王雖歿，而其大道大德可以與天地同齊，日月同明，萬古常昭。然先王之至德曰理，雖天地日月傾陷，而先王之德仍在，蓋天地日月亦弗及先王之至德歟。
子曰：聽訟，吾猶人也；必也使無訟乎！無情者不得盡其辭，大畏民志；此謂知本。
【字解】猶人：不異於人也。情：實也。
【節解】聖人之大化，由此可見一斑矣。以無為化世，不言教民，大化普及，萬民自治焉。在未普及大化前，縱有爭訟者，聖人明德昭著，如日月經天，照臨萬物，無微不至、無微不察，如天地之賞罰善惡，絲毫不爽。無情實者，安能盡其辭乎！是非判清，曲直分明，使爭訟者咸知聖人之威，感戴聖人之德，雖始為爭訟，終歸於無訟也。故施教於魯國，三月遂大治焉。安用善於折訟而治民乎！此乃聖人親民之初功也。
此謂知本。此謂知之至也。
以下至（此謂知不致，不可以誠其意）乃呂祖補述格致二章。
所謂致其知在格其物者，心有所貪慾而性辟焉，心有所嗔忿而性塞焉，心有所癡奢而性蕩焉，心有所愛妄而性遷焉。
【字解】貪、嗔、癡、愛，四心物也。慾：近私也。忿：近恨也。奢：過度也。妄：非份之思也。辟：偏倚也。塞：滯結也。蕩：流動也。遷：更移也。
【節解】是以欲將良知良能推廣行遠，必須格心物也。心之源出自性，心乃性之靈苗也。心物之障，亦即性物之障矣！心物變化，瞬息萬千，總結不外貪嗔癡愛耳。貪中主慾，慾本私情，以後天私情，遂昧先天公理矣！至性安能不受其牽扯而偏辟於一隅也。嗔中生忿，忿極生恨也。須知世間之事，不如人願者，十有八九，遇逆境而不容忍，則怨天尤人之心起矣！此心一起，一恨天之不平，二恨人心不公也，則自性安能不受其牽扯而閉塞乎！癡者，相因生奢，癡心於功名，癡心於富貴，癡心者高望也。癡想不能如願則生苦惱，由是遂驕己傲人，縱心猿意馬放蕩無蹤，莫能遏已。如是則自性安能不受其牽扯而流蕩乎！妄靡不生於愛焉。此愛非仁人博愛之愛，乃血心愛聲色貨利之愛也。然愛者妄也，命中無應份之聲色，運中無意中之貨財，空愛而無實享則妄念熾矣！如是則自性安能不受其牽扯而遷移哉！故貪、嗔、癡、愛，相因而生；慾、忿、蕩、遷，隨波而至。是以欲將良知良能復初，推廣行遠，非徹底將此心之四物剷除不可。
是以欲格其心物者，必戒貪慾，則扶性辟為正矣。息嗔忿，則闢性塞為揚矣。消癡奢，則收性蕩為定矣。剷愛妄，則挽性遷為止矣。
【字解】戒者除也。扶者匡也。正：大中也。息：容忍也。闢：揭也。揚：放大也。消者滅也。收者回也。定：近靜也。剷：斬斷也。挽：旋扭也。止者有定處也。
【節解】此節緊承上意而言。心物所生，貪慾、嗔忿、癡奢、愛妄則性受其牽扯。故相因而生，性辟塞蕩遷焉。本然之性，遂受傳染之性所蔽矣！故欲致其良知，覺性之初當何如也？其良方下備載焉。性本大中至正，落於後天，遂受貪慾牽扯而偏辟焉。覺貪慾之非，有傷性正，戒貪除慾，則匡扶偏辟，復性本旨之正矣。性本能大能小，放之則彌六合，卷之則退藏於密。落於後天，遂受嗔忿牽扯而閉塞焉。覺嗔忿之非，有傷性揚，息嗔忍忿，則闢破閉塞，復性本旨之揚矣。性本寧靜者也，落於後天，遂受癡奢牽扯而流蕩焉，覺癡奢之非，有傷性定，消癡去奢，則收復流蕩，復性本旨之定矣。性本知其所止，落於後天，遂受愛妄牽扯而遷移焉。覺愛妄之非，有傷性止，剷愛斬妄，則挽轉遷移，復性本旨之止矣。性正則不失其中和位育，性揚則不失其推廣行遠，性定則不失其幽靜穩固，性止則不失其登峯造極，如是則性中全體大用完備矣。
是故君子慎心物於隱微，遏意惡於動機。
【字解】慎：小心翼翼也。隱微：欲動未動之處也。遏：止也。動機：心浪之微波也。
【節解】三期時代，浩劫彌漫，究其劫源，乃起於心物之隱微耳。如貪慾、嗔忿、癡奢、愛妄皆由心物之不慎於隱微，遂相因而生焉。故心為大同之先導，心為浩劫之動機，心為萬事之源樞，心為鬼神之趨徑也。不慎於心物之隱微，則意惡流浪，遂相因而動機焉。聖人無他技，其心休休焉！無非慎隱微、遏動機也。然心意可敬亦可畏。可敬者，希聖希賢心也。可畏者，作奸作惡亦心也。噫！故欲致其良知，慎心物、遏意惡，乃為當前之急務矣。如格物功夫不能作到盡善而欲致其良知者，猶之築屋，基礎未堅，而欲上營其華，則恐危矣！捨格物而欲邁上七條，猶溉樹不潤其本而灑其末，為求其榮，則反枯矣！是故格物者，乃聖功之要領，願有志於道者，幸照吾言。躬行實踐，則心物可格，性體圓明，而至道凝矣。
