{"collection":"cfu","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/cfu/conf2.htm","path":"cfu/conf2.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/cfu/conf2.htm","text":"500 BC\nTHE GREAT LEARNING\nConfucius\ntranslated by James Legge [1893]\nWHAT THE GREAT LEARNING teaches, is to illustrate illustrious\nvirtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence.\nThe point where to rest being known, the object of pursuit is then\ndetermined; and, that being determined, a calm unperturbedness may\nbe attained to. To that calmness there will succeed a tranquil repose.\nIn that repose there may be careful deliberation, and that\ndeliberation will be followed by the attainment of the desired end.\nThings have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end\nand their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will\nlead near to what is taught in the Great Learning.\nThe ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue\nthroughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing\nto order well their states, they first regulated their families.\nWishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their\npersons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified\ntheir hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be\nsincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts,\nthey first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of\nknowledge lay in the investigation of things.\nThings being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their\nknowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their\nthoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts\nbeing rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being\ncultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being\nregulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being\nrightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.\nFrom the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must\nconsider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.\nIt cannot be, when the root is neglected, that what should spring\nfrom it will be well ordered. It never has been the case that what was\nof great importance has been slightly cared for, and, at the same\ntime, that what was of slight importance has been greatly cared for.\nCOMMENTARY OF THE PHILOSOPHER TSANG\nIn the Announcement to K'ang, it is said, \"He was able to make his\nvirtue illustrious.\"\nIn the Tai Chia, it is said, \"He contemplated and studied the\nillustrious decrees of Heaven.\"\nIn the Canon of the emperor (Yao), it is said, \"He was able to\nmake illustrious his lofty virtue.\"\nThese passages all show how those sovereigns made themselves\nillustrious.\nOn the bathing tub of T'ang, the following words were engraved:\n\"If you can one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day. Yea, let\nthere be daily renovation.\"\nIn the Announcement to K'ang, it is said, \"To stir up the new\npeople.\"\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Although Chau was an ancient\nstate the ordinance which lighted on it was new.\"\nTherefore, the superior man in everything uses his utmost endeavors.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"The royal domain of a thousand\nli is where the people rest.\"\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"The twittering yellow bird rests\non a corner of the mound.\" The Master said, \"When it rests, it knows\nwhere to rest. Is it possible that a man should not be equal to this\nbird?\"\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Profound was King Wan. With\nhow bright and unceasing a feeling of reverence did he regard his\nresting places!\" As a sovereign, he rested in benevolence. As a\nminister, he rested in reverence. As a son, he rested in filial piety.\nAs a father, he rested in kindness. In communication with his\nsubjects, he rested in good faith.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Look at that winding course of\nthe Ch'i, with the green bamboos so luxuriant! Here is our elegant and\naccomplished prince! As we cut and then file; as we chisel and then\ngrind: so has he cultivated himself. How grave is he and dignified!\nHow majestic and distinguished! Our elegant and accomplished prince\nnever can be forgotten.\" That expression-\"As we cut and then file,\"\nthe work of learning. \"As we chisel and then grind,\" indicates that of\nself-culture. \"How grave is he and dignified!\" indicates the feeling\nof cautious reverence. \"How commanding and distinguished! indicates an\nawe-inspiring deportment. \"Our elegant and accomplished prince never\ncan be forgotten,\" indicates how, when virtue is complete and\nexcellence extreme, the people cannot forget them.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Ah! the former kings are not\nforgotten.\" Future princes deem worthy what they deemed worthy, and\nlove what they loved. The common people delight in what delighted\nthem, and are benefited by their beneficial arrangements. It is on\nthis account that the former kings, after they have quitted the world,\nare not forgotten.\nThe Master said, \"In hearing litigations, I am like any other\nbody. What is necessary is to cause the people to have no\nlitigations.\" So, those who are devoid of principle find it impossible\nto carry out their speeches, and a great awe would be struck into\nmen's minds;-this is called knowing the root.\nThis is called knowing the root. This is called the perfecting of\nknowledge.\nWhat is meant by \"making the thoughts sincere.\" is the allowing no\nself-deception, as when we hate a bad smell, and as when we love\nwhat is beautiful. This is called self-enjoyment. Therefore, the\nsuperior man must be watchful over himself when he is alone.\nThere is no evil to which the mean man, dwelling retired, will not\nproceed, but when he sees a superior man, he instantly tries to\ndisguise himself, concealing his evil, and displaying what is good.