The Way To Sage

There are two conspicuous characteristic in forming the Confucian school of idealist philosophy of the Song and Ming dynasties. One is the theory of Confucian orthodoxy, which points out learning origin and development of Confucianism, the other is the theory of heavenly principles, stressing the vividness of the existence of Neo-Confucianism and profound and transcendence of state. It is very important to the rise of the Confucian school of idealist philosophy of the Song and Ming dynasties and the evolution of Confucian for mention that Mingdao following the Confucian orthodoxy, from Mencius and broken off to now, and initiating the theory of heavenly principles through "Titie" heavenly principles. We can say, with "Titie" Mingdao reappeared moral introspection work of Confucians and Mencius which is faint in more than a thousand years. Therefore, it is necessary for us to deeply research Mingdao's training work theory which is relevant to the heart of his thought. The paper will research Mingdao's theory of "Titie".Mingdao pursued a kind of undistinguishable state of holding aloof from the world, which is a Great Harmony state with all things on earth as an integral whole. As a kind of training work with self-examination and inner sought for true heart, "Titie" is able to see the heart without dropping to hollow and quiet , and tell true from false in the sense of hollow and quiet, then see heavenly principles flowing of lively and flourishing benevolent, lastly reach the state which Mingdao pursued.Mencius said if one could make a thorough inquiry into heart, he would know nature and Heaven, so heavenly principles is in human heart and innate in human...