Chapter 8 1. Human nature is good

What is human nature?Generally, when you mention this question, you will think of what I said at the beginning: "At the beginning of human beings, nature is good. Similar in nature, but far away from each other..." Many people think that "human nature is inherently good" is Confucianism.However, the six words "at the beginning of human beings, nature is good" were neither said by Confucius nor Mencius, but were summed up by scholars since the Song Dynasty.The word "ben" is the interpretation of later generations, not the original meaning of Confucius and Mencius.According to my personal experience of studying and experiencing Confucianism for many years, I want to change this "base" to "direction". I think Confucianism does not advocate that human nature is good, but emphasizes that human nature is good. In the first week of my arrival, I visited a seminary professor and talked with him about issues of human nature.I asked him: "Christianity advocates that human beings have original sin. Doesn't it mean that human nature is inherently evil? Is it too negative? The Chinese advocate that human beings are inherently good, which is more positive and positive." ..." Recite it to him.As a result, the professor did not discuss the classics with me, but only asked me: "Are there any bad people in Chinese society? Will Chinese people do bad things?" I was speechless.Of course I can ask: "Will Westerners do good things? If people are inherently evil, where does goodness come from?" But I also expected that he would say: "Goodness comes from God, you believe in God!" In this way, Not only did he lose the debate, but it also made Chinese Confucianism feel a little "disgraced".

"The theory of human nature is inherently good" is too naive, naive, disregarding reality, and out of touch with our actual life experience.If human nature is good?So why do people need to be educated?Is the good deed worthy of praise?The answers to these are no. "Human nature is inherently good" is completely inconsistent with our actual experience and preliminary reflection. Since talking with that seminary professor, I have been thinking about the true spirit of Confucianism.What is human nature?In the book, Confucius seldom directly talked about this issue. Although he said "nature is similar, learning is far away", he did not further explain human nature, because there was no requirement for this theory at that time.In other words, none of Confucius' students would have thought of the importance of this issue. Only Zi Gong once mentioned: "The master's words about nature and the way of heaven can only be heard." ("The Analects of Confucius Gongye Chang") Confucius Didn't tell him about human problems, why?Because Zigong's aptitude is not suitable for talking about human nature with him, only Yan Yuan can talk about it, but Yan Yuan was completely convinced by Confucius, and unfortunately died early, so there is no record of this.

However, Confucius did not talk about it, which does not mean that he did not have a clear view on human nature; on the contrary, his observations on human nature are very profound.He has seen empirically that there are various weaknesses in man.For example, "I have never seen a person who loves virtue as much as she loves sex." I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as she loves beauty.Love of beauty is a biological instinct, but love of virtue?If the latter is also natural, then its power is obviously not absolute or comprehensive, so it is not appropriate to say that "human nature is inherently good".Following this line of thought, Confucius reminded people to be vigilant at every stage: when young, the blood energy is uncertain, and the abstinence is in the color; , it is necessary to avoid it. "The Analects of Confucius·Ji Shi" People cannot live without blood, and blood has various problems. In this way, how can it be said that "human nature is inherently good"?Not saying that "human nature is inherently evil" is considered polite.

Therefore, Confucius never said that human nature is inherently good, he only said: "The nature is similar, but the habits are far away." "Xi" represents the result of the acquired environment and infection, everyone is different; "nature" represents the innate face.However, since it is an innate nature shared by all human beings, why didn't Confucius say "similar" instead of "similar"?Answer 1: If human nature originally has something that can be called "good", it should be said that "sex is the same".In other words, if someone claims that "human nature is inherently good" and at the same time claims that "human nature is similar", then we can ask: Is "goodness" "quality" or "quantity"?It is the "quantity" that has the degree and can be said to be similar.But how can goodness be measured by "quantity"?If it is "quality", then it is either existence or non-existence, how close is it?Answer 2: There is no good or evil in human nature, only "good tendencies".As far as "inclination" is concerned, it can be said that everyone has it, but the degree of sensitivity varies.In other words, as long as a person is good, he "must" feel "uneasy" or "unbearable" in a certain situation in his heart.Some people cry when they see the falling flowers, and some people don't feel sad until they suffer personally. The degree is far from that, but there must be the possibility of "uneasy" and "unbearable".

