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Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.15

Passage 15

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「人rén之zhī所suǒ不bù學xué而ér能néng者zhě，其qí良liáng能néng也yě。所suǒ不bú慮lǜ而ér知zhī者zhě，其qí良liáng知zhī也yě。孩hái提tí之zhī童tóng，無wú不bù知zhī愛ài其qí親qīn者zhě，及jí其qí長cháng也yě，無wú不bù知zhī敬jìng其qí兄xiōng也yě。親qīn親qīn，仁rén也yě。敬jìng長cháng，義yì也yě。無wú他tā，達dá之zhī天tiān下xià也yě。」

Mencius said, 'The ability possessed by men without having been acquired by learning is intuitive ability, and the knowledge possessed by them without the exercise of thought is their intuitive knowledge. Children carried in the arms all know to love their parents, and when they are grown a little, they all know to love their elder brothers. Filial affection for parents is the working of benevolence. Respect for elders is the working of righteousness. There is no other reason for those feelings - they belong to all under heaven.'

First-principles reading

Begin with the words and context, expose the premise beneath the argument, then test the conditions and limits of the principle.