故心物自蔽，身物自染。格心物者，復性初也；驅身物者，覺心源也。性心身者，一貫也。三者之不可離，猶植根本之不可分矣！性心居內曰自覺焉，身行著外曰覺人焉。故內聖外王之功，豈可缺一哉！
【字解】蔽：遮蔽也。染：薰陶也。初：本來面目也。驅：逐也，亦作除解。覺者明也。源者源遠流長，孳孳不息，而不染塵也。植：樹木類也。
【節解】性源者，理也。本性皓亮，落於後天，遂被氣象拘蔽，而心物遂起，心物遂起，猶雲霧之蔽青天矣。何謂心物？前章註之詳矣！無容重述。何謂身物？因其心物未慎於隱蔽，貪嗔癡愛遂滋蔓焉，行於身，發於外是也。故慎心物於隱微者，自性本來面目也；驅身物於昭著者，清心台之源流也。故自性在天曰理，賦人曰性；性主體骸曰心；心發而昭著曰身。名雖三，其實一貫也。理者根也，性者本也，心者幹也，身者枝也。根衰則葉萎，性明則身正；性、心、身三者之不可離，猶植物根本幹枝之不可分矣！故溉植須潤根，修身先覺性，性復其初，心有所依，則曰自覺焉。復加兼善之功，化萬民各復自性，曰覺人焉。故內聖外王之道，乃缺一不可也。至於心物、身物幾希之分，下文備載焉。
心物滋蔓，莫不自蔽己性焉。故聖人慎心物於隱微之間者，心物未動也。雖未動而持之一慎，則心物終無矣！心物終無，則至性常皓，至性常皓則即復性初也。
【字解】滋者生也。蔓者延也。持者守也。皓者亮也。
【節解】心物者貪慾、嗔忿、癡奢、愛妄是也。心之四物已生，則蔓延繁殖莫能遏已，遂將皓亮之至性蒙蔽耳。故聖人所謹慎者，隱蔽之處也，隱蔽之處者，心中四物猶未動矣。雖未動而不宜忽略焉！更須如臨深淵，如履薄冰，兢兢持慎，以匡不逮，慎隱微更甚於昭著也。如是心物何由而生，心物不生，則終無滋蔓之時矣。性空心逸，如撥濃厚之雲霧而重睹蔚藍之青天，至性本體磊落光明乃常而不變，此至性之本來面目也。
身物昭著，莫不自染己心焉。故賢人驅身物於昭著者，以其心物未慎於隱微也。心物弗慎於未動之間，貪嗔癡愛遂熾焉，而現於言行矣！此謂之身物昭著者也。故驅身物者，即曰覺心源也。心者易動，深恐始勤終懈，是病焉，則身物復昭著矣。如能始終覺心則亦漸趨於覺性矣！及其成功一也。
【字解】昭著者顯明也。熾者猶火之燃物，始微而勢大也。趨者入也。餘見前。
【節解】身物者，心中四物已經動而顯明行於身矣。心物生於心、顯於身，則薰陶漸染，而心源遂被湮沒矣。故賢人只知有人心而不知有道心，只知驅身物於昭著而不知慎心物於隱微也。此何故？造詣不同也。身物昭著者，其弊在未慎心物於隱微未動之間耳。因其心物未動之時不加謹慎，則貪嗔癡愛遂如火燃物，其勢由微及顯矣！而現於言行也。身者，心之役；心物滋蔓，發於身，身安敢不惟命是從乎。賢人造詣雖不及聖，然能覺察身物之非，徹底驅逐，則即賢人覺心源也。心者流動遷搖，心何流動遷搖？以其不知所歸耳。心藏何處？曰：至性也。賢人未復己性而心安所歸乎？此心流動遷搖之由也。深恐驅身物、覺心源之事不能始終如一，仍被流動之心而移其志，則身物如故矣。如誠、恆、堅三字抱定，此心如矢，此意似刃，驅身物於荒夷，則亦能漸由覺心而邁上覺性之徑矣！由賢入聖，及其登峯造極，一也。
此謂物不格，不可以致其知。
【字解】見前。
【節解】是以心物不格、身物不驅，何能致其良知乎！
所謂誠其意，在致其知者，故心物未發謂中和，良知性也；心物既發謂動機，紛乘意也。是以慎心物於隱微，遏意惡於動機，以復其良知而臻於至理矣。
【字解】紛乘：繞冗也。臻：至也。餘見前。
【節解】物格而後致知，良然。內聖之功，格致本也，誠正末也。故慎心物於欲動未動之間，以復其良知，以求至乎其極也。格致二部，已將內聖道盡無遺。內聖功足，則誠意不行而至者矣！猶植本直而末自立焉，故心者性意之中也。心之上則性，心之下則意矣。心物未發，即大中良知焉；心物既發，即意惡動機焉，是以慎心物於隱微，遏意惡於動機者，則性復矣。性本至大者，與理係一體也。良知良能，致廣推遠，以造無極而後已焉。
故格其心物，以致其良知者，內聖功也。聖足而後，則意不誠而誠矣，心不正而正矣。雖序有四，實則二焉。以其心意儲諸一身，故亦列內聖之功矣。
【字解】儲者藏也。
【節解】故格致之功，內聖之大本也。格心物以致其良知，致其良知，以極其至理也。心意者，性役也。性復而後，則誠正不行而至矣。故聖功序有四焉，曰：格、致、誠、正是也，其實即格致耳。聖人以其心意儲諸一身，故亦列內聖之功哉！故格致本也，誠正末也，本立而心意自誠正矣。
此謂知不致，不可以誠其意。（呂祖補述至此）
【字解】見前。