\nThe other beholds him, as if he saw his heart and reins;-of what use\nis his disguise? This is an instance of the saying -\"What truly is\nwithin will be manifested without.\" Therefore, the superior man must\nbe watchful over himself when he is alone.\nThe disciple Tsang said, \"What ten eyes behold, what ten hands point\nto, is to be regarded with reverence!\"\nRiches adorn a house, and virtue adorns the person. The mind is\nexpanded, and the body is at ease. Therefore, the superior man must\nmake his thoughts sincere.\nWhat is meant by, \"The cultivation of the person depends on\nrectifying the mind may be thus illustrated:-If a man be under the\ninfluence of passion he will be incorrect in his conduct. He will be\nthe same, if he is under the influence of terror, or under the\ninfluence of fond regard, or under that of sorrow and distress.\nWhen the mind is not present, we look and do not see; we hear and do\nnot understand; we eat and do not know the taste of what we eat.\nThis is what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the person\ndepends on the rectifying of the mind.\nWhat is meant by \"The regulation of one's family depends on the\ncultivation of his person is this:-men are partial where they feel\naffection and love; partial where they despise and dislike; partial\nwhere they stand in awe and reverence; partial where they feel\nsorrow and compassion; partial where they are arrogant and rude.\nThus it is that there are few men in the world who love and at the\nsame time know the bad qualities of the object of their love, or who\nhate and yet know the excellences of the object of their hatred.\nHence it is said, in the common adage,\"A man does not know the\nwickedness of his son; he does not know the richness of his growing\ncorn.\"\nThis is what is meant by saying that if the person be not\ncultivated, a man cannot regulate his family.\nWhat is meant by \"In order rightly to govern the state, it is\nnecessary first to regulate the family,\" is this:-It is not possible\nfor one to teach others, while he cannot teach his own family.\nTherefore, the ruler, without going beyond his family, completes the\nlessons for the state. There is filial piety:-therewith the. sovereign\nshould be served. There is fraternal submission:-therewith elders\nand superiors should be served. There is kindness:-therewith the\nmultitude should be treated.\nIn the Announcement to K'ang, it is said, \"Act as if you were\nwatching over an infant.\" If a mother is really anxious about it,\nthough she may not hit exactly the wants of her infant, she will not\nbe far from doing so. There never has been a girl who learned to bring\nup a child, that she might afterwards marry.\nFrom the loving example of one family a whole state becomes\nloving, and from its courtesies the whole state becomes courteous\nwhile, from the ambition and perverseness of the One man, the whole\nstate may be led to rebellious disorder;-such is the nature of the\ninfluence. This verifies the saying, \"Affairs may be ruined by a\nsingle sentence; a kingdom may be settled by its One man.\"\nYao and Shun led on the kingdom with benevolence and the people\nfollowed them. Chieh and Chau led on the kingdom with violence, and\npeople followed them. The orders which these issued were contrary to\nthe practices which they loved, and so the people did not follow them.\nOn this account, the ruler must himself be possessed of the good\nqualities, and then he may require them in the people. He must not\nhave the bad qualities in himself, and then he may require that they\nshall not be in the people. Never has there been a man, who, not\nhaving reference to his own character and wishes in dealing with\nothers, was able effectually to instruct them.\nThus we see how the government of the state depends on the\nregulation of the family.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"That peach tree, so delicate and\nelegant! How luxuriant is its foliage! This girl is going to her\nhusband's house. She will rightly order her household.\" Let the\nhousehold be rightly ordered, and then the people of the state may\nbe taught.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"They can discharge their\nduties to their elder brothers. They can discharge their duties to\ntheir younger brothers.\" Let the ruler discharge his duties to his\nelder and younger brothers, and then he may teach the people of the\nstate.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"In his deportment there is\nnothing wrong; he rectifies all the people of the state.\" Yes; when\nthe ruler, as a father, a son, and a brother, is a model, then the\npeople imitate him.\nThis is what is meant by saying, \"The government of his kingdom\ndepends on his regulation of the family.\"\nWhat is meant by \"The making the whole kingdom peaceful and happy\ndepends on the government of his state,\" this:-When the sovereign\nbehaves to his aged, as the aged should be behaved to, the people\nbecome final; when the sovereign behaves to his elders, as the\nelders should be behaved to, the people learn brotherly submission;\nwhen the sovereign treats compassionately the young and helpless,\nthe people do the same. Thus the ruler has a principle with which,\nas with a measuring square, he may regulate his conduct.\nWhat a man dislikes in his superiors, let him not display in the\ntreatment of his inferiors; what he dislikes in inferiors, let him not\ndisplay in the service of his superiors; what he hates in those who\nare before him, let him not therewith precede those who are behind\nhim; what he hates in those who are behind him, let him not bestow\non the left; what he hates to receive on the left, let him not\nbestow on the right:-this is what is called \"The principle with which,\nas with a measuring square, to regulate one's conduct.\"\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"How much to be rejoiced in are\nthese princes, the parents of the people!