In fact, "peace of mind, unbearability" is the foundation of the Confucian theory of human nature, and it is also the key to understanding Confucius and Mencius.This key is clearly reflected in the dialogue between Confucius and Zai Wo about the "three-year mourning".Zai Wo questioned the "three-year mourning", thinking that the three-year mourning period is too long.If rituals and music are not practiced in the humanistic world, rituals and music will disintegrate; in the natural world, one year is a cycle, so why not also mourn for one year?Confucius heard this, and only asked him: If you stay in mourning for one year, you can resume your daily enjoyment of life, eat well, dress well, "Is Yu Nu safe?" Are you restless?Many people say that Chinese Zen Buddhism "points directly at people's hearts", but in fact Confucius "pointed directly at people's hearts".He didn't discuss with Zai Wo the external conditions of humanities and nature in "three years of mourning", but he focused on people's hearts. It depends on your inner security?As a result, Zai Wo replied: "An." Confucius had no choice but to say: "It's for women's safety." If you feel at ease, then do it.

In other words, Confucius' understanding of human nature lies in the ability of the human heart to be "safe" and "uneasy".Human nature is not static, but dynamic and lively.Because the main characteristic of being a human being is that he has freedom, that he can choose.Without the ability to choose freely, there is no human problem.Just because people can choose freely, the human heart is "alive", and it has a tendency. When this tendency is hindered, it will have a reaction and make the heart feel peaceful and uneasy.So, why did Confucius think that three years of mourning would give him peace of mind?After Zai Wo left, Confucius talked about the reason: "The child is born for three years, and then he is free from the arms of his parents." These twelve characters are the starting point for us to understand the Confucian theory of human nature.In Confucius' view, the deep affection of the human heart for parents is born from specific growth experiences.Babies can only leave the arms of their parents when they are three years old.Physiologically, I have been cared for by my parents for a long time, and I have also formed a mutual caring relationship with my parents psychologically. I will always be grateful for the kindness of my parents, so it is very reasonable to mourn for three years when my parents pass away.That is to say, "three years of mourning" represents ethics, "Yu Nv Anhu" represents psychology, and "children have three years of life" represents physiology.Human nature is formed by the coherence of physiology, psychology and ethics.The focus of the Confucian theory of human nature lies in the self-awareness of the "mind", which is based on physiology and uses ethics as its function.Because the degree of peace of mind and uneasiness is indeed different from person to person, it can only be said that "human nature is toward goodness." It is different from the experience of the day after tomorrow.

Mencius put forward a more systematic explanation of human nature.He has a very good metaphor for human nature: the trees on the Niu Mountain are beautiful, but if they are in a big country on the outskirts, can they be beautiful if they are cut with an axe?It is the rest of the day and night, the moistening of the rain and dew, and the growth of the tiller, and the cattle and sheep graze it, so it is like washing and washing.When people see that it is shoddy, they think it is not a talent. Is this the nature of the mountain?Although it exists in people, how can there be no benevolence and righteousness?The reason for letting go of one's conscience is like an ax to a tree. Is it beautiful to cut it down suddenly?His resting day and night, his calm mood, and his likes and dislikes are almost similar to those of human beings, but what he does during the day and night will lead to death in shackles.If the shackles are repeated, the night air will not be enough to survive; if the night air is not enough to survive, it will not go far against animals.When people see their beasts and think that they are not talented, is it human?Therefore, if you get its nourishment, nothing will not grow; if you lose its nourishment, nothing will not disappear. ("Mencius Gaozi 1")

