学以成人——《荀子·劝学》札记

Learning to Become a Useful Person:The Reading Notes of Encouraging Learning of Xunzi

注重"学",构成了儒家思想的重要方面。在儒家那里,为"学"过程与成人过程无法分离:"学"的根本意义,就在于使人由"野"(前文明)而"文"(文明化)、成为真正意义上的人,"学"本身也首先以"成人"为目标。荀子之论"学",其内在之旨同样是"学"以成人。在突出"学"的同时,荀子又强调"积"(为学的过程性),进而将"学"以成人与"积"以成"圣"联系起来。荀子同时区分身心之学与口耳之学,身心之学以"美其身"为指向,后者意味着达到自身的完美、提升自身的德性。在这一意义上,身心之学同时表现为"为己之学"。口耳之学则停留于口耳之间,仅仅为了示之于人,从而流于"为人之学"。对荀子而言,唯有身心之学(为己之学),才构成了"学"以成人、"积"以成"圣"意义上的真切之"学"。

Learning is a top priority in Confucian thought .Learning and becoming a useful man is inseparable .Learning is to civilize people and becoming a useful man is the objective of learning .The learning thought of Xuzi is aimed at becoming useful by learning . Xunzi gives priority to learning as well as to the process of learning ,which connects becoming useful and becoming saint .He differenti-ates mind learning from body learning .The former emphasizes the perfection of mind ,while the latter seeks to improve oneself .In view of this,mind learning refers to learning for oneself ,while body learning refers to learning for the purpose of showing others .In his opinion, learning for oneself is the real learning .