\" When a prince loves what\nthe people love, and hates what the people hate, then is he what is\ncalled the parent of the people.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Lofty is that southern hill,\nwith its rugged masses of rocks! Greatly distinguished are you, O\ngrand-teacher Yin, the people all look up to you. \"Rulers of states\nmay not neglect to be careful. If they deviate to a mean\nselfishness, they will be a disgrace in the kingdom.\nIn the Book of Poetry, it is said, \"Before the sovereigns of the Yin\ndynasty had lost the hearts of the people, they could appear before\nGod. Take warning from the house of Yin. The great decree is not\neasily preserved.\" This shows that, by gaining the people, the kingdom\nis gained, and, by losing the people, the kingdom is lost.\nOn this account, the ruler will first take pains about his own\nvirtue. Possessing virtue will give him the people. Possessing the\npeople will give the territory. Possessing the territory will give him\nits wealth. Possessing the wealth, he will have resources for\nexpenditure.\nVirtue is the root; wealth is the result.\nIf he make the root his secondary object, and the result his\nprimary, he will only wrangle with his people, and teach them rapine.\nHence, the accumulation of wealth is the way to scatter the\npeople; and the letting it be scattered among them is the way to\ncollect the people.\nAnd hence, the ruler's words going forth contrary to right, will\ncome back to him in the same way, and wealth, gotten by improper ways,\nwill take its departure by the same.\nIn the Announcement to K'ang, it is said, \"The decree indeed may not\nalways rest on us\"; that is, goodness obtains the decree, and the want\nof goodness loses it.\nIn the Book of Ch'u, it is said, \"The kingdom of Ch'u does not\nconsider that to be valuable. It values, instead, its good men.\"\nDuke Wan's uncle, Fan, said, \"Our fugitive does not account that\nto be precious. What he considers precious is the affection due to his\nparent.\"\nIn the Declaration of the Duke of Ch'in, it is said, \"Let me have\nbut one minister, plain and sincere, not pretending to other\nabilities, but with a simple, upright, mind; and possessed of\ngenerosity, regarding the talents of others as though he himself\npossessed them, and, where he finds accomplished and perspicacious\nmen, loving them in his heart more than his mouth expresses, and\nreally showing himself able to bear them and employ them:-such a\nminister will be able to preserve my sons and grandsons and\nblack-haired people, and benefits likewise to the kingdom may well\nbe looked for from him. But if it be his character, when he finds\nmen of ability, to be jealous and hate them; and, when he finds\naccomplished and perspicacious men, to oppose them and not allow their\nadvancement, showing himself really not able to bear them: such a\nminister will not be able to protect my sons and grandsons and people;\nand may he not also be pronounced dangerous to the state?\"\nIt is only the truly virtuous man who can send away such a man and\nbanish him, driving him out among the barbarous tribes around,\ndetermined not to dwell along with him in the Auddle Kingdom. This\nis in accordance with the saying, \"It is only the truly virtuous man\nwho can love or who can hate others.\"\nTo see men of worth and not be able to raise them to office; to\nraise them to office, but not to do so quickly:-this is disrespectful.\nTo see bad men and not be able to remove them; to remove them, but not\nto do so to a distance:-this is weakness.\nTo love those whom men hate, and to hate those whom men love;-this\nis to outrage the natural feeling of men. Calamities cannot fail to\ncome down on him who does so.\nThus we see that the sovereign has a great course to pursue. He must\nshow entire self-devotion and sincerity to attain it, and by pride and\nextravagance he will fail of it.\nThere is a great course also for the production of wealth. Let the\nproducers be many and the consumers few. Let there be activity in\nthe production, and economy in the expenditure. Then the wealth will\nalways be sufficient.\nThe virtuous ruler, by means of his wealth, makes himself more\ndistinguished. The vicious ruler accumulates wealth, at the expense of\nhis life.\nNever has there been a case of the sovereign loving benevolence, and\nthe people not loving righteousness. Never has there been a case where\nthe people have loved righteousness, and the affairs of the\nsovereign have not been carried to completion. And never has there\nbeen a case where the wealth in such a state, collected in the\ntreasuries and arsenals, did not continue in the sovereign's\npossession.\nThe officer Mang Hsien said, \"He who keeps horses and a carriage\ndoes not look after fowls and pigs. The family which keeps its\nstores of ice does not rear cattle or sheep. So, the house which\npossesses a hundred chariots should not keep a minister to look out\nfor imposts that he may lay them on the people. Than to have such a\nminister, it were better for that house to have one who should rob\nit of its revenues.\" This is in accordance with the saying:-\"In a\nstate, pecuniary gain is not to be considered to be prosperity, but\nits prosperity will be found in righteousness.\"\nWhen he who presides over a state or a family makes his revenues his\nchief business, he must be under the influence of some small, mean\nman. He may consider this man to be good; but when such a person is\nemployed in the administration of a state or family, calamities from\nHeaven, and injuries from men, will befall it together, and, though\na good man may take his place, he will not be able to remedy the evil.\nThis illustrates again the saying, \"In a state, gain is not to be\nconsidered prosperity, but its prosperity will be found in\nrighteousness.\"\nTHE END","title":"THE GREAT LEARNING","type":"page"}