This metaphor is very powerful.He said that the trees on Niu Mountain grew very lush, but unfortunately it was close to the outskirts of the capital. Some people cut down the trees to build houses;As a result, a good mountain turned into a bald mountain.I would like to ask: Is "baldness" the nature of mountains?Obviously not.Are the flowers and trees the nature of the mountain?No, because if it is nature, how can it be chopped up and eaten up?Here, "flowers, plants and trees" represent the goodness of human nature, and "bald" represent the evil nature of human beings, neither of which is the nature of mountains.So what is the nature of mountains?It is "able" to grow flowers and trees, as long as it is given a chance, it will grow new shoots.In other words, the mountain itself does not reveal its true nature, and what we see as "bald" or "luxuriant vegetation" is just a phenomenon of mountains.The nature of mountains is that as long as there is rain and morning dew, new shoots will grow.If the new shoots are eaten up and become a bare mountain, if given another chance, the mountain will grow new shoots and become flowers and trees.Therefore, the nature of the mountain lies in "can", not in what it "is". "Can" is a kind of potential, trend and power.The same is true for human beings. Is human nature good?Evil?neither.The nature of human beings is good, as long as they are given opportunities, and they are cultivated and enriched, they are good; otherwise, "cutting them at once" will numb the mind over time.When Confucians talk about human nature, this point is very wonderful. Human nature is a tendency, which shows that life is open and always a requirement for the self, and this requirement comes from the inside, not from the outside.Therefore, living in the world can realize the nature of self-seeking goodness.

Some people may suspect that it can also be said that human nature is evil?Because human nature is only "toward" good, you can also choose to be evil, so why do you say "toward good" instead of evil?Let me give you a simple example: I woke up this morning, disrespecting my parents and respecting my elder brother, and felt uneasy and intolerable. This proves that human nature is good.Conversely, when I woke up this morning, I didn’t kill or set fire, beat or swear, and I felt restless and unbearable. This is because human nature is evil.In general, which one are we?Of course it is the former.Let me give another example: when an elderly person refuses to give up his seat on the bus, he will feel that his conscience is tormented. This is the essence of human nature.Therefore, the human mind is a tendency. If you don’t do what you should do, or do what you shouldn’t do, there will naturally be a kind of pressure in your heart, and you will not be able to face yourself.This is the Confucian theory of human nature being good.

Human nature is good?What is goodness?This is another key point of Confucianism.First, goodness is a value.The value is not somewhere, it needs to be presented by the choice of the subject.For example, here are two cups, one with diamonds and one with water, which one do you think is more valuable?Everyone will generally say: Of course, the ones with diamonds are more valuable.But if you are in the Sahara Desert today, the value of water is probably much higher than that of diamonds.Therefore, water and diamonds are not without value, but have nothing to do with value. They are just pure facts, and any value can only be presented through the choice of people (subjects).For example, there is a lily flower on a mountain. Before anyone climbs the mountain and sees the flower, the lily flower just exists, and there is no question of whether it is beautiful or not.But if someone sees this flower and says: This lily is so beautiful, I like it.In the process of his liking, the value of the beauty of this flower is revealed.For another example, if everyone says that gold is worse than iron, the value of gold will immediately depreciate.Actually, what is the difference between gold, iron, stone, and diamond?For animals there is no difference.Have you ever seen a dog like gold or a cat like diamonds?Or which flock of birds will carry food and grass when they fly north in summer or south in winter?Only humans take their belongings with them when they move, choose this, choose that.Value is therefore a peculiarly human problem.Without the human world, everything in the universe is just a fact, not a value.Value is only valid for human beings, that is, only human beings can make value manifest.Because people have the freedom of choice, with free choice, value can be presented through choice.

