The book, Sina original full serial. The first section talks about the concept of perfection. Perfection is often associated with justice and truth. But where does perfection lie? How should we seek it? Wang Yangming believed that perfection is the essence of the heart, which is the fundamental ontology. Since perfection is the essence of the heart, seeking perfection involves looking inward rather than outward. He argued that true perfection lies within the heart.
Wang Yangming said, "The mind is reason." There is nothing outside the mind. Things and reasons are not external to the heart, so perfection resides entirely within the heart. His disciples questioned this idea. Wang Yangming gave examples: serving parents is not about finding filial piety in the parents themselves; serving a monarch is not about finding loyalty in the monarch; governing China is not about seeking letters from friends or benevolence from people. Serving parents, monarchs, friends, and governing the people all reside within one's own heart. Doing things requires starting from within the heart, as there is no other place to begin. The mind is reason. When it has no desires, it is justice, and there is no need to look externally. A heart without desires can serve parents, monarchs, friends, and govern people without lacking in filial piety, loyalty, trustworthiness, or benevolence.
Thus, the process is simple: focusing on the heart leads to achieving heaven. If the heart can overcome human desires and preserve justice, it naturally thinks about the cold for parents in winter, seeking warmth, and the heat for parents in summer, seeking coolness. Like the relationship between root and foliage, the root comes first, then the branches and leaves. One does not start by finding the foliage and then go to the root. Many people in the world focus on doing things and finding things to do, neglecting the heart. This leads them astray. It is like finding the foliage first and then going to the root. Perfection cannot come from external things alone; it must also come from within the heart.
Wang Yangming said that as long as this heart is pure and just, it can achieve perfection. Taking care of oneself means making this heart pure and almost heavenly. This is non-speculative knowledge that will inevitably have an impact over a thousand miles. In the saints, it adds Seiichi training. When the only instrument section is obtained, they say that perfection is achieved. However, even when playing the actors' roles or taking care of one's own rites, one can still be described as perfect. Seeking perfection requires making this heart pure and just to the extreme, paying attention to cultivating the heart, much like actors in the instrument section who obtain appropriateness but cannot be called perfect.
The mean heart passes along the record of the first layer, which is management. Management can only be sought upward from the heart. This is the flashpoint of Wang Yangming's thought. In any era, this idea plays a major role. Today, as we enter the 21st century, there is less and less attention on inner morality, which seems to be moving away from us. From the national to the individual level, there is more focus on external pursuits while intrinsic heart essentials are ignored. The mind and heart become barren, losing faith, and encountering difficulties becomes unsustainable.
In the era of expanding desires, we must solve our own and our country’s problems by starting from the heart. The first requirement for management and perfection is to look within the heart. What kind of state should the heart maintain? It should overcome human desires and preserve heaven. For us, the first step is to overcome human desires and preserve heaven. Then, this pure and almost heavenly heart can do something disadvantageous. Many people do things without focusing on heart cultivation, rushing into actions they don't fully understand, filled with too much selfishness. How can they succeed? A person's first hurdle is overcoming their own desires and preserving justice. Once this heart is pure and almost heavenly, doing things naturally leads to success.
Wang Yangming emphasized applying what one learns because knowing and doing were often separated into two distinct activities. This separation led to lifelong ignorance and inability to truly understand things. For example, a biologist studying dinosaurs might spend their entire life collecting and reading academic information without ever going on field trips to study fossils and geological conditions. Similarly, someone interested in literature might spend time reading books without ever writing, believing their knowledge isn't sufficient. Another example is someone studying law in college but never appearing in court or drafting contracts, leaving them unprepared for legal work after graduation. These examples illustrate the separation of knowledge and practice.
Wang Yangming advocated for the unity of knowledge and action. Applying what one learns can be summarized as: true knowledge must involve action, and real action must lead to understanding. To truly understand driving skills, one must practice driving. Only by passing the exam after practicing can one claim to truly understand driving. Knowledge is incomplete without action; understanding contains action, and without action, one does not truly know.
