『성학십도』의 전반부는 ‘수양을 위한 앎’에 관한 내용으로, 연역적 논리에 의해 수양의 주체와 목적 및 의의가 제시된다. 이것은 ‘누가, 무엇을, 왜’에 해당하는 것으로, 누가 수양해야 하는가, 무엇을 수양해야 하는가, 왜 수양해야 하는가를 밝히고 있다. 이에 따라 전반부를 한마디로 압축하면 궁리진성(窮理盡性)이라고 할 수 있다. 천지자연의 이치를 알고 나의 본성을 자각하여 확충해야 한다는 궁리진성은 퇴계 수양 이론의 핵심이다.
그러나 퇴계가 우리에게 요구하는 것은 이론 탐구가 아닌 ‘실천’이다. 이에 따라 퇴계는 수양 대상인 ‘마음’의 본체와 그 작용에 대하여 연역적으로 밝힘으로써 실천의 방향을 제시하고 있다. 수양의 실천 대상과 방안에 대한 이와 같은 연역적 제시는 ‘언제, 어디서, 어떻게’ 수양을 해야 하는가와 연관된다. 이에 따라 「심통성정도」부터 「심학도」까지는 ‘어떻게 수양할 것인가’를 밝혔고, 「경재잠도」와 「숙흥야매잠도」에서는 더 구체적으로 ‘어디서, 언제 수양할 것인가’를 밝힌다. 특히 「숙흥야매잠도」에서는 아침에 일어나 잠자리에 들기까지의 수양 과정을 제시하고 있는데 이것은 일종의 수양일과표이다.
수양의 실천을 제시한 후반부의 키워드는 ‘존체응용(存體應用)’이다. 수양으로 마음의 본체를 보존하여 온갖 사물과 사건에 허령한 마음으로 대응함으로써 ‘중(中)’을 견지해야 한다는 것이다. 특히 존체응용을 토대로 제시되는 수양 실천 일과표인 「숙흥야매잠도」 야말로 퇴계가 『성학십도』에서 궁극에 강조한 것이며 선조에게 하고 싶었던 말이었다. 「숙흥야매잠도」에서 제시된 수양의 조목들이 대수롭지 않은 듯 보여도 이것이야말로 근본적인 것이며, 성인(聖人)으로 가는 유일한 길이요, 더딘 듯해도 지름길임을 천명한 것이다. 그동안의 퇴계사상과 『성학십도』에 대한 연구는 거의 모두 논리와 논설에 집중되었다. 그러나 퇴계가 평생 관심을 두고 실천한 것은 고원한 이론의 탐구가 아니라 지금 바로 여기에서의 부단한 자기반성과 바른 몸가짐의 실천을 통한 본성의 자각과 확충이었다.
In the first half of ‘the Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning’, he deals with ‘Knowledge for self-cultivation’, suggesting the subject, purpose and significance of self-cultivation based on deductive logic. This is about ‘who, what, and why revealing who should discipline one`s mind, what they should discipline one`s mind and why they should do it. In addition, If the first half is compressed in a word, It comes to mean that one should know the reason of heaven and earth nature, realize one`s nature to improve oneself, which is the core of Toegye’s theory of self-cultivation. However, what Toegye is asking to us is not the exploration of theory but ‘implementation’. Accordingly, he is giving us the direction of implementation by revealing using deductive method on the essence of ‘mind’ which serves as the subject of cultivation and its mechanism. Such deductive suggestion on object of practice in cultivation and the method to implement it is associated with “when, where and how one should cultivate the mind’. Based on this, he reveals the way of mind cultivation from 6 to 8 diagram, and more in detail, the suitable place and time to do it from 9~10 diagram. In particular, he is suggesting the order of mind cultivation for all day long at 10 diagram, which is nothing different with mind cultivation schedule chart. The central contents of the latter half presenting the implementation of mind cultivation is that one should preserve the essence of mind by mind cultivation to keep moderation by responding to a variety of things and happenings with peaceful and resonable mind. ‘10 diagram’, the schedule chart of the mind cultivation implementation, based on such position, was what Toegye ultimately emphasized in ‘the Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning’ and was what he wanted tell to the King. Even though articles of mind cultivation suggested in 10 diagram looks insignificant, it is putting emphasis on being fundamental, the only way to be a saint and shortcut which seems to be slow. Until now, we only have focused on logic and editorial in studying Toegye and his Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning. However, what he had put concern in implementing was not the exploration of theory far from the reality but the recognition and expansion of good nature through endless self-reflection and implementation of right behavior right here.
In the first half of ‘the Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning’, he deals with ‘Knowledge for self-cultivation’, suggesting the subject, purpose and significance of self-cultivation based on deductive logic. This is about ‘who, what, and why revealing who should discipline one`s mind, what they should discipline one`s mind and why they should do it. In addition, If the first half is compressed in a word, It comes to mean that one should know the reason of heaven and earth nature, realize one`s nature to improve oneself, which is the core of Toegye’s theory of self-cultivation. However, what Toegye is asking to us is not the exploration of theory but ‘implementation’. Accordingly, he is giving us the direction of implementation by revealing using deductive method on the essence of ‘mind’ which serves as the subject of cultivation and its mechanism. Such deductive suggestion on object of practice in cultivation and the method to implement it is associated with “when, where and how one should cultivate the mind’. Based on this, he reveals the way of mind cultivation from 6 to 8 diagram, and more in detail, the suitable place and time to do it from 9~10 diagram. In particular, he is suggesting the order of mind cultivation for all day long at 10 diagram, which is nothing different with mind cultivation schedule chart. The central contents of the latter half presenting the implementation of mind cultivation is that one should preserve the essence of mind by mind cultivation to keep moderation by responding to a variety of things and happenings with peaceful and resonable mind. ‘10 diagram’, the schedule chart of the mind cultivation implementation, based on such position, was what Toegye ultimately emphasized in ‘the Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning’ and was what he wanted tell to the King. Even though articles of mind cultivation suggested in 10 diagram looks insignificant, it is putting emphasis on being fundamental, the only way to be a saint and shortcut which seems to be slow. Until now, we only have focused on logic and editorial in studying Toegye and his Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning. However, what he had put concern in implementing was not the exploration of theory far from the reality but the recognition and expansion of good nature through endless self-reflection and implementation of right behavior right here.
