The Great Learning

大學之道，在明明德，在親民，在止於至善。知止而後有定，定而後能靜，靜而後能安，安而後能慮，慮而後能得。物有本末，事有終始，知所先後，則近道矣。

“The Great Learning” is the learning that perfects a person of great stature, and its aim is threefold: to make bright the luminous virtue one is born with (ming de, the clear nature a person has from birth), to love and renew the people, and to bring oneself and the people to rest in the highest good. Only when you know where to rest does your purpose become settled; only with a settled purpose can you be calm; only when calm can you be at peace; only when at peace can you deliberate thoroughly; and only with thorough deliberation can you truly attain something. Things have roots and branches, affairs have beginnings and ends; to know what comes first and what comes after is to be close to the Way.

古之慾明明德於天下者，先治其國；欲治其國者，先齊其家；欲齊其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先誠其意；欲誠其意者，先致其知，致知在格物。物格而後知至，知至而後意誠，意誠而後心正，心正而後身修，身修而後家齊，家齊而後國治，國治而後天下平。自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本。其本亂而末治者否矣，其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也！此謂知本，此謂知之至也。

Those of ancient times who wished to make bright virtue shine throughout the world first governed their own states well. Wishing to govern their states well, they first set their own families in order. Wishing to set their families in order, they first cultivated their own persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their own hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first made their intentions sincere and free of falsehood (cheng yi). Wishing to make their intentions sincere, they first extended their knowledge to the utmost (zhi zhi), and the work of extending knowledge lies in “investigating things” (ge wu), that is, probing to the bottom of the principles of things. When the principles of things have been probed, knowledge is complete; when knowledge is complete, intentions become sincere; when intentions are sincere, the heart is rectified; when the heart is rectified, the person is cultivated; when the person is cultivated, the family is in order; when the family is in order, the state is well governed; and when the state is well governed, the world is at peace. From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all alike take self-cultivation as the root. It has never happened that the root is in disorder and yet the branches are well governed; and it has never happened that what should be treated generously is treated meanly while what should be treated meanly is treated generously. This is called knowing the root; this is called the utmost reach of knowledge.

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！小人閒居為不善，無所不至，見君子而後厭然，掩其不善，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。曾子曰：「十目所視，十手所指，其嚴乎！」富潤屋，德潤身，心廣體胖，故君子必誠其意。

What is meant by “making one’s intentions sincere” is not deceiving oneself: hating evil as one hates a foul smell, loving the good as one loves a beautiful woman. This is what it means to be content and at ease within oneself. Therefore the superior person is always especially watchful when alone and unseen (shen du). The petty person, living idly by himself, does bad things and will stop at nothing; but on seeing a superior person he shrinks away, hides his badness, and puts on a show of goodness. Yet others look at him as if they could see right through to his lungs and liver, so what is the use of concealing? This is what is meant by saying that what is real within shows itself outwardly; therefore the superior person must be watchful when alone. Master Zeng said: “Ten eyes are watching you, ten hands are pointing at you; how severe this is!” Wealth adorns a house, virtue adorns the person; when the heart is broad, the body is at ease and comfortable. Therefore the superior person must make his intentions sincere.

《詩》云：「瞻彼淇澳，菉竹猗猗。有斐君子，如切如磋，如琢如磨。瑟兮僩兮，赫兮喧兮。有斐君子，終不可諠兮！」「如切如磋」者，道學也；「如琢如磨」者，自修也；「瑟兮僩兮」者，恂慄也；「赫兮喧兮」者，威儀也；「有斐君子，終不可諠兮」者，道盛德至善，民之不能忘也。《詩》云：「於戲前王不忘！」君子賢其賢而親其親，小人樂其樂而利其利，此以沒世不忘也。

The Book of Songs, in the “Qi Bend” ode of the Odes of Wei, says: “Look at the curving banks of the Qi, where the green bamboo grows so lush. There is a gentleman of refined elegance, like bone cut and filed, like ivory rasped and polished, like jade carved and ground. How dignified and broad-minded, how bright and splendid in bearing! Such a gentleman of refined elegance can never be forgotten!” “Like bone cut and filed” speaks of his pursuit of learning; “like jade carved and ground” speaks of his cultivation of himself; “dignified and broad-minded” speaks of the reverent care within his heart; “bright and splendid” speaks of the awe-inspiring majesty of his bearing; “a gentleman of refined elegance can never be forgotten” speaks of how his virtue was so abundant and reached such perfect goodness that the people could not forget him. The Book of Songs, in the “Lie Wen” hymn of the Hymns of Zhou, says: “Ah, the former kings are not forgotten!” Later gentlemen honored the worthy whom the former kings honored and were close to the kin whom the former kings held close, while the common people enjoyed the ease the former kings left behind and received the benefits they brought; so even though the former kings had passed away, people did not forget them from generation to generation.

