《Caigentan (採根談) - First Collection #45》The Path of Learning: Focus Your Mind on

[045] The Path of Learning: Focus Your Mind on One Goal

📜 Original Text

學者要收拾精神, 併歸一路。
如修德而留意於事功名譽, 必無實詣;
讀書而寄興於吟詠風雅, 定不深心。

📚 Korean Translation

배우는 사람은 정신을 가다듬어 오로지 한 길로 모아야 한다.
덕을 닦으면서도 공적과 명예에 마음을 두면 반드시 참된 경지에 이를 수 없고,
책을 읽으면서도 시와 풍류에만 흥취를 두면 결코 마음이 깊어지지 않는다.

🔍 Explanation: The Essence of Learning Lies in a Single-Minded Focus

This 45th maxim teaches that those who pursue learning must clarify their purpose and keep their mind undivided. The noble purpose of study is to cultivate virtue, seek truth, and deepen the mind. Yet many scatter their attention and become lost in superficial pleasures or external rewards.

🌱 1️⃣ The First Step: Concentrate Your Mind on One Path

"A learner must gather their spirit and focus it on one path."

Here, “one path (一路)” refers to the righteous path leading to morality and truth. Without this focus, a learner risks being distracted by desires or trivial pursuits and will never achieve real accomplishment. The foundation of learning is to keep the mind concentrated and directed.

🌱 2️⃣ Cultivate Virtue Without Seeking Fame

"If, while cultivating virtue, one fixes their mind on achievements and reputation, they will never reach true attainment."

The cultivation of virtue must come from inner sincerity. If one seeks ‘achievements (事功)’ and ‘reputation (名譽)’ in the process, the essence of virtue is compromised. True virtue arises from purity of heart, not from craving external validation.

🌱 3️⃣ Read to Deepen the Mind, Not Just for Elegant Pleasures

"If, while reading, one only delights in chanting poetry and refined tastes, their mind will never deepen."

Reading should broaden wisdom and deepen insight. Simply indulging in the surface beauty of poetry and elegant refinement—what the text calls 吟詠風雅 (chanting poetry and savoring elegance)—is not enough. Learning must aim at inner understanding, not just aesthetic enjoyment.

🌱 Conclusion: True Attainment Comes from Staying Focused on the Essence

This maxim reminds us that learning is not about wandering between pleasures or chasing recognition, but about walking a single-minded path toward the essence.

Only then can one deepen their mind and achieve genuine accomplishment.

"Though many paths seem to lie before you, only one leads to the truth. Gather your mind and walk that path."

🌱 Reference: “Fēngyǎ(風雅)” — The Elegance of the Classic of Poetry

The term Fēngyǎ (風雅), often translated as “elegance and refinement,” carries a richer meaning rooted in classical Chinese culture.

It connects to the structure of the Shijing (詩經; Classic of Poetry), a revered anthology cherished by Confucius.

The Shijing (詩經) contains 305 poems, blending folk sentiment and royal ritual into a work of literature, history, and ethics. It is divided into three sections: Fēng (Airs), Yǎ (Odes), and Sòng (Hymns).

🌸 Fēng (風): Folk songs from 15 states, lyrical and sincere, capturing everyday life—also called Guófēng (國風).

🌸 Yǎ (雅): Dignified court odes, celebrating virtue and order, divided into:

Dàyǎ (大雅): Grand odes for royal ceremonies.

Xiǎoyǎ (小雅): Lesser odes for smaller gatherings.


🌸 Sòng (頌): Solemn hymns for ancestral sacrifices.


Thus, Fēngyǎ(風雅) embodies both the unpretentious purity of folk life and the dignified elegance of the court—a refined but ultimately superficial charm.

Fēngyǎ (風雅) is a classical and charming refinement,
but it cannot itself be the path,
nor can it reach the true essence of learning.