尽心下 · 第 25 / 38 章 · 孟子 7B.25
《孟子·尽心下》7B.25:善、信、美、大、圣、神的层级
孟子借乐正子说明德性的层层充实:可欲为善,有诸己为信,充实为美,光辉为大,化之为圣,不可知之为神。这章也适合放回知言、知命与修养完成这一问题链中理解。
浩生不害问曰:「乐正子,何人也?」孟子曰:「善人也,信人也。」「何谓善?何谓信?」曰:「可欲之谓善。有诸己之谓信。充实之谓美。充实而有光辉之谓大。大而化之之谓圣。圣而不可知之之谓神。乐正子,二之中、四之下也。」
英文参考译文
Hao Sheng Bu Hai asked, saying, 'What sort of man is Yue Zheng?' Mencius replied, 'He is a good man, a real man.' 'What do you mean by "A good man," "A real man?"' The reply was, 'A man who commands our liking is what is called a good man. He whose goodness is part of himself is what is called real man. He whose goodness has been filled up is what is called beautiful man. He whose completed goodness is brightly displayed is what is called a great man. When this great man exercises a transforming influence, he is what is called a sage. When the sage is beyond our knowledge, he is what is called a spirit-man. Yue Zheng is between the two first characters, and below the four last.'
重点修订页
人工补强的解释层
核心问题
孟子为什么要把善、信、美、大、圣、神排成一个层级?
直接回答
因为德性不是一下跳到最高境界,而是从让人愿意亲近,到真正内在化,再到充实、发光、能化人,最后才进入难以测尽的境界。
第一性原理
道德成长不是换标签,而是同一颗心不断充实、外显、扩展影响力的连续过程。
为什么重要
这章适合承接“可欲之谓善”“孟子德性层级”“stages of virtue in Mencius”等搜索,也能补强本站修身路线的骨架。
延伸阅读
这章在做什么
这章是《尽心下》第 25 / 38 章,最直接的进入线索是“乐正子,何人也”。放回全卷,它讨论的是知言、知命与修养完成,并可与仁政互相印证。
更宽的搜索入口
如果你带着更宽的问题进入这一章,先从正确的 hub 页进入
全卷语境
《尽心下》把知言、知命与修养完成阶段的判断放在一起讨论。
关联主题
引用提示
不要只把这些字当抽象评价等级。孟子是在描述德性如何从可亲近,逐步长成能照见并转化他人的力量。