《康誥》曰：「克明德。」《太甲》曰：「顧諟天之明命。」《帝典》曰：「克明峻德。」皆自明也。

The Book of Documents, in the “Announcement to Kang,” says: “He was able to make his virtue bright.” In the “Tai Jia” chapter it says: “He constantly looked to the bright mandate of Heaven.” In the “Canon of Yao” (anciently called the “Canon of the Emperor”) it says: “He was able to make lofty virtue bright.” All of these speak of making bright for oneself the luminous virtue one is born with.

湯之盤銘曰：「茍日新，日日新，又日新。」《康誥》曰：「作新民。」《詩》曰：「周雖舊邦，其命惟新。」是故君子無所不用其極。

The inscription on the bathtub of Tang of Shang says: “If you can renew yourself one day, then renew yourself every day, and keep on renewing yourself.” The “Announcement to Kang” says: “Rouse the people so that they renew themselves.” The Book of Songs, in the “King Wen” ode of the Greater Odes, says: “Though Zhou is an ancient state, the mandate it received is new.” Therefore the superior person leaves no place where he does not exert his utmost in seeking renewal and goodness.

《詩》云：「邦畿千里，惟民所止。」《詩》云：「緡蠻黃鳥，止於丘隅。」子曰：「於止，知其所止，可以人而不如鳥乎？」《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。

The Book of Songs, in the “Dark Bird” hymn of the Hymns of Shang, says: “The royal capital and the thousand li around it are where the people dwell and rest.” In the “Mian Man” ode of the Lesser Odes it says: “The little yellow bird with its twittering cry rests at a corner of the hill.” Confucius said: “When it comes to resting, even the yellow bird knows where it should rest; can it be that a human being may fall short of a bird?” The “King Wen” ode of the Greater Odes says: “How solemn and profound was King Wen, whose bright virtue never ceased, and who reverently rested where he should!” As a ruler, he rested in benevolence (ren, the heart that loves others and all things); as a minister, in reverence; as a son, in filial piety; as a father, in kindness; and in dealings with the people of the state, in trustworthiness.

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。

Confucius said: “In hearing lawsuits, I am no different from anyone else; but if there is a difference, it is that I would make lawsuits not arise at all!” Those who are insincere are kept from finishing their empty words because the virtue of those above awes the hearts of the people. This is called knowing the root.

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。心不在焉，視而不見，聽而不聞，食而不知其味。此謂修身在正其心。

What is meant by “cultivating the person lies in rectifying one’s heart” is this: if one is subject to anger and resentment, the heart cannot be rectified; if subject to fear, the heart cannot be rectified; if subject to partiality and fondness, the heart cannot be rectified; if subject to worry and anxiety, the heart cannot be rectified. When the mind is not present, one looks and does not see, listens and does not hear, eats and does not taste the flavor. This is what is meant by saying that cultivating the person lies in rectifying one’s heart.

所謂齊其家在修其身者：人之其所親愛而闢焉，之其所賤惡而闢焉，之其所畏敬而闢焉，之其所哀矜而闢焉，之其所敖惰而闢焉。故好而知其惡，惡而知其美者，天下鮮矣！故諺有之曰：「人莫知其子之惡，莫知其苗之碩。」此謂身不修不可以齊其家。

What is meant by “setting the family in order lies in cultivating oneself” is this: people tend to be partial toward those they are close to and love; partial toward those they despise and dislike; partial toward those they hold in awe; partial toward those they pity and sympathize with; and partial toward those they are careless of and look down on. Hence it is very rare in the world for someone to like a person and still see his faults, or to dislike a person and still see his good points. That is why the proverb says: “No one knows the badness of his own child, and no one finds his own crops big enough.” This is what is meant by saying that if the person is not cultivated, one cannot set one’s family in order.