【節解】故良知得復，以求至乎其極而臻於理，則意不誠而誠矣。
傳文：誠意至總論
所謂誠其意者，毋自欺也。如惡惡臭，如好好色，此之謂自謙。故君子必慎其獨也。
【字解】惡、好，上字皆去聲。謙：讀為慊，苦劫反。毋：禁也。欺：瞞昧也。惡：臭穢氣也。謙：虛心也。慎獨者慎其所獨知之地，不欺自心，不欺自天。
【節解】大學一書乃一氣連貫，不可思議焉。所謂誠其意者，毋自欺也一語，即不欺自心也。如欲不欺自心，必先將真信立定，真信立定，毋欺自心，即無欺於天矣。空洞至靜之理天，念念居於我性天也。如惡惡臭者，理慾本不能融合，冰炭又安能相濟乎？理存慾亡，慾生理歿，兩視為仇矣！然我大中之真信立定，不欺自心、不欺自天，則欲念無隙可乘也。如是，則厭慾如臭，離我自遠矣。私慾淨盡，天理流行；性若懸珠，群魔潛伏；五常之德，性體本具，率性中所具之五常而實踐之，力行不怠，猶好好色之篤也。謙者，虛也。性本虛空如滄海焉，無細流之不納，推廣行遠，則臻於至理矣。是故成德之君子，必慎其獨者，何也？君子以虛為實，小人以質為實耳。故君子修不睹不聞之性，小人爭有形有質之財，終結虛無常在，形質消歿。是以君子處於人所不知而己所獨知之地，則儼若鬼神在側，未敢少慾念也，此以虛為實者矣。
小人閒居為不善，無所不至，見君子而后厭然，揜其不善而著其善。人之視己，如見其肺肝然，則何益矣？此謂誠於中，形於外，故君子必慎其獨也。
【字解】閒：音閑，閒居獨處也。厭：鄭氏讀作黶，厭然：消沮閉藏之貌。揜：藏也。著：彰也。肺、肝皆五臟之一，肺管呼吸，肝管藏血。
【節解】這一節不宜向身外而言，須向身中自覓。人身亦有君子、小人之別，大中至正之性天乃君子，奸詐邪宄之私慾乃小人。往往理不勝慾，然私慾之小人，終難欺原性之君子也。故孟子曰：胸中正，則眸子瞭焉；胸中不正，則眸子眊焉。自欺自佛，必形於色，故人在閒居，私慾之小人紛紛擾擾，所思所念無一善者。思念一起，頃刻千里，心思某處之聲色貨財，縱相隔迢遞，可一思即至，寰班雖大，思念欲窮其境，只頃刻耳。但自佛自天，有時昭著，則慾念失神，推其不善而著其善，偽也。而我自佛以真視偽，如秋風捲落葉之速，肺肝歷然，絲毫難昧，則私慾之小人有何益處？所謂誠其意者，須將己身心猿意馬牢牢拴穩。立真誠真信，則乘隙紛擾身中之小人束手受擒矣！如是縱獨處於室如對青天也。
曾子曰：十目所視，十手所指，其嚴乎！
【字解】嚴：威嚴也。
【節解】十目非十方之目也，十手非十方之手也；試觀十字，通天徹地，橫貫四方，大無不包，微無不入，十目十手安得向外覓乎？人心血心乘機動，則我自性，十目所視，十手所指，威嚴無私，安可得而欺也。至於深解，老仙不敢洩焉，速求天道，則自明瞭。
富潤屋，德潤身，心廣體胖。故君子必誠其意。
【字解】富：足也。潤：光澤也。胖：步丹反，安舒也。
【節解】此節非從皮面來論，須先向心性探討，富者人人皆富。或問曰：是何言歟？人皆富則無窮乎！吾曰：非然。人人性中各具五常之德，在聖不增，在凡不減，有何富貴之別。然降落後天，被聲色湮沒，雖富而不知其富，聖人覺性故富，凡入迷性故窮，富窮之分，在人覺與迷耳。如吾人能將原性復明，則亦如聖人之富矣。富者，性圓明也；屋者，體也。性光圓明，流溢蓋外，豈不潤我體乎。德潤身之德，即性中之五德。率五德實踐力行而親民渡眾，則我菩提之身，枝葉豐榮，花蕊怒放，菩提者身中五炁三花耳。此所謂外功圓滿，五炁不煉自朝元，三花不修自聚頂也。內外之功具足，則我心台廣大，性體安舒矣。故心廣者，心止性耳；體胖者，性體圓明也。故君子欲心廣體胖，必須先誠其意，意皈心，心止性，始覓其本矣。
所謂修身在正其心者，身有所忿懥，則不得其正；有所恐懼，則不得其正；有所好樂，則不得其正；有所憂患，則不得其正。
【字解】程子曰：身有之身當作心。忿：弗粉反。懥：敕值反。好、樂並去聲。忿懥者怒也。
【節解】凡心臺有忿懥、恐懼、好樂、憂患，均係氣障，氣障生，則心臺不潔，心臺不潔，則物慾滋蔓，其心則難正矣。心生忿懥則近嗔，生嗔則性塞而失其揚，心生恐懼則近妄。妄心妄行，自惹災害則生恐懼，生恐懼則性遷而失其正；心生好樂則近貪，生貪則性辟而失其正；心生憂患則近癡，癡心於功名，癡心於富貴，營營癡心即憂患中人，生憂患則性蕩而失其定。故欲修性者，先持其心；心正即不生忿懥、恐懼、好樂、憂患，則性不辟不塞，不蕩不遷，而得中和之道也。
心不在焉，視而不見，聽而不聞，食而不知其味。
