從修身成德到家國事功──論大學之道

From Self-Cultivation to Accomplishing Exploits in Family and Nation―On the Way of the Great Learning

秉承往聖先賢德性政治實踐及其理論教言的大學之道，形成於戰國以迄秦漢之際，在其後兩千餘年的中國古代社會中，發生了愈來愈重大的思想影響。大學之道以格物、致知、誠意、正心、修身相貫通而齊家、治國、平天下相分途或相遞進的進路，指明了所有人都須以修身成德為本，從而基於各自的主客觀條件而明明德、親民乃至止於至善。大學之道將成德進路得以實現的基礎確立在可以被概括為「體知」的身心工夫之上。大學之道的本末內外觀、身心工夫論和道德社會說，對於當今人們的立身行己、為人處世乃至實現社會和諧，都仍然具有現實指導意義。

The way of the Great Learning which takes the morally political practice and theoretical teaching by ancient sages is formed among Warring States and Qin and Han dynasties, it had exerted a greater and greater thinking influence in Chinese ancient societies over two thousand. The way of the Great Learning which links up studying physical nature (格物), extending knowledge (致知), making will sincere (誠意), rectifying mind (正心), and cultivating character (修 身), but separates or develops gradually regulating family (齊家), making state in order (治國), and bringing peace to the world (平天下), indicates clearly that all persons must take self-cultivation as their foundation, thereby achieve to manifest the clear character (明明德), love the people (親民), and abide in the highest good (止於至善) based on their subjective and objective conditions. The way of the Great Learning takes body-mind overall practice as the foundation which moral virtue can be achieved. The outlook of ins and outs, body and mind, and moral society of the way of the Great Learning still have real value for persons' self-cultivation, conduct in society, as well as for making a harmonious society.