君子三乐:孟子“教育”意蕴之体认

Happiness of Gentlemen in Three Aspects:the Connotation of Mencius’Education

孟子提出的“君子三乐”,是出于对君子之意的理性认识,即知天性、穷理、明德。具体说来,知天性在于能够按照天性说话做事;穷理就是在格物致知中通晓事物之理;明德是去除遮蔽,将德性重新照亮。“三乐”可以概括为修身、齐家、治国和平天下的层次,分别对应:做人之乐,做人是跟人学做人,终究是跟天学做人,在于修身安心;事亲之乐,是知道人在人世间是从哪里来的,要能教化亲人知礼,从而能保证秩序和人情的“和睦”;教育之乐,是将对父母兄弟之情与义推及天下英才,即亲民。知道这样的道理,将这样的道理说出来,做出来,就是教育,也就是最高尚的快乐。

Mencius’s“the happiness of gentlemen in three aspects”is based on a rational understanding of the connotation of a gentleman,that is,knowing nature,understanding the truth,and illustrious virtue.To be more specific,knowing nature lies in being able to speak and act in accordance with nature,understanding the truth is to understand the principles of things in the process of observing object and illustrious virtue is to remove the cover and re-illuminate the virtue.These three types of happiness can be summarized as the levels of cultivating morality,regulating family,and governing the country,bringing peace to the world,corresponding respectively to:the happiness of being a man,the happiness of filial piety,and the happiness of education.Among them,being a man is to learn from other and ultimately,to learn from God,which lies in self-cultivation and peace of mind.The happiness of filial piety is to know where we are from;we should be capable of teaching our relatives etiquettes so that to guarantee social orders and harmonious relationships.The happiness of education is to extend love and righteousness from parents and brothers to others,that is,being close to people.Education is to know,speak and conduct those rules,which is also the noblest happiness.