Goodness is a kind of value, so goodness is also a problem peculiar to people.Apart from the human world, there is no such thing as goodness.Take Robinson as an example, Robinson Robinson is the only person on the island, no one will judge whether he is a good person or a bad person, there is only one person living in the world, it does not matter whether he is good or bad.Any good or evil must be presented in the relationship between two subjects. Without the context of the crowd, there is no good or evil at all. Human nature is good, so people must also realize themselves in the crowd.This is a very important insight of Confucianism. So, how do people judge goodness among people?this is a big problem.For example, we say that a person is very filial, but he is not necessarily a good friend; a person is a good friend, but not necessarily a good teacher; a person is a good teacher, but not necessarily a good father.This is very simple truth.It is very difficult for a person to do all the "good".So when you say that a person is good, you can't say that he is good in the abstract, you must point out who he is good to, apart from the object he is good to, his kindness is fundamentally empty and false.Is it possible to be a good person?Possible in theory, but unlikely in practice.Because a good person must fulfill all appropriate relationships, fully realize the expectations of all his related people, so that there is nothing missing in his interpersonal relationship, this is called a good person.This is actually very unlikely. "Improbable" is not because of lack of ability, but because of the variety of roles a person has to play in his life, but these roles often conflict with each other.To give a simple example, after a boy gets married, he finds that he cannot be a good son and a good husband at the same time, but he cannot satisfy the requirements of both.Mom and wife are asking you to do different things at the same time, who should you listen to?You only have one person, one time, what should you do?This is a contradiction.This is why it is so hard in human society, and life is full of challenges, trials and misfortunes.Because everyone can't understand each other, they only look at each other's responsibilities and requirements from their own perspective, while ignoring that he has other roles to play and various responsibilities to fulfill.As a result, misunderstanding and resentment will arise.That's why Confucius said: "I can't see good people, but I can see them. It's good to see persistent ones!" "Permanence" means that people have the desire to be good in their hearts. Although they are not perfect, they still yearn for it and try their best to do it. This is the meaning of Confucianism.No one is a good person, but everyone can be a good person.Life is full of motivation to move forward. Human nature tends to be good. This kind of power comes from within, and no one can completely eliminate it.So always have hope in humanity.But let us not forget that doing good is an endless demand, without interruption.All we see in the world are people who have done one or several good deeds. Where can there be good people?You say he is a good person today, so can he become a bad person tomorrow?Absolutely, you can become a bad guy in the next moment.In fact, he is not a bad person, just a person who has done a bad thing.What a person does is the result of the distorted development of his human nature; doing good deeds is the result of the normal development of human nature.Human nature is a tendency, an openness, a potential waiting to be realized.If you can grasp this point, you can make demands on yourself from the inside out.The so-called "Tian Xingjian, a gentleman strives for self-improvement", "Going to renew every day, renew every day, and renew every day", as long as we live in the world, we must go through continuous hard work to make ourselves better and better, so that our personality will be better and better. come higher.But your doing good is definitely not a burden, but a real joy, because this happiness fully meets the requirements of "human nature to be kind" to oneself.When you fulfill this requirement, you enjoy the greatest happiness. Mencius believed that the heart is the key to "good nature".Human beings are free to choose the manifestation of various behaviors.But what is shown is all phenomena, and the heart is our essence.How to know the essence of man?Confucius would ask, do you feel at ease?Mencius would ask, can you bear it?We have spontaneous feelings about the suffering of others, which is the so-called sympathy.Mencius attaches great importance to this feeling.He said: "That's why it is said that all people have the heart of being unbearable. Today, when people first see a child about to fall into the well, they all have a heart of fear and compassion; it is not because they are friends with the parents of the child, and it is not because they want to be praised by the friends of the village party. Yes, it’s not out of spite." ("Mencius Gongsun Chou 1") When we see a child about to fall into the well, we will feel panic and pity in our hearts; we don’t want to be friends with the child’s parents It’s not that we want to be praised among friends in the township party, and it’s not that we don’t like the sound of children crying; we just don’t have any purpose or reason.Why can't you bear it?Because this is human nature, and human nature will not bear it.This is Mencius' basic understanding of human nature. This understanding seems difficult to prove experimentally today.Because today's living conditions are different from those of the past, wells are rare to see, otherwise they would have become historic sites for people to visit. Mencius' metaphor can hardly arouse our imagination.However, a piece of news from Texas a few years ago confirmed what Mencius said.A four-year-old girl in Texas accidentally slipped and fell into a dry well.After the matter was reported by the media, it became a matter of great concern to everyone from the President of the United States to the traffickers.The vice president also personally visited the family of the little girl, and many