Wang Yangming used examples to illustrate this point. For instance, seeing lust means knowing its evil; smelling stench means knowing its badness. Without these experiences, one cannot claim to truly know. This shows that knowing requires action. True knowledge comes from action, inevitably containing a row, and without action, one does not truly know.
There are two types of people: those who act rashly without contemplation and those who hesitate excessively without action. Both behaviors are incorrect. The former needs to add knowledge, and the latter needs to add action. Wang Yangming encouraged applying what one learns for its importance to individuals and nations. If one knows anger and wants to control it but takes no measures, one cannot claim to control anger. Similarly, if a government system is introduced but not implemented, it indicates insufficient understanding of the system's connotation. Applying what one learns is a standard to test thinking and behavior. For example, wanting to enter Peking University but not studying hard shows one doesn't truly want to enter. Engaging in invention without serious thought shows one isn't truly engaged. Students who study hard but perform poorly in exams show they aren't truly hardworking. Those who listen attentively in class but don't care about exams show they aren't truly knowledgeable. Wang Yangming promoted the unity of knowledge and action, emphasizing applying what one learns.
Achieving perfection requires investigating things, which is the power of perfection. Investigating things means striving to learn for good results. Knowing perfection means knowing the investigation of things. Perfection and investigating things are the same thing. Understanding this requires applying what one learns. Zhu Xi's understanding of investigating things was different from Wang Yangming's. Wang Yangming believed that regardless of doctrines, theories, or rumors, one should understand them with their heart, checking for consistency and propriety rather than blindly trusting authority. Even Confucius' words or emperors' words should not be fully trusted. This is a punch to authority.
Investigating things starts from the heart. Serving a prince is one matter, meaning love objects and loving things are matters lying in audio-visual words and dynamics. Therefore, investigating things requires starting from the heart. Wang Yangming explained that correcting the heart corrects the whole body, and preserving justice everywhere eliminates poverty. Justice manifests clarity. Thus, investigating things ultimately becomes overcoming human desires and preserving justice. Investigating things means starting from the heart. Extending knowledge means knowing the heart's ontology. The heart naturally knows. Seeing parents brings natural filial piety, seeing brothers brings natural brotherhood, and seeing Ruzi falling into a well brings natural compassion. This is conscience, which is innate and accessible. Conscience is caused by knowing, and knowing is caused by Ih.
Wang Yangming explained that everyone has conscience inside and does not need to seek externally. Whether nobleman or civilian, even beggars, all have conscience. Only many people's consciences are deceived, so investigating things restores its true colors. In summary, investigating things and extending knowledge are key. This teaching record is a moral philosophical work discussing moral issues related to the heart. Investigating things is important because anything we do is closely related to the heart, such as greed accelerating demise, haste making waste, passive sinking, jealousy, etc. Solving inner problems improves external things. Inner problem-solving requires investigating things, whose goal is extending knowledge. Doing things will be influenced externally, affecting the heart. If the heart isn't handled properly, it leads to failure. Regulating the family, country, and world starts with self-cultivation, which requires investigating things.
Some books are classics, others poisonous weeds. Progress comes from good books. Writing a book serves a purpose. Wang Yangming's purpose was returning to practical implementation rather than beautiful literary talent or lip service without action. We value thinkers and doers, not speakers without implementation. The root of chaos is virtual text and declining implementation. Wang Yangming criticized excessive red tape and advocated simplifying texts for real-world application. Simplifying ensures implementation. Theoretical circles significantly impact society, especially internationally in the 21st century. Academic quality directly affects a nation's future development. Focusing on implementation determines international rankings. China's plethora of papers lacks influence, needing practical action. Returning to practical implementation aligns with modern governance. Speaking Wen Sheng real bad reflects many areas, such as education and politics. Simplifying policies is powerful. Ancient Han Dynasty's strength lay in simplicity and emphasis on implementation. Simple rules like traffic laws are effective when followed. Execution capability is crucial today. Qin's strength lay in implementing theory and political talent. Observations of Qin's customs, officials, scholars, and courts showed simplicity and effectiveness. Legalism in Qin realized Confucius' dream.
Copyright: Anyone reproducing this content for any purpose should indicate the source and author. Otherwise, the author may find trouble.