緇門警訓 1.37

1.37

嗚呼學不可須臾怠。道不可須臾離。道由學而明學可怠乎。聖賢之域由道而至。道可離乎。肆凡民之學不怠可以至於賢。賢人之學不怠可以至於聖。冉求之學可以至於顏淵。而不逮具體者中心怠耳。故曰。非不說子之道力不足也。子曰。患力不足者中道廢。今汝畫。顏淵之學可以至於夫子。而不齊於聖師者。短命死耳。如不死安知其不如仲尼哉。以其學之不怠也。故曰。有顏氏子好學不幸短命死矣。今也則亡。或問。聖人學耶。曰是何言歟。是何言歟。凡民與賢猶知學。豈聖人怠於學耶。夫天之剛也。而能學柔於地故。不干四時焉。地之柔也。而能學剛於天故。能出金石焉。陽之發生也。而亦學肅殺於陰故。靡草死焉。陰之肅殺也。而亦學發生於陽故。薺麥生焉。夫為天乎地乎陽乎陰乎。交相學而不怠。所以成萬物。天不學柔則無以覆。地不學剛則無以載。陽不學陰則無以啟。陰不學陽則無以閉。聖人無他也。則天地陰陽而行者四者學不怠。聖人惡乎怠。或者避席曰。予之孤陋也。幸子發其蒙。願聞聖人之學。中庸子曰。復坐吾語汝。書不云乎。惟狂克念作聖。惟聖罔念作狂。是故聖人造次顛沛未嘗不念正道而學之也。夫子大聖人也。拔乎其萃出乎其類。自生民以來未有如夫子者。入太廟每事問。則是學於廟人也。三人行擇其善者而從之。則是學於偕行也。入周則問禮於老子。則是學於柱史也。豈仲尼之聖不若廟人行人柱史耶。蓋聖人懼夫不念正道而學之。則至於狂也矣。故曰。必有如丘之忠信焉。必不如丘之好學也。曰聖人生而知之何必學為。曰知而學聖人也。學而知常人也。雖聖人常人莫有不由於學焉。孔子曰。君子不可不學。子路曰。南山有竹不柔自直。斬而用之達乎犀革。以此言之。何學之有。孔子曰。栝而羽之鏃而礪之。其入之不亦深乎。子路再拜曰。敬受教矣。噫聖人之學無乃栝羽鏃礪使深入乎。豈生而知之者。兀然不學耶。

Alas! Learning must not be neglected for an instant; the Dao must not be departed from for an instant. The Dao is illuminated through learning; can learning be neglected? The realm of sages and worthies is reached through the Dao; can the Dao be departed from? Now, if common folk learn without neglect, they can reach [the stage of] worthies; if worthies learn without neglect, they can reach [the stage of] sages. Ran Qiu's learning could have reached that of Yan Yuan, but that he did not attain full maturity was simply because he was negligent in his heart. Hence it is said: 'It is not that I do not take pleasure in your Dao, but that my strength is insufficient.' The Master said: 'Those whose strength is insufficient collapse halfway; now you are drawing a line.' Yan Yuan's learning could have reached that of the Master, and that he was not equal to the sage teacher was only because he died young. If he had not died, how do we know he would not have been like Zhongni? Because he did not neglect his learning! Hence it is said: 'There was Yan Hui who loved learning; unfortunately his life was cut short and he died. Now there is no one.' Someone asked: 'Does a sage learn?' I said: 'What words are these! What words are these! Even common folk and worthies know to learn; could a sage be negligent in learning? Heaven is firm, yet it is able to learn softness from earth, and so does not offend the four seasons. Earth is soft, yet it is able to learn firmness from heaven, and so can produce metals and stones. When yang brings forth life, it also learns severe destruction from yin, and so the supple weeds die. When yin destroys severely, it also learns bringing forth life from yang, and so the water chestnuts and wheat sprout. Heaven, earth, yang, and yin learn from one another without neglect, and this is how they bring the myriad things to completion. If heaven did not learn softness, it would have no way to cover; if earth did not learn firmness, it would have no way to support; if yang did not learn yin, it would have no way to open; if yin did not learn yang, it would have no way to close. A sage has nothing else: he models himself on heaven, earth, yin, and yang, and acts. If these four learn without neglect, how could a sage be negligent?' The questioner stepped back from his mat and said: 'In my solitary ignorance, I am fortunate that you have enlightened my blindness. I would like to hear about the learning of a sage.' Master Zhongyong said: 'Resume your seat and I will tell you. Does not the Book of History say: "Only through mindfulness can the madman become a sage; only through lack of mindfulness can the sage become a madman"? Therefore, even in haste and distress, a sage never fails to be mindful of the correct Dao and learn it. The Master was a great sage, towering above the crowd and outstanding among his fellows; since living people came into existence, there has never been one like the Master. Entering the Grand Temple, he asked about everything—which was learning from the temple keepers. "Walking with three people, I select what is good and follow it"—which was learning from his fellow travelers. Going to Zhou, he asked Laozi about rites—which was learning from the archivist of the pillar. Could it be that Zhongni's sagacity was inferior to the temple keepers, the travelers, or the archivist of the pillar? It was simply that the sage feared that without being mindful of the correct Dao and learning it, he would end up like a madman! Hence he said: "There are sure to be those with loyalty and trustworthiness like Qiu, but none who love learning like Qiu." Someone said: "A sage knows things from birth; why must he learn?" I said: "Knowing and yet learning is the sage; learning and then knowing is the ordinary man. Whether sage or ordinary man, none can attain it without learning." Confucius said: "A gentleman cannot but learn." Zilu said: "On the southern mountain there is bamboo; without being bent, it is naturally straight. If cut and used, it can pierce rhinoceros hide. Going by this, what need is there for learning?" Confucius said: "Notched, feathered, tipped with a arrowhead, and honed on a whetstone—will it not penetrate all the deeper?" Zilu bowed twice and said: "I respectfully accept your instruction." Ah! Is not the sage's learning just like notching, feathering, arrowhead-tipping, and whetstone-honing to make it penetrate deeply? Could one who knows from birth sit motionless without learning?'