Da Xue: The Great Learning
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Unaffiliated work from the Zhou Dynasty, entitled Da Xue (大學), or the “Great Learning.” This is an important work derived from the Classic of Rites (禮記 Liji). The basic teaching of the Great Learning is the importance of self-cultivation, explaining how it establishes the proper basis for every endeavor, and how it naturally leads to a peaceful society. This general view of cultivation, as well as the relationship between man and Heaven, belongs to an early stratum of Chinese culture in which the leader of a state was not an ordinary ruler, but a cultivated sage-king. Much like the Heart Sūtra of Buddhism, the Great Learning has been regarded as the essence of all Confucian teachings, and so it has remained an important text to this day.
The Path of Great Learning is in manifesting virtue, loving the people, and resting in the highest good.
The ancients who wished to manifest virtue under Heaven first made well their own states. Wishing to make well their states, they first regulated their own families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated themselves. Wishing to cultivate themselves, they first corrected their minds. Wishing to correct their minds, they first became sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended their knowledge. This extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of phenomena.
When phenomena had been investigated, their knowledge became complete. When their knowledge was complete, their thoughts were sincere. When their thoughts were sincere, their minds were correct. When their minds were correct, they were then cultivated. When they were cultivated, their families were regulated. When their families were regulated, their states were rightly governed. When their states were rightly governed, there was peace under Heaven.
From the Son of Heaven to the ordinary person, all things have their root in the practice of self-cultivation.