《大学》教人之法的常践价值

The Normal Guide to Cultivation of Oneself in The Great Learning

《大学》的思想主旨是"三纲领八条目",即"明明德,亲民,止于至善;格物,致知,诚意,正心,修身,齐家,治国,平天下。"朱熹在注释《大学》中提出:"大学之书,古之大学所以教人之法也"。《大学》的纲领条目为华夏民族成员怎样做人成人设置了可行的三级路径,即一是成人的远级境界;二是成人的个体资质培养;三是成人的社会责任践履。《大学》的思想精神昭示出历史与现时代相统一的指导意义,满载着教人之法的常践价值。

The Great Learning is one of The Book of Rites of Confucian classics. ZhuXi in the Southern Song Dynasty selected it into The Four Books. The mainideological aims in it include the three outlines: to illustrate illustriousvirtue, to keep close to the people, to aim at absolute goodness; and the eightclauses: to extend one's knowledge lying in the investigation of things, to besincere, to rectify one's mind, to cultivate oneself, to put one's family inorder, to manage state affairs in a good way, and to bring peace to the empire.Zhu Xi pointed out in his famous explanatory notes in the Great Learning: 'TheGreat Learning is the cardinal principle for cultivating oneself'. My articlestresses that the outlines and clauses of The Great Leaning have set up the threefeasible ways of how to behave and foster oneself for the members of the Chinesenation. First, the three outlines have put forth the far-sighted view forcultivating oneself; second, the eight clauses have put forward the path forfostering individual nature; third, both the outlines and clauses in the GreatLearning put forth the social responsibility practice in fostering oneself. Thegist in The Great Learning reflects the great value of guidance to the members ofthe Chinese nation in the unity of the history with modern times and carriespractical values of the ways to cultivate oneself.