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。《康誥》曰：「如保赤子」，心誠求之，雖不中不遠矣。未有學養子而後嫁者也！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。堯、舜率天下以仁，而民從之；桀、紂率天下以暴，而民從之。其所令反其所好，而民不從。是故君子有諸己而後求諸人，無諸己而後非諸人。所藏乎身不恕，而能喻諸人者，未之有也。故治國在齊其家。《詩》云：「桃之夭夭，其葉蓁蓁；之子于歸，宜其家人。」宜其家人，而後可以教國人。《詩》云：「宜兄宜弟。」宜兄宜弟，而後可以教國人。《詩》云：「其儀不忒，正是四國。」其為父子兄弟足法，而後民法之也。此謂治國在齊其家。

What is meant by “to govern the state one must first set one’s own family in order” is this: there has never been anyone who cannot teach his own family yet can teach others. Therefore the superior person, without leaving his home, brings instruction to the whole state: filial piety at home is precisely the principle by which one serves the ruler; respect for elder brothers at home (ti) is precisely the principle by which one serves one’s elders; kindness to children at home is precisely the principle by which one directs the multitude. The “Announcement to Kang” says: “Care for them as for a newborn infant.” A mother who sincerely seeks to understand what the infant needs, even if she does not guess exactly right, will not be far off; no one has ever first learned to raise a child and then married. When one family is benevolent, a whole state rises in benevolence; when one family is courteous and yielding, a whole state rises in courtesy; when one man is greedy and violent, a whole state falls into disorder. The mainspring of affairs is as delicate as that. This is what is meant by saying that a single word can ruin an affair, and a single person can settle a state. Yao and Shun led the world with benevolence, and the people followed them in benevolence; Jie and Zhou led the world with violence, and the people followed them in violence. If a ruler’s orders run contrary to what he himself does, the people will not obey. Therefore the superior person first has a quality in himself and then asks it of others, first is free of a fault in himself and then criticizes it in others. There has never been anyone who, harboring in himself a heart that does not accord with reciprocity, could yet instruct others. Hence governing the state lies in first setting one’s own family in order. The Book of Songs, in the “Peach Tree” ode of the Odes of Zhou South, says: “How tender is the peach tree, how lush its leaves; this maiden is going to her new home and will live in harmony with her household.” Only when one can live in harmony with one’s household can one then instruct the people of the state. The “Luxiao” ode of the Lesser Odes says: “He treats his elder brothers and his younger brothers rightly.” Only when one treats brothers rightly can one then instruct the people of the state. The “Shi Jiu” ode of the Odes of Cao says: “His bearing is without fault, and he can set the states of the four quarters right.” Only when a man, as father, son, elder brother, and younger brother, is fit to be taken as a model will the people take him as their model. This is what is meant by saying that governing the state lies in setting one’s own family in order.

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。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。《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。《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，闢則為天下戮矣。

What is meant by “bringing peace to the world lies in governing one’s own state well” is this: when those above honor the aged, the people rise in filial piety; when those above respect their elders, the people rise in respect for elders; when those above take pity on orphans, the people do not turn their backs on this spirit. Therefore the superior person has the “way of the measuring square” (xie ju zhi dao), which means taking oneself as the measure for gauging the hearts of others. What you dislike in those above you, do not use in directing those below you; what you dislike in those below you, do not use in serving those above you; what you dislike in those before you, do not use in treating those who come after; what you dislike in those after you, do not use in following those who came before; what you dislike in those on your right, do not use in dealing with those on your left; what you dislike in those on your left, do not use in dealing with those on your right. This is called the way of the measuring square. The “Nanshan You Tai” ode of the Lesser Odes says: “How joyful is this gentleman, the father and mother of the people.” To like what the people like and dislike what the people dislike, this is what it means to be the father and mother of the people. The “Jie Nan Shan” ode of the Lesser Odes says: “Towering is that Southern Mountain, its rocks piled high. Resplendent Grand Tutor Yin, the people all have their eyes upon you.” Those who hold a state must not fail to be careful; once they turn crooked, they will be put to death by the whole world.