【字解】視：目神注也。聞者耳聰注也。味：性天清靜無為之意。
【節解】心者身之主，心者性之役，我心不與原性相通，則性天天視之理，心不得視；性天天聞之理，心不得聞；性天清靜之味，心不得嘗矣。心性不合一者，凡俗也。即當前之事未至，我心亦弗明曉，心性合一者，聖賢仙佛也。縱百世之事瞭如指掌，此非蓍占也。乃我自性無所不知，無所不曉。心與性合，則性視，心已得視；性聞，心已得聞；性中清靜無為之味，心已得嘗矣。故凝至道之人，覺性之初，禍福預知，即此理也，安用卦爻占卜乎。
此謂修身在正其心。
【字解】見前。
【節解】是以欲修其身，必先慎心物。心正後與性天合而為一也。
所謂齊其家在修其身者，人之其所親愛而辟焉，之其所賤惡而辟焉，之其所畏敬而辟焉，之其所哀矜而辟焉，之其所敖惰而辟焉。故好而知其惡，惡而知其美者，天下鮮矣。
【字解】辟：讀為僻。惡而之惡、敖、好，並去聲。鮮：上聲。辟：猶僻也。矜者憐也。敖者驕傲也。惰者慢待也。鮮者少也。
【節解】中者天下之大本，在天曰理，賦於人身曰性。性發於心，心支配一身，由是窮究大中至正之理，身中本具焉。然人落後天，心遂波羅，善惡之念頻起，是非之思繁續，大中之心，遂被後天情慾所遷搖矣。是以欲修我之色身，必須先覺我之靈身，靈身者主也，色身者役也。故親愛、賤惡、畏敬、哀矜、敖惰者，情也。勿以後天之情而遷搖其先天之性，性情不分，安能修己身哉！故欲修後天之色身，先須覺先天之靈身，靈身居中，則色身居正矣。如是則無親愛之人、賤惡之人、畏敬之人、哀矜之人、敖惰之人。身居一家之主，一律看待則無偏辟。無偏辟，則家有千口，心只一心也。如是未有不家齊者。如居子弟者，欲齊其家則其然也。親愛敬畏者父母也，如兄弟有不肖者，而我變賤惡之心為哀矜之心，哀矜者憐其失足為惡也。感之化之，以盡己任，久之自能挽回其心。萬不因兄弟之不肖，而我露出敖情之態度，須知世間無不可化之人，如人不受我之所化，須反躬觀察己性覺耶、迷耶；己心正耶、辟耶。如己性覺，己心正，相信無不被其化者。故我所好之人，此人純善歟，如言行有一點不善，則我知其善中之惡，勿以所善而蔽其惡也。我所惡之人，此人純惡歟，如言行有一點善者，則我須知其惡中之善，勿以所惡而蔽其善也。總言：化善中之小惡歸於純善，化惡中之小善亦歸於純善，而後已焉。聖人與天一體，故好而知其惡，惡而知其善者，此知非後天之知，乃復自性之良知也。如是始能齊其家，然到此步，非良知復初者不可。良知復初者，天下能有幾人哉！
故諺有之曰：人莫知其子之惡，莫知其苗之碩。
【字解】諺：音彥。碩：韻時若反。諺者俗語也。碩者大也。
【節解】美哉言乎！惡者，血心之混濁也；苗者，道心之靈苗也。換而言之，即人莫知其血心之惡，莫知其道心之碩。血心者物慾之心也，如人之逆子耳，然人雖知逆子之惡而縱之以行，久必受其連累。血心陷我，比逆子更猶甚焉。知其惡，徹底消之，然後血心轉人心，人心轉道心。然道心本至大，而人莫知其大。以血心蒙蔽道心，猶濃雲遮日，而失其大也。人須知我血心之惡，徹底清掃；知我道心之碩，愈發其磊落光明，如是則道心與無極相合矣。
此謂身不修，不可以齊其家。
【字解】見前。
【節解】自己之血心知其惡而不清除，自己之道心知其大而不復初。空知而不實行，安望其修身。身不修，鮮有齊其家者，故我披肝瀝膽以註學庸者，非令人空知學庸之意耳，深願天下同胞知之而躬行實踐也。
所謂治國必先齊其家者，其家不可教，而能教人者，無之。故君子不出家，而成教於國。孝者，所以事君也；弟者，所以事長也；慈者，所以使眾也。
【字解】弟：去聲。長：上聲。餘見前。
【節解】格致誠正，內聖也；修齊治平，外王也，前已註之矣。故君子先修內聖之功，體也。後踐外王之道，用也。孝、弟、慈三者，本大學 -
44 -
天性所獨具。故君子不出家，而成教於國，乃言一身即國也。身中之國，存理遏慾，性攝政權，心身共役，遂大治焉。而後推於家庭，孝親友弟，慈愛子姪，如是則家齊，家齊而後由家推外，可以治國矣。故治身內國與治身外國一貫也。能盡孝於父母，未有不忠其君者；能盡悌道以事兄長，未有不恭其上者；以慈幼之道使民，未有不得眾心也。吾註至此，心有所感焉！我以為天地與人極有情者，亦與人極無情者，或問何也？吾曰：人能誠、恆、堅三字抱定，存理遏慾，覺性之初，盡孝弟慈於家，推孝弟慈於國，終於道成天上，名留人間，此非天地之極有情乎。如果存慾遏理，迷性之本，不盡孝弟慈於家，不能推孝弟慈於國，自蔽自天，終則墜於萬劫，永在輪迴，白玉之白，變為污穢之濁矣！此非天地之極無情乎。噫！有情無情，惟人自去取焉。
