The author of "The Book of Commandments" discusses two aspects: learning and being a human being. Regardless of being a human being or studying, the author emphasizes the word "quiet": self-cultivation requires tranquility, learning requires tranquility, and achieving success It also depends on Jing. The failure is attributed to the word "impatience" and the contrast between "quiet" and "impatience" enhances the effect of the discussion.
"The Book of Commandments" is a family letter written by Zhuge Liang, a statesman during the Three Kingdoms period, to his son Zhuge Zhan before his death. The full text is as follows:
On your trip as a gentleman, you should cultivate yourself in peace and quiet. Frugality cultivates virtue. Without indifference, there is no clear ambition; without tranquility, there is no far-reaching goal. The husband must be quiet to study, and the talent must study. Without learning, there is no way to expand talents; without ambition, there is no way to achieve learning. If you are arrogant and slow, you will not be able to stimulate your essence, and if you are dangerous and impetuous, you will not be able to cultivate your nature. The years go by with the times, the thoughts go with the sun, and they become withered and withered. Many people do not take on the world, and they stay in the poor house with sadness. How will they be able to get back to you! ?
Vernacular interpretation: A gentleman's behavioral ethics improves his self-cultivation through tranquility and cultivates his character through frugality. If you are not calm and have few desires, you cannot clarify your ambitions, and if you do not eliminate external interference, you cannot achieve lofty goals. Learning requires concentration and concentration, and talent comes from learning. Therefore, without learning, you cannot increase your talents, and without ambition, you cannot achieve success in learning.
Indolence and laziness cannot inspire the spirit, and impatience and risk-taking cannot cultivate the temperament. Time flies by with time, and will with time. In the end, they were withered and scattered. Most of them had no contact with the world and were not used by society. They could only sit sadly in their poor homes. How could they regret it at that time?
Extended information
Creative background: This article is considered to have been written in the twelfth year of Jianxing of the Shu Han Dynasty (234 AD). It was written by Zhuge Liang to his eight-year-old son Zhuge Zhan in his later years. A letter home. Zhuge Liang served his country his whole life, dedicated himself to it, and died. He worked day and night for the cause of the Shu Han country and could not take care of educating his son himself, so he wrote this letter to warn Zhuge Zhan.
Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Shu Han Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period, was hailed as the "incarnation of wisdom" by later generations. His "Book of Commandments" can also be said to be a family motto full of wise words and a masterpiece among ancient family mottos. . The article explains the profound principles of self-cultivation, study and conduct, which is thought-provoking. It can also be regarded as Zhuge Liang's summary of his life, and later became a famous article on self-cultivation and determination.
The main purpose of "The Book of Commandments to Sons" is to encourage sons to study diligently and be determined, to cultivate their moral character and cultivate their character through indifference and tranquility, and to avoid laziness and impatience. The article summarizes the experience of being a man and studying, focusing on the word "quiet". Zhuge Liang taught his son to be "indifferent" and self-sufficient, and to live in "tranquility". He encouraged his son to study diligently and be inspirational, and to improve his self-cultivation of indifference and tranquility. effort.
This "Book of Commandments" not only explains the ways and methods of self-cultivation, but also points out the relationship between determination and learning; it not only explains the importance of tranquility and indifference, but also points out the consequences of indulgence, laziness and extreme impatience. harm. Zhuge Liang not only had strict requirements on his sons in terms of general principles and was persuasive, but he also showed his subtle care for his children in some specific matters.