這一章相對于上一章而言。上一章說的是天生至誠的圣人,這一章說的是比圣人次一等的賢人。換句話說,圣人是“自誠明”,天生就真誠的人,賢人則是“自明誠”,通過后天教育明白道理后才真誠的人。賢人雖然致力于某一方面,但通過教育和修養(yǎng),通過:“形、著、明、動、變、化”的階段,同樣可以一步一步地達到圣人的境界:化育萬物,與天地并列為三。說到底,只要你努力奮斗,曲徑通幽,條條道路通羅馬,最終都可以大功告成,修成正果。在勸人真誠的問題上,《中庸》真可以說是苦口婆心,不遺余力的了。
中庸·二十三
其次致曲。曲能有誠,誠則形,形則著,著則明,明則動,動則變,變則化。唯天下至誠為能化。
XXIII
The next order of the process of man's mind is to attain to the apprehension of a particular branch of knowledge. In every particular branch of knowledge there is truth. Where there is truth, there is substance. Where there is substance, there is reality. Where there is reality, there is intelligence. Where there is intelligence, there is power. Where there is power, there is influence. Where there is influence, there is creative power. It is only he who possesses absolute truth in the world who can create.