康誥曰：如保赤子。心誠求之，雖不中，不遠矣。未有學養子而后嫁者也。
【字解】赤子：即性別名。中：去聲。嫁：處子于歸也。
【節解】凡是天地間之人，身中皆賦赤子之性，落塵寰則被氣物蒙蔽，失其靈明，如誠心向道，反躬自求，以復赤子，則大中顯露。在進行覓求赤子，而未復赤子之間，雖未中理，然相距真理不遠矣。故我自先天來，未有先學其如何保養赤子之性，而後落後天也。
一家仁，一國興仁；一家讓，一國興讓；一人貪戾，一國作亂。其機如此，此謂一言僨事、一人定國。
【字解】僨：音奮，壞也。貪：份外也。戾：暴也。機：主動也。
【節解】性弗明，心弗定，則意識紛紜；性明心定，意識則不妄動，而一身之國大治也，故天子一家仁讓，則一國仁義謙讓；天子一人貪欲暴戾，則一國貪橫作亂。故君有道，則一國興仁；君失道，則一國敗度。一國興仁，一國敗度，其機在何？在君之有道無道耳。何謂有道？性明心定，意識則不妄動；一身有道，而治其國遂有道矣。
堯舜帥天下以仁，而民從之；桀紂帥天下以暴，而民從之。其所令反其所好，而民不從。是故君子有諸己而后求諸人；無諸己而后非諸人。所藏乎身不恕，而能喻諸人者，未之有也。
【字解】好：去聲。堯舜：古之聖君也。桀紂：古之暴君也。恕即推己及人。喻：明瞭。
【節解】堯舜明己明德以仁道帥天下萬民，咸使萬民各復其具有之明德，而民安得不誠悅而從之者也。桀紂蒙蔽天良，縱慾肆虐，帥天下以暴，而民從之者，非心從也，迫於勢下耳。自昧性天，而欲復萬民性天，而民故不從。是故聖君之治國，必由一身之國得治，而我所領導之國鮮有不治者。君子必先克己而後克人，不克己鮮有能克人者。忠者，體也；恕者，用也。忠者，中心；恕者，如心。自己中心不立而欲如人之心，未之有也。
故治國在齊其家。
【字解】見前。
【節解】所以欲治其國，必先施恕道於家庭，家齊則國始能治也。
詩云：桃之夭夭，其葉蓁蓁，之子于歸，宜其家人。宜其家人，而后可以教國人。
【字解】詩經周南桃夭篇。夭：平聲。蓁：音臻。夭夭：少好貌。蓁蓁：盛貌。之子即言處子。于歸即嫁夫也。
【節解】一個如桃輕嫩而美盛之原性，人人所具，換而言之，即赤子也。于歸者，換而言之，即性由先天落後天也，落後天則蔽其皓矣。如欲克己復禮，首將心意繫牢，物慾淨盡後，天理自然流行，方能宜其家人，而後可以教國人。性比桃夭，寓意大哉！桃夭者，始桃仁也，此仁東方屬木，其氣秉溫，其德曰生，桃夭於桃仁，而終歸桃仁，人性賦自於天而終歸於理也。
詩云：宜兄宜弟。宜兄宜弟，而后可以教國人。
【字解】詩經小雅蓼蕭篇。
【節解】身、心、性三者兄弟也。兄弟分歧，則蕭牆干戈，即曰凡夫。兄弟怡怡，一字連貫，即曰聖體。身、心、性兄弟各盡其道，方能實踐親民之功，施教於國人。
詩云：其儀不忒，正是四國。其為父子兄弟足法，而后民法之也。
【字解】詩經曹風鳲鳩篇。忒：差也。
【節解】君子覺性於內，禮儀於外，發而中節，安有差錯之理。抱親民之道，以匡正民心之洪願，首須孝父母、友兄弟、慈其子，自己父子兄弟足法，而後萬民始能效也。親民化眾之洪願，始能由漸達到。
此謂治國在齊其家。
【字解】見前。
【節解】所以欲治其國者，必先齊其家；欲齊其家者，必先齊其心。
所謂平天下在治其國者，上老老而民興孝；上長長而民興弟；上恤孤而民不倍。是以君子有絜矩之道也。
【字解】長：上聲。弟：去聲。倍：與背同。絜：胡結反。老老：所謂老吾之老也。長長：所謂長吾之長也。興：謂有所感發而興起也。孤者幼而無父之稱。絜：度也。矩所以為方也。
【節解】故為民父母者，必須先修其身，以立杆見影焉。吾孝吾老，順其心、養其身，盡其子道。古云：上行下效，則一國民眾咸以老老之道以孝其親也。吾敬吾長，謙恭忍讓以盡悌道，則一國民眾咸以長長之道以敬其兄也。如是復懷悲天憫人之宏慈以恤孤寡，而民亦孝其慈愛之道而不倍矣。然我孝高堂二老，復能以孝化民，使萬民咸孝其二老，此乃盡孝於先天也。夫何理？先天視萬民皆子，萬民各盡孝於後天二老，則民上者，始能盡孝於先天聖也。天下有一人未孝其老者，則先天聖猶未足孝也。所以君子欲令天下萬民老其老、長其長，必須以身作則焉。
所惡於上，毋以使下；所惡於下，毋以事上；所惡於前，毋以先後；所惡於後，毋以從前；所惡於右，毋以交於左；所惡於左，毋以交於右，此之謂絜矩之道。
