義利之辨是兩千年來學者討論最多、對中國社會發展影響最大的問題之一，但不可否認，它同時又是孟學研究中最為混亂的問題之一。本文認為，有三種不同意義的義利之辨，即治國方略意義的義利之辨、舜跖之分意義的義利之辨、道德目的意義的意利之辨，其中治國方略和道德目的意義的義利之辨屬於彼此對立關係，而舜跖之分意義的義利之辨屬於價值選擇關係，不能分別義利之辨的三種不同意義，又將公私概念引入義利之辨，使舜拓之分義利之辨的價值選擇關係轉變為彼此對立關係，是造成孟子義利之辨本義長期不明於世的根本原因。

　　　　　This thesis hold that there are three distinct meanings about Mencius's discrimination of Yi & Li (Righteousness & Profit). One is the discrimination of Yi & Li in running-a-country policy sense; the second is that in the moral end sense; the last is that in the distinction between Shun & Zhi sense. Among them, the first two belong to the mutually opposite relation, while the last one belongs to the value choise relation. Being unable to distinguish the three distinct meanings about the discrimination of Yi & Li, and introducting the public and private concept in to the discrimination of Yi & Li in the distinction between Shun & Zhi sense into the mutually opposite relation. That is the essential factor which makes the original face of Mencius' discrimination of Yi & Li unclear to common people permanently.