Daxue: Its Sense Of Problem And Text Interpretation

This thesis begins with analyzing Wang-Yangming's and Zhu-Xi's interpretations of Daxue.After a comparison of the two interpretations,the problem of how to interpret Daxue is raised.The aim of this thesis is not to look for an ideal method of self-cultivation,and then force it upon the text of Daxue.However,the author's intention is to regard Daxue in the background of the history of early Confucianism,so that the investigation of it in the view of philosophical history could be attained.Therefore,the main body of this thesis analyses the tradition of De of Zhoushu, and three elements of De is found:its maxims,its practice,and its virtue.Maxims of De are commonsense in the society,so they are relatively steady.The society requires every individual to practice these maxims,but the individuals often fail to do so.So there is tension between individual and society.Generally speaking,the tradition of De of Zhoushu emphasizes maxims,and it regards those who obey maxims as men of virtue. Self-cultivation in this tradition means obeying the maxims of De.Daxue is exactly written in this tradition.Wang-Yangming insists that Gewuzhizhi is equal to Chengqiyi,and he views the former as the practicing procedure of the latter. However,sentences such as Xiaorenxianjuweibushan,wusuobuzhi, jianjunzierhouyanran,Shimusuoshi,shishousuozhi,qiyanhu and Haorenzhisuowu, wurenzhisuohao,shiweifurenzhixing,zaibidaifushen,reveal the pressure from society. Those who believe Zhiwuxinzhiliangzhiyushishiwuwu would not emphasize so much on the pressure from society.They will only follow their sense of "ought to".So although the author of Daxue also discussed Ziqie,Shenqidu,he did not start directly from the sense of "ought to".In fact the fear of or the emphasis on the pressure from society will force men like the author of Daxue to pursue the knowledge of maxims of De. Therefore,the ultimate starting point of Daxue is not the sense of "ought to" but Gewuzhizhi. A work which genuinely starts from the sense of "ought to" is Zhongyong. Zhongyong directly uses the term Shenqidu from Daxue but it does not put Shenqidu behind Gewuzhizhi.In Zhongyong,the sense of "ought to" is called Tianmingzhixing. The sentence Shuaixingweizhidao reminds people of returning to the sense of "ought to"——the starting point.Actually the sentence Tianmingzhixing assumes the trustiness of the sense of "ought to".Then Shuaixingweizhidao redefined the practice of De from the starting point——the sense of "ought to".The combination of Shuaixingzhiweidao and Xiudaozhiweijiao redefines the maxims of De from the sense of "ought to".This is a brand new perspective,but its entire premise lies in the presumption of Tianmingzhiweixing.Daxue does not provide the context of Tianmingzhiweixing,nor emphasize particularly on the trustiness of the sense of "ought to".Even though it makes use of the sense of "ought to" by Chengqiyi/Shenqidu,it has not yet progressed to take the sense of "ought to" as its starting point.Daxue still relies greatly on the knowledge of maxims of De to cultivate De.Thus Zhu-Xi's perspective that Gewuzhizhi of Daxue should be interpreted as pursuing knowledge of maxims of De by investing things outside is more convincing and justified.