【字解】惡、先，並去聲。
【節解】此復解上文絜矩二字之意。如不欲上之無禮於我，則必以此度下之心，而亦不敢以此無禮使之；不欲下之不忠於我，則必以此度上之心，而亦不敢以此不忠事之；至於前後左右無不皆然。故君子以天下之心為心，不恃己心為心也。何云？為心發於性，性賦自天，天下之人莫不皆然，至理乃天下萬民賦性之源也。人人覓源，則君子絜矩之道不勉而中矣。
詩云：樂只君子，民之父母。民之所好好之，民之所惡惡之，此之謂民之父母。
【字解】詩經小雅南山有臺篇。樂：音洛。只：音紙。好、惡，並去聲，下並同。只者語助辭。
【節解】君子修其自性，啟諸群性，使群性各覺其自性。以群性之覺為己性之樂。故成德君子，以群性之所好為自性之所好，群性之所惡為自性之所惡。夫群性者，天也。天之所好敢不好之乎？天之所惡敢不惡之乎？好惡皆之於天，始足為萬民父母。
詩云：節彼南山，維石巖巖；赫赫師尹，民具爾瞻。有國者不可以不慎，辟則為天下僇矣！
【字解】詩經小雅節南山篇。節：讀為截。辟：讀為僻。僇：與戮同。節：截然高大貌。師尹：周太師尹氏也。具：俱也。辟：偏也。
【節解】萬民者，天也。順天之道，執天之行，始足為民上矣。如周太師赫赫然有威，鮮德。萬民鑽視，即天視也。所以民為國天，良然。天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽，為民上者天役也。如懷一念之私，天必鑒之，有國者豈可不慎歟！是以好惡不公，即不得天心矣。天下所戮者，即天假手以戮之也。
詩云：殷之未喪師，克配上帝；儀監于殷，峻命不易。道得眾則得國，失眾則失國。
【字解】詩經大雅文王篇。喪：去聲。儀：詩作宜。峻：詩作駿。易：去聲。師：眾也。配：對也。監：視也。峻：大也。
【節解】先亡民心繼亡國，首得眾心遂得國。在殷未失萬民之心時，先帝大學 - 51 -
遺德可以與上帝之心相合。且看殷失天下之由，才不能保守天之明命也。天既降大任於我作萬民之先覺，而我迷昧性天五常，自覺猶未能，況作萬民先覺乎！故合民心即合天心。天之明命即萬民之視聽也，復己性之五常，施於萬民，使萬民視我、聽我若神明焉！如是方足為萬民之覺也。故失民心，則天之明命我不能保，我不能保，則上帝明命必將轉移於有德之人矣。是以先失己心，繼失民心。失民心，國隨民而失也，殷鑒不遠，有國者可不警歟。
是故君子先慎乎德，有德此有人，有人此有土，有土此有財，有財此有用。
【字解】見前。
【節解】古之成德君子，內聖之功具足，戰兢自持，性珠廓落。言行悉性中所發，鮮有不合德者。此慎者何？懼外魔乘隙入內也。德行外溢，則親民化眾，啟群性使各明自性，安能不得人心乎。群性者與己性一也，使萬民各耕性田，各守寸土，而我在世曰聖賢，出世曰仙佛。以先天佛果為財，永居極樂，不生不滅，不垢不淨，享受先天清福，則財受之不盡也。有先天之財，抱濟世之心，以神道設教，有感悉通，以化黎庶為用也。德者，本也；財者，末也。外本內末，爭民施奪。
【字解】見前。
【節解】前章解之詳矣。不先向內聖入手，而空懷證果之心，則捨本而逐末矣。然欲化萬民各復其本，而己猶用其末，如淨取民利而施奪矣！不為無益而又害之。
是故財聚則民散，財散則民聚。
【字解】見前。
【節解】財聚者獨善其身也，自己覺性居先覺之民，不以先覺覺後覺，則民心莫知自性，鮮有心不散亂者。是以自性圓明，而實踐親民化眾之功，盡性能事，以化萬民，則財散也。而民鮮有不聚為一者，萬民聚為一心，則即整個之無極耳。
是故言悖而出者，亦悖而入；貨悖而入者，亦悖而出。
【字解】悖：布內反，悖逆也。
【節解】此天地間循環至理。故古之君子，不以己心為心，而以眾心為心也。我之不欲，即萬民之不欲。有一因必結一果，有一形必映一影，我言悖理而出，則人亦以悖理之言而入我也。我貨悖理而入，則子孫不能保之，亦必悖理而出於人也。我能不悖而出，而人亦不悖而入。噫！因因果果，如影隨形焉。
康誥曰：惟命不于常。道善則得之，不善則失之矣。
【字解】見前。
【節解】大哉言乎，聖與凡一也，惟在悟與迷耳。凡是一人，千萬不可自暴自棄，如能恪奉格致誠正，循序不紊功夫，矢志前邁，內聖功足，天必命之以教民之任。故先修至德，至道必凝，天之明命必得之，此狂可作聖也。如聖趨狂，由喬木而遷於幽谷，則上天偉任必將移焉。故聖若非至蓋棺之時，不可論定曰聖；狂者不至蓋棺之時，不可論定曰狂。人在生時身份不可確定也。