people prayed for the little girl.This compassion leads many to rediscover their inner need for good.It can be seen that people do not distinguish between ancient and modern, and land does not distinguish east and west. Compassion is indeed the original appearance of human beings.That's why Mencius said affirmatively: Looking at it from the facts, one is not human if one has no compassion; one is not human if one does not have a heart of shame;The heart of compassion is the essence of benevolence; the heart of shame is the essence of righteousness; the heart of courtesy is the essence of propriety; the heart of right and wrong is the essence of wisdom.Human beings have four ends, just as they have four bodies. ("Mencius Gongsun Chou 1") From this point of view, a person without compassion is not a person; a person without shame is not a person; a person without humility is not a person; a person without a sense of right and wrong is not a person.Compassion is the beginning of benevolence, shame is the beginning of righteousness, humility is the beginning of propriety, right and wrong is the beginning of wisdom.Man has these four beginnings, just as he has four limbs. Mencius even said that four people are not human. Some people think it is too exaggerated. Without these four kinds of hearts, is it really not human?However, when you hear Mencius scolding you for not being human, and you are very angry, he will say congratulations, you have become a human again, because you are angry, which means you still have a sense of shame.This is the thought of Confucianism. Confucianism believes that only the direct reaction of people in natural situations can show the true inner situation.However, Mencius said that the human heart has four kinds of beginnings, but he did not say that people have four kinds of goodness. "Beginning" means germination, beginning.If the four kinds of beginnings are developed and expanded, the four kinds of goodness of benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom can be produced.Goodness must be practiced after you act.For example, "Without a heart of compassion, you are not a person." Compassion is only a good end, not the completion of goodness. The completion of goodness still needs to be practiced through actions.Therefore, as long as a person has this heart, he is a human being; whether there are benevolent actions is the second step.If even this heart is lost, it means insensitivity, unable to feel what others have suffered, and that is "inhuman".Secondly, there are different degrees of compassion. Some people are more sensitive, not only can't bear others, but also can't bear some small animals. They even cry when they see falling flowers like Lin Daiyu.Some people are relatively slow, and have to wait for a major stimulus to realize the kinship between themselves and others.Sensitive or dull, as long as there is feeling, there is hope.The hope lies in being able to expand this mind and strive to practice benevolence.As Mencius said, "If the beginning of fire, the beginning of spring".A fire begins to burn, a water begins to flow, and what seems to be a small source can turn out to be a great deed of good, all with a little compassion. Mencius also compared human nature to water. The goodness of human nature is like water that flows down.There is no evil in people, and there is no water.Today, if you beat the water and jump, you can make it pass through the sky;Is it the nature of water?The trend is the same.Human beings can be made to be unkind, but their nature is still the same. ("Mencius Gaozi 1") For goodness, human nature tends to flow downward toward the water.There is nothing bad in human nature, and there is no water that does not flow downward.Now, if you splash water with your hands and let it splash, it can also be higher than a person's forehead; if you stop the water from flowing backwards, you can lead it to a high mountain.Is this the nature of water?This is the situation.Human beings can be made to do unkind things. At this time, their human condition is also like this. The metaphor of "water" is very appropriate: just as "down" is the "direction" of water rather than the nature of water, "goodness" is also the "direction" of human beings, not the nature of human beings.What does that mean?Splashing water with hands, catching water with a pipe, and letting the water flow backwards, this is the external situation.We sometimes say that "the situation is stronger than people", and the external situation will change the natural tendency of the water; and when a person does bad things, he is also affected by the external situation.In other words, if a person is allowed to develop naturally, he will do good according to his nature; on the contrary, if the external situation is bad, people will do evil.The so-called "wealthy years, more dependent children, fierce years, more violent children" ("Mencius Gaozi 1"), in an era of economic prosperity, young people are lazy; when economic conditions are not good, young people will be violent, such as robbery of.What Mencius meant was that the economy of an era has a direct impact on young people.A society must try to create a natural and normal situation in terms of politics, economy, and education, so that everyone can develop naturally. At this time, the manifestation of human nature for good is like water flowing downward.Therefore, "the goodness of human nature is like water flowing down".May I ask, is "down" the direction of water, or the nature of water?The answer is clear.Using "everything in the water" is used as a metaphor for "everything is good", the relationship between people and kindness must be that human nature is good, not that human nature is good, and "the heart has four ends" is the power of human nature to be good. What is the difference between man and beast?This is a very important key in "Mencius".If you want to understand human nature, you must know the difference between humans and animals. Mencius said: "The reason why human beings are different from beasts is that the ordinary people go away, and the gentlemen keep them. Shun Ming is in the common people, and observes the