Judging from the development of the concept of knowing and doing, Neo-Confucianists in Song and Ming Dynasties advocated knowledge first, especially in the environment of Zhu Neo-Confucianism dominating the world. The knowledge that the world does often lies in seeking knowledge-the knowledge that is seen and heard lies in the fact that everything is poor but practice is neglected. It led to the fragmentation of Confucian orthodox knowledge, and advocated rhetoric and exegesis for the purpose of imperial examinations. In this big environment, there are Buddhists who are very popular, seeking Tao with the knowledge of health preservation and seeking Buddha with reincarnation. The world and the Confucian study of seeking saints are gradually drifting away.
Although Zhu's "learning from time to time" is also a philosophical method to explore the truth of the universe, whether right or wrong for the time being, most Confucian children at that time only regarded Zhu's theory as the necessary knowledge to gain fame. Just like the mathematics and physics we are studying at school now, most people just aim at answering questions, and even many schools improve the enrollment rate by means of sea tactics and betting questions. Few people delve into the reasons. Although they have learned a lot, they are increasingly deviating from the true meaning of being a man.
Influenced by Lou Liang, Wang Yangming also explored Zhu's "knowledge by things". However, his exploration did not stay on the surface, but actually went to check bamboo with his partners. Now, many of us may find it funny to see Wang Yangming's "A Week Ends with Bamboo Faint", and feel how this person is so stupid and incomprehensible, just as many people ridiculed Wang Yangming's theory at that time.
Everyone is drunk, and I wake up alone. Once upon a time, exploring a subject in depth and selflessly became the laughing stock of everyone. Is this Wang Yangming's problem or our own problem?
Under such circumstances, Wang Yangming put forward the theory of the unity of knowledge and action. In fact, the concept of unity of knowledge and action has existed since ancient times. In the Book of Changes, there is a saying that "knowledge and practice are one", but later the world gradually forgot it, either emphasizing knowledge over practice or emphasizing practice over thinking and exploration. Wang Yangming revisited this topic in simple and popular words, aiming to advocate the world to know and do together, and to teach the world to pay attention to practice and sharpen things. The understanding of the unity of knowledge and action in the manual is summarized in four points.
First, the ontology of knowing and doing.
In college, Wang Yangming used the words "good as lust, bad as stench" to describe the ontological relationship between knowledge and action. Seeing beauty (not modern femininity) means knowing and liking beauty. This is a natural reaction. It is not good to see beauty, but evil to smell stench. This natural and lewd reaction is that knowledge and action are interrelated and selfless.
In order to better understand the ontological relationship between knowledge and action, we must start with Wang Yangming's "mind is reason". Before Wang Yangming, Confucian scholars often divided mind and reason into two parts. Even Lu Jiuyuan, who also put forward that "mind is reason", only integrated the virtue part of reason with heart, but the complete reason is still two parts with heart. Wang Yangming integrates mind and reason, and if he knows in his heart, he will naturally have actions to prove it. Knowledge and action are in our complete hearts, and we don't need to take them.
Second, true knowledge is doing what you want, but you don't know what you want.
What you know is true, and true knowledge is relative to false knowledge. For example, many people think that they know that reading is useful to them, but is this knowledge true or false? Speaking of behavior. Reading is useful, but not doing it is false knowledge. If reading is useful and you really study hard every day, that is true knowledge. Once you read the true scriptures, you can do it. If you can't, ask yourself if you really realize it.
Many people can say a word, I understand everything you say, but I can't. So is this understanding true? Often we can't do it. It's not that we really can't do it. Just considering the influence of the outside world, we are afraid to do it because of worry, fear and anxiety. These are all manifestations that conscience is covered by selfish desires, and they are not really considerate.
Third, knowledge is the beginning of action, and action is the achievement of knowledge.
This is a dynamic explanation of the interrelation and inclusiveness of knowledge and action in terms of their concrete operation. Consciousness belongs to knowledge, and an action contains the initiation of consciousness, that is, the initial stage of action. In the same way, behavior is the concrete practice result after consciousness is started, and it is the end point of cognition. So mutual tolerance, that is, the unity of knowledge and action.
People often think that this sentence is a prophet, which divides knowledge and action into two parts. If we really understand the true meaning of the unity of knowledge and action and why Wang Yangming proposed the unity of knowledge and action, what does it matter whether the unity of knowledge and action is one or two? Knowing is the beginning, doing is successful, doing a hundred and a half steps is 90, knowing without doing is equal to zero, and doing without knowing is just wandering aimlessly.
Fourth, knowing is the idea of doing, and doing is the kung fu of knowing.
For example, the battery car died. First, you have to know how to charge the car, and then you can charge it. But if you know how to charge, you have to work hard according to the specific steps. If you just understand and don't study hard, it is also a kind of pseudo-knowledge. So knowing is an idea, and doing is kung fu. Combining ideas with kung fu is the right way.
It may be more intuitive to understand the thinking of unity of knowledge and action with spiral diagram. Knowing and doing are like countless points on this picture. Whatever it is, it is on this spiral, that is, knowing and doing. Find a random section on the spiral. When we know the truth, we will naturally know what to do next. Knowing the truth is the direction. In a certain period of time, knowledge is the starting point, action is the end point, and it is constantly practiced repeatedly, constantly growing and rising. In this process of growth, the idea of knowing is also growing, and the scope of what can be done naturally is also expanding.
"Learning without thinking is useless, thinking without learning is dangerous". Our life is like this spiraling curve, constantly updated, constantly improving ourselves in the process of integrating knowledge with practice, thus reaching a perfect realm and becoming a saint.
Mr. Wang Yangming's little disciple hopes that the Saint Sect will flourish and everyone can have a happy heart.