楚書曰：楚國無以為寶，惟善以為寶。
【字解】楚書：楚語。寶：貴重物也。
【節解】為人君者，內聖功足，性體圓明，以至善無極至道以為至寶，化民教民，鮮有其國不治者。
舅犯曰：亡人無以為寶，仁親以為寶。
【字解】舅犯：晉文公舅狐偃，字子犯。亡人：文公時為公子，出亡在外也。
【節解】天地之大仁，曰生物；天地之大德，曰好生。故為民上者，本乎天地之仁親，以化眾民，以此為國寶，勝璽寶多矣。
秦誓曰：
若有一个臣，斷斷兮，無他技；其心休休焉，其如有容焉。人之有技，若己有之；人之彥聖，其心好之；不啻若自其口出，實能容之，以能保我子孫黎民，尚亦有利哉！人之有技，媢嫉以惡之；人之彥聖，而違之俾不通；實不能容，以不能保我子孫黎民，亦曰殆哉！
【字解】秦誓：周書。个：古賀反，書作介。斷：丁亂反。媢：音冒。斷斷：誠一之貌。彥：美士也。聖：通明也。尚：庶幾也。媢：忌也。違：拂戾也。殆：危也。
【節解】千言萬語不外一性，性本無能無技，惟以至誠不息，包容萬象，運用百體，性雖無技，而心之休休若有技者，乃發於無技性也。心之有技，亦若性之有技也；心之聰睿通明，而性亦希其歸於純善也。性以至誠，包容萬物，非心之所能口白也。性光皓皓，如赤日當空，照徹萬里，則大中流露於外焉。如是，則在世曰聖賢大學 - 55 -
，出世曰仙佛矣。遺教於子孫黎民，則聖道綿綿延久也。如性天被氣物蒙蔽，血心主身，則人相、我相由是分矣。視人之性體圓陀而我不羨，反生媢嫉以惡之。人之心台聰睿通明，而我反不相容。如是不但不能保我子孫黎民，而己性亦深沉萬丈矣。
唯仁人放流之，迸諸四夷，不與同中國。此謂唯仁人，為能愛人，能惡人。
【字解】迸：讀為屏，古字通用。放：安置也。流：徒刑也。迸者隔絕也。夷者邊荒處也。
【節解】由一身而推及於外，原無二理，我之自性猶仁人也，血心之惡者，慾也。故理慾相仇，爭端頻起，如理勝之，迸慾於四處邊荒，不與同居，如慾勝之，迸理亦然。故性之愛人，欲群性覺其自性矣；性之惡人，欲群性咸迷其自性矣；性之愛惡，與天地之愛惡一也。
見賢而不能舉，舉而不能先，命也；見不善而不能退，退而不能遠，過也。
【字解】遠：去聲。命：怠慢也。
【節解】賢莫過於性，不善莫過於慾。本然之性乃純善無惡，落於後天，遂受氣拘物蔽矣。然或有知其性善者，而不能舉之主身，縱舉性而不能消慾，則天理仍未純全，是怠慢性天也。故無真知之人即不能真行，心無果決，幽柔寡斷，見不善之慾而不能退去，縱退亦不能離遠，慾仍能乘隙而入，則過莫大焉。
好人之所惡，惡人之所好，是謂拂人之性，災必逮夫身。
【字解】夫：音扶。拂：逆也。
【節解】人身之所以招災惹禍者，心慾也。性之所好，心慾必惡之；性之所惡，心慾必好之。如不抱定決心，徹底剷除心慾，則是謂拂仁人之性矣。仁人者，身中性天也，拂我性天即逆天矣！逆天之行，必受天災也。
是故君子有大道，必忠信以得之，驕泰以失之。
【字解】忠：盡己也。信：無偽也。驕：矜高也。泰：侈肆也。
【節解】道由身內而覓，無不圓通。君子者，指性而言，性中本具五常，率性五常而作即曰道。以道教人，必忠必信，則得人心矣。違此則驕泰之意，如樹偏影斜，安望得其人心哉。
生財有大道，生之者眾，食之者寡；為之者疾，用之者舒；則財恒足矣。
【字解】恒：胡登反。疾：迅也。舒：足也。恒：常也。
【節解】故古之成德君子，內聖之功具足，由內推外，實踐外王之道，化人人各盡天職，國無遊民，則生者眾矣；朝無幸位，則食者寡矣；不奪農時，則為之疾矣；量入為出，則用之舒矣。從身內言，國無遊民者，我一身之國大治，百體盡職，性天磊落，其道不窮也。朝無幸位者，一身之國，性君垂拱而治，消內清平，念不熾、慾不，君聖臣賢，安有幸位之慾念乎！如是則精神所耗寡矣。不奪農時者，性天發揚，不宜以慾念而阻自性發揚之時也。既不阻時，則臻至理疾矣。量入為出者，量我之德，盡性能事，以化萬民，化萬民覺性，性舒心足，則身立道矣。如是，則先天證果，必由後天四項入徑也。
仁者以財發身，不仁者以身發財。
【字解】見前。
【節解】仁人君子，以真功實善而發揚我菩提之身。不仁者，以四大假合之身，鈎心鬪角而求有為之財，仁者真功實善之財，萬古長昭。不仁者，有為之財，則身在財在，人歿則財魔隨之耳。何勝浩嘆！世人何不識真偽歟。
未有上好仁，而下不好義者也；未有好義，其事不終者也；未有府庫財，非其財者也。
