《Caigentan (菜根譚) - Former Collection #39》 [039]
📜 Original Text
教弟子,如養閨女,最要嚴出入,謹交遊。若一接近匪人,是清淨田中,下一不淨種子,便終身難植嘉禾矣。
📚 Translation
Teaching disciples is like raising a young lady (閨女) from a good family:
It is most important to strictly regulate their comings and goings (出入) and to be prudent about their friendships (交遊).
If they come into contact with wicked people (匪人) even once,
it is like planting an impure seed (不淨種子) in a clean field (清淨田),
making it difficult to grow a good harvest (嘉禾) for the rest of their life (終身).
✍️ Hanja Breakdown
- 教 (jiào): To teach, to educate.
- 弟子 (dì zǐ): Disciple, student.
- 如 (rú): To be like, as.
- 養 (yǎng): To raise, to nurture.
- 閨 (guī): Inner chambers, women's quarters.
- 女 (nǚ): Woman, daughter.
- 閨女 (guī nǚ): Young lady from a good family, maiden.
- 最 (zuì): Most, -est.
- 要 (yào): To be important, to be necessary.
- 嚴 (yán): To be strict, to be severe.
- 出入 (chū rù): Coming and going, access.
- 謹 (jǐn): To be cautious, to be prudent.
- 交 (jiāo): To associate, to make friends.
- 遊 (yóu): To wander, to associate.
- 交遊 (jiāo yóu): Socializing, friendship, association.
- 若 (ruò): If, in case.
- 一 (yī): Once, one time.
- 接 (jiē): To connect, to come into contact with.
- 近 (jìn): To be close.
- 接近 (jiē jìn): To approach, to be close to.
- 匪 (fěi): Not (here, meaning 'rogue', 'wicked').
- 人 (rén): Person.
- 匪人 (fěi rén): Rogue, bad person, ruffian.
- 是 (shì): To be.
- 清 (qīng): Clear, pure.
- 淨 (jìng): Clean, pure.
- 清淨 (qīng jìng): Pure, clean, tranquil.
- 田 (tián): Field.
- 田中 (tián zhōng): In the field.
- 下 (xià): To put down, to sow (seeds).
- 不 (bù): Not.
- 不淨 (bù jìng): Impure, unclean.
- 種 (zhǒng): Seed.
- 子 (zǐ): (Suffix for nouns).
- 種子 (zhǒng zǐ): Seed.
- 便 (biàn): Then, thereupon.
- 終 (zhōng): End, finish.
- 身 (shēn): Body, life.
- 終身 (zhōng shēn): Lifelong, for one's whole life.
- 難 (nán): Difficult.
- 植 (zhí): To plant, to cultivate, to grow.
- 嘉 (jiā): Beautiful, good.
- 禾 (hé): Grain, crop.
- 嘉禾 (jiā hé): Good grain, excellent harvest.
🔍 Explanation
This passage offers a vivid metaphor for the importance of environment and associations in shaping a disciple’s (弟子) character and future.
1. Strictness and Prudence, Like Raising a Young Lady (閨女)
"教弟子,如養閨女,最要嚴出入,謹交遊"
Educating disciples (教弟子) is likened to raising a young lady (養閨女) from a good family (閨女).
In traditional society, young women were carefully protected, their activities (出入) strictly managed, and their social connections (交遊) prudently chosen to prevent corruption.
Likewise, a disciple’s education requires just as much attention and protection—not merely to suppress freedom, but to cultivate a safe, healthy environment in which an immature mind can develop properly.
This analogy remains relevant even today, reminding us that young people, whose values are not yet firmly established, need thoughtful guidance and boundaries.
2. Impure Seeds (不淨種子) in a Clean Field (清淨田)
"若一接近匪人,是清淨田中,下一不淨種子,便終身難植嘉禾矣"
The latter part warns of the consequences of bad associations. The "clean field" (清淨田) symbolizes a disciple’s pure, unspoiled mind, while "wicked people" (匪人) represent corrupting influences.
Contacting such people even once is like sowing an "impure seed" (不淨種子) in a clean field, which can ruin the soil and make it nearly impossible to produce "good grain" (嘉禾) throughout one’s life (終身).
These "impure seeds" can take many forms: bad habits, distorted values, harmful mindsets, or behaviors that hurt oneself and others.
This teaches two key lessons.
Early influences are decisive: Once a bad habit or value takes root, it is very hard to correct.
Potential can be lost: Even someone with great potential can fail to flourish if they allow the wrong people or influences into their lives.
3. Conclusion: Environment Shapes Character
This maxim underscores how profoundly one’s surroundings and relationships shape their character. When educating disciples—or raising children—it is vital to not only teach them knowledge but also to guide them in choosing their friends and environments wisely.
This wisdom applies equally to ourselves: we must be vigilant about whom we associate with, which communities we join, and what ideas we expose ourselves to. Keeping our own "field" (田) clean ensures that our lives yield a "good harvest" (嘉禾).