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贊曰﹕
勤學老誠 日有三省
孝悌忠恕 時刻自警
孔門心法 一背荷承
千古之下 景仰高風
註解﹕
「勤學老誠」：他很勤學很老誠的，不欺騙人，對誰都老老實實的，一點也不加造作，所以孔子說，「參也魯」。「日有三省」：他每天都三省其身，來勉勵自己。「孝悌忠恕」：他孝順父母，對朋友也很有信用。忠，做事盡責；恕，恕以待人。「時刻自警」：他時刻都用這個來警愓自己。
「孔門心法」：孔門的心法是，「人心惟危，道心惟微，惟精惟一，允執厥中」。「一背荷承」：他把它承擔起來。「千古之下」：在千古以後。「景仰高風」：我們還很仰慕曾子的道德學問。
又說偈曰﹕
三綱五常冠群倫 宗聖曾子道德純
傳授心法闡儒教 謹遵師命紹大成
為人服務存忠信 與友往來不欺神
篤行明辨慎思考 不忘母訓一偉人
註解﹕
「三綱五常冠群倫」：他所注重的是敦品立德。
何謂三綱？君為臣綱，君做百官的綱維；父為子綱，父親做兒子的綱維；夫為妻綱，丈夫做妻子的綱維。
何謂五常？仁、義、禮、智、信。他都做得很圓滿。「冠群倫」，他比一般的人都要清高。
「宗聖曾子道德純」：宗聖曾子的道德很純，不夾雜。
「傳授心法闡儒教」：他傳授孔門心法，闡揚儒教。
「謹遵師命紹大成」：他時時刻刻，念茲在茲地記得他老師教他的道理，紹隆孔子的心法。
「為人服務存忠信」：他為人服務一定忠信，以盡己之謂忠，無欺之謂信。
「與友往來不欺神」：他與朋友往來很直心誠意，一點也不做欺騙人的事。
「篤行明辨慎思考」：他知道就行，是個實行家。他用智慧明辨是非，很謹慎地考慮然後才去實行。
「不忘母訓一偉人」：他時時刻刻記得他母親的教訓，教他怎麼樣做一個好人。
—「憶曾參」文完 |
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 A verse in praise says:
Diligent in studies, sincere in nature,
He practiced three introspections every day.
Observing filial piety, fraternal respect, loyalty and forgiveness,
He was vigilant at all times.
He shouldered the responsibility of transmitting
The essence of Confucianism.
Thousands of years later,
His lofty character is regarded with admiration
Commentary:
Being diligent in study, sincere in nature, he did not deceive others.
He was honest to everybody without the least pretense. That was why Confucius said, “Shen is a straightforward person.”
He practiced three introspections every day in order to urge himself on.
Observing
filial piety, fraternal respect, loyalty and forgiveness, he was filial to his parents and trustworthy to his friends. He was responsible in his
duties and was magnanimous towards others. He was vigilant at all times.
He shouldered the responsibility of transmitting the essence of Confucianism, namely, “The human mind is weak, but the mind of the Way is subtle. By focusing singlemindedly, one can keep to the middle path.”
Thousands of years later, his lofty character is regarded with admiration. We still look up to his virtue and knowledge.
Another verse says:
A hero among men, he advocated the Three Guidelines and
Five Constant Virtues.
The Ancestral Sage, Zeng Zi, was pure in morality.
He transmitted the essence, propagating the Confucian teachings,
He honored the Master’s instructions and perpetuated the great achievement.
In the service of others, he was loyal and trustworthy;
In dealing with friends, he would not even deceive the spirits.
With sincere conduct, keen discernment and careful deliberations,
He was a great man who never forgot his mother’s teachings.
Commentary:
A hero among men, he advocated the Three Guidelines and Five Constant Virtues. He emphasized the development of character and the cultivation of virtue. What are the Three Guidelines? They are: the ruler guides his subjects, the father guides his son and the husband guides his wife. What are the Five Constant Virtues? They are: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, knowledge, and sincerity. He was endowed with all these virtues. Being foremost among men, he was lofty as compared to the average person.
The Ancestral Sage, Zeng Zi, was pure in morality without any defilements.
He transmitted the essence, propagating the Confucian teachings. He honored the Master’s instructions and perpetuated the great achievement. At all times, he kept in mind the principles taught by the Master and brought them to a great height.
In the service of others, he was always loyal and trustworthy. Putting in one’s best effort is loyalty, while not deceiving others is trustworthiness.
In dealing with friends, he would not even deceive the spirits. He was straightforward and sincere towards his friends and would never resort to deceiving them.
With sincere conduct, keen discernment and careful deliberations, he put into practice what he knew and used his wisdom to distinguish right from wrong. He considered everything carefully before undertaking the task.
He was a great man who never for a moment
forgot his mother’s teachings on how to be a good person.
[End of article]
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