【字解】府庫：存財之所也。
【節解】民本風中之草，順其風性耳。如在上者，性體圓明，博愛萬民，則下未有不好義以忠其上者。民心者，天心也。得民心，則天心效順矣！故為民上者，存天地大仁以恒久不變，則下者好義、忠上之心安得不終乎。民心歸，府庫之財雖曰國有，實民有也。如是，一國安有不富強康樂乎。
孟獻子曰：畜馬乘，不察於雞豚；伐冰之家，不畜牛羊；百乘之家，不畜聚斂之臣；與其有聚斂之臣，寧有盜臣。此謂國不以利為利，以義為利也。
【字解】畜：許六反。乘、斂：並去聲。孟獻子：魯之賢大夫，仲孫蔑也。畜馬乘：士初試為大夫者也。伐冰之家：卿大夫以上，喪祭用冰者也。百乘之家：有采地者也。斂：聚斂也。
【節解】為民上者，盡性知天，既知天則知民矣。以仁化民，以義導民，寧捨己利而不傷民力。故寧有盜臣，而不畜聚斂之臣，使民覺性，各盡性中之能事，治國以仁為體，使民以義為利，安得不望其治哉。
長國家而務財用者，必自小人矣；彼為善之。小人之使為國家，災害並至，雖有善者，亦無如之何矣。此謂國不以利為利，以義為利也。
【字解】長：上聲。務：專辦也。彼：指民上也，長者萬民之長。
【節解】夫天授大任於萬民之長者，上帝授命於一人，乃使一人而化萬民，各盡其道也。如上不以此為教民之本，利慾薰心，專事財貨，雖為萬民之一猶不足，況為萬民之長上者乎！此為萬民之小人矣。如使其治國，天災、人禍必頻至矣！如桀紂焉。雖有忠者善者匡扶，亦無如之何矣！此所謂治國之道，化萬民各盡其性，唯一之良策也。盡性而後，則以仁居心，以義為利矣。
總論
大學一書，乃致大同之道也。由何點見來，現在浩劫瀰漫，黎民倒懸，究其劫源，皆係蒙蔽己性，利用己情耳。久之則己性益塞，氣質日深，嗜慾日甚，將天地生我之大用，己身應盡之天職，盡置於腦後矣。故心為大同之先覺，心為浩劫之淵源。噫嘻！心乃造劫、弭劫之樞紐耳。致大同之心，乃天賦明德之道心也；造浩劫之心，乃物慾所染之血心也。此二心原有辯焉！人人皆具明德真性，賦自理域，純善無惡者，在我運於一身，活潑自如，然明德之道心，在先天白玉無瑕，着氣象，遂為四相所糾紛，物交物引之基已矣。本通天徹地之心，遂化為後天此心也。聖人立教主要地點在何？不外令人人由後天物慾之血心格除，以復回先天純然之道心而已。人人此心以復，世界大同立現，所以欲趨大同境界，非人人遵從聖經之道不可。前賢註解不乏其人，皆言簡理明，吾心深佩。然有美中不足者，不尚篤行也。許知聖人立教，垂書萬古，非令後世作富貴之憑藉，功名之階梯也。乃化人人覺性，個個覓心，以期止於至善，共臻於至理，此其聖人之本心也。吾有見於此，故不揣駑鈍，淺言註解，詞簡易明，無論何節何句，皆不離性、心、身三字，此其根本解決。如性、心、身分歧則為凡夫，性、心、身合一則即曰聖人，而所專重者，在力行二字耳。行之以力，至誠不息，聖域賢關，人人可登，至於如何入德？性、心、身如何融合？前已註之詳矣！無容重贅，願天下同胞，將以迴光返照歟。
Source Colophon
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com), Category 9 (一貫道經典). URL: c9034.htm. The site states: 歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通 ("Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate"). Source text was fetched and staged by Tulku Bo (墨), Session 124. This translation presents the complete text: the self-preface, two disciple prefaces, three opening essays, the commentary on the main text (經), all ten commentary chapters (傳) including the restored 格物致知 chapters, and the final 總論 (General Discussion). The translation is complete.
🌲