《詩》云：「殷之未喪師，克配上帝。儀監於殷，峻命不易。」道得眾則得國，失眾則失國。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。德者本也，財者末也，外本內末，爭民施奪。是故財聚則民散，財散則民聚。是故言悖而出者，亦悖而入；貨悖而入者，亦悖而出。《康誥》曰：「惟命不於常！」道善則得之，不善則失之矣。楚書曰：「楚國無以為寶，惟善以為寶。」舅犯曰：「亡人無以為寶，仁親以為寶。」

The Book of Songs, in the “King Wen” ode of the Greater Odes, says: “Before the Yin dynasty had lost the multitudes, it was able to match what God required. We should take Yin as a mirror: the lofty mandate of Heaven is not easy to keep.” This means that gaining the multitudes is gaining the state, and losing the multitudes is losing the state. Therefore the superior person is careful first of all about virtue. With virtue there are people; with people there is land; with land there is wealth; with wealth there are resources to use. Virtue is the root, wealth is the twig. To treat the root as external and the twig as internal is to contend with the people for profit and teach them to plunder. Therefore when wealth is hoarded above, the people scatter; when wealth is dispersed to the people, the people gather. Hence words that go out against reason will come back against reason, and wealth that comes in by wrongful means will go out by wrongful means. The “Announcement to Kang” says: “The mandate of Heaven is not constant!” This means that doing good wins the mandate and doing evil loses it. The Book of Chu says: “The state of Chu has nothing else it treasures; it treasures only goodness.” Uncle Fan (Hu Yan, maternal uncle of Duke Wen of Jin) said: “A man in exile has nothing else he treasures; he treasures only love for his parent.”

《秦誓》曰：「若有一個臣，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！」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。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。好人之所惡，惡人之所好，是謂拂人之性，災必逮夫身。是故君子有大道，必忠信以得之，驕泰以失之。

The “Oath of Qin” in the Book of Documents says: “Suppose there were a minister who is honest and single-minded and has no other talents, but whose heart is generous and who seems able to tolerate others. When others have talents, he is as pleased as if he had them himself; when others are outstanding in virtue and ability, he loves them from the bottom of his heart, not merely praising them with his mouth. Such a man can truly tolerate others, and so he can preserve my descendants and my people; how beneficial indeed! On the contrary, when others have talents, he is jealous and hates them; when others are outstanding in virtue and ability, he obstructs them and keeps them from using their gifts. Such a man truly cannot tolerate others, and so he cannot preserve my descendants and my people; one may even call him a danger!” Only a benevolent person will banish such jealous persons who envy the worthy and resent the capable, driving them out to the remote border lands and not letting them dwell together in the central states. This is what is meant by saying that only the benevolent can truly love people and can truly hate people. To see a worthy person and not be able to recommend him, or to recommend him and not be able to employ him early, is negligence; to see a bad person and not be able to dismiss him, or to dismiss him and not be able to send him far away, is a fault. To like what the multitude hates and hate what the multitude likes is called going against the nature of human beings, and calamity is sure to fall upon such a person. Therefore the superior person has a great Way: he will surely gain it through loyalty and good faith, and lose it through arrogance and license.

生財有大道。生之者眾，食之者寡，為之者疾，用之者舒，則財恆足矣。仁者以財發身，不仁者以身發財。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。

There is a great Way for producing wealth: let those who produce be many and those who eat idly be few; let those who work be diligent and those who spend be frugal; then wealth will always be sufficient. The benevolent use wealth to perfect themselves; the unbenevolent sacrifice themselves to amass wealth. There has never been a case of those above loving benevolence while those below do not love righteousness (yi, acting rightly and doing what ought to be done); there has never been a case of those below loving righteousness while their affairs are not brought to completion; and there has never been a case where the wealth in the treasury does not in the end belong to the ruler.

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。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。

Meng Xianzi said: “A household of a scholar-official who keeps a team of four horses should not concern itself with the small profit of raising chickens and pigs; a household of a minister who uses ice for funerals should not raise cattle and sheep for profit; a household of a grandee with a hundred war chariots should not keep a retainer who squeezes the people for wealth. Better to have a retainer who steals than one who squeezes the people.” This is what is meant by saying that a state does not take profit as its profit but takes righteousness as its profit. Those at the head of a state who devote themselves to wealth and expenditure must have been led by petty people. The ruler thinks such a man capable and lets him administer the state, and so natural disasters and human harms arrive together. Then, even if there are worthy people, nothing can be done. This is what is meant by saying that a state does not take profit as its profit but takes righteousness as its profit.