human relationship. Acting from benevolence and righteousness is not practicing benevolence and righteousness." ("Mencius Li Louxia") Mencius said: "There is only a little bit of difference between man and beast. Ordinary people discard it, but gentlemen keep it. Shun understands the normal state of things and discerns the principles of human relations, so he acts according to the requirements of benevolence and righteousness. , rather than deliberately trying to realize benevolence and righteousness.” "Jixi" means that the difference is very small.Mencius believed that the difference between humans and animals is very small.First of all, humans and animals are very similar in body; we have five sense organs, and animals also have them; we have limbs, and animals also have them.Second, humans and animals are very similar in instinct.When people eat, they are no different from dogs, and they all come from a hunger instinct; when they sleep, they are no different from pigs, from a kind of rest instinct.The reason why human beings are different from animals is by no means relying on human body, instinct or limbs and five sense organs, but relying on other things. Mencius put forward the theory of "large body and small body", calling the body "small body", "small" means unimportant and secondary; calling the heart "large body", and "big" means important.The body is generally inside, and the small body is outside.What humans and animals have in common is the "small body", while what is unique to humans is called the "large body". The "general body" is the "four ends" of the human heart (from which benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom arise).Mencius said: "Human beings have four ends, just as they have four bodies." The four ends and four bodies all belong to the human body; the division of their size means that people should put the "big body" as the most important thing, that is, the "heart" is enough. Whether it is sensitive enough, whether it can be conscious and sincere is the key.The so-called human nature lies in the "heart". Mencius believed that those who get rid of this "heart" are ordinary people; those who preserve it are gentlemen.The question is, if this "heart" can be removed or preserved, what should we do after it is removed?Is it once removed, it is removed forever?Once saved, saved forever?Of course not, otherwise there would be no need to talk about education.The heart can go or save, which means it is dynamic.If it is said that the essence of human beings is good, then once the essence is removed, it will disappear. Therefore, we emphasize that human nature is good, and human nature is a dynamic force, which lies in whether the heart can perceive it or not.For example, sometimes we don’t seem to be very sensitive. When we see an old man wrestling, we don’t feel it; if we feel it, you go to help him right away.This kind of sincerity, self-awareness, and self-requirement to do what should be done are the basic rules of Confucianism for human nature.If you are not sincere and conscious, what is the use of "goodness"?incapable of acting.Mencius said that a gentleman can sincerely and consciously preserve this goodness, but ordinary people get rid of it. After getting rid of it, aren't people just like animals?The so-called "full of food and warm clothes, living in leisure without education, is close to a beast", people eat enough, wear warm clothes, and live a leisurely life, but if they do not receive education, they are not far from beasts.why?Because the heart that is different from animals is gone.The goal of Confucian education is to help people regain their original self-awareness of being good, and at the same time help people fulfill the requirements of their hearts with various reasonable political and social norms. Next, Mencius mentioned Shun.Yao and Shun are typical figures respected by Confucianism, and Mencius especially likes Shun.He said that it was precisely because Shun had observed the inner power of human nature to be good that he "acted from benevolence and righteousness, not from benevolence and righteousness", and acted from the inside to do good, instead of deliberately doing benevolence and righteousness, because the requirements of benevolence and righteousness were determined by from within.This means that our performance in terms of virtue is not what others tell me to do, and it is not what I do for others to see, but my inner strength tells me to do "goodness".This is the difference between man and beast.Mencius said, "From the general body to the adult, from the small body to the villain", if a person only knows how to take care of his body every day, he can only be regarded as a villain, because he ignores the more important inner requirements. How to "raise its general body"? Mencius said: "There is nothing good in cultivating the mind with few desires. As a human being, there are few desires. Even if there are those who do not exist, they are few; if they are human, there are many desires, and even if there are those who exist, they are few." ("Mencius: Under the Heart") ) Mencius said: "There is no better way to cultivate the heart than to reduce desires. If a person has few desires, even if there is a lost part in his heart, it will be very little; if a person has many desires, then even if he has preserved Parts are also very few.” The best way to cultivate the heart is to be pure-hearted and ascetic.The emperor of the Qing Dynasty had the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and "nourishing the mind" was to remind the emperor of "fewer desires".Taoism also has a similar statement. Zhuangzi said: "Those who have deep desires have shallow secrets." If a person has too many desires, his comprehension ability is shallow.Why?Because you can often only see the superficial phenomena of things, but not the inner truth, your life has no roots, and it is impossible to have real happiness.Therefore, in terms of cultivation of the mind, Confucianism and Taoism have something in common, starting with reducing physical desires.The values ​​of Confucianism are very clear. Living alone in the world, what you want to pursue