The Great Learning

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The Great Learning is one of the Four Books in Confucianism. It is very short but talks about the basic principles to achieve universal peace. Our inner virtue could solve all worldly problems that we faced today. We have translated the original text in full:

大學之道,

The Tao of Great Learning,

在明明德,

Consists in manifesting one’s bright virtue,

在親民,

Consists in renewing the people,

在止於至善.

Consists in resting in the highest goodness.

知止而后有定,

The point wherein to rest being known,

then you can be stable.

定而后能靜,

When you are stable, you can be quiet.

靜而后能安,

When you are quiet, you can be at ease.

安而后能慮,

When you are at ease, you can deliberate.

慮而后能得.

When you can deliberate, you can attain your aims.

物有本末

Things have their roots and branches,

事有終始,

Human affairs have their beginnings and endings,

知所先後

 To understand what is first and last,

 則近道矣.

Then you are near the Tao.

古之欲明明德於天下者,先治其國;

The ancients who wished to manifest the bright virtue of all under heaven, would first govern well their own states.

欲治其國者,先齊其家;

Wishing to govern well their own states, they would first regulate their own families.

欲齊其家者,先修其身;

Wishing to regulate their families, they would first cultivate themselves.

欲修其身者,先正其心;

Wishing to cultivate themselves, they would first correct their minds.

欲正其心者,先誠其意;

Wishing to correct their minds, they would first be sincere in their thoughts.

欲誠其意者,先致其知,

Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they would first perfect their knowledge.

致知在格物.

Perfection of knowledge consists in grasping the principle of all things.

物格而后知至,

Principle of things being grasped, knowledge became complete.

知至而后意誠,

Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere.

意誠而后心正,

Their thoughts being sincere, their minds were then corrected.

心正而后身修,

Their minds being corrected, they themselves were cultivated.

身修而后家齊,

They themselves being cultivated, their families were regulated.

家齊而后國治,

Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed.

國治而后天下平.

Their states being rightly governed, all under heaven were made peaceful.

自天子以至於庶人,

From the Son of Heaven down to the common people.                                 

壹是皆以修身為本.

All must consider cultivation of the self as the root of everything.

其本亂而末治者否矣,

There is never a case when the root is disordered and yet the branches are in order.

其所厚者薄,而其所薄者厚,未之有也!

It has never been the case that what was of great importance has been slightly cared for, and what was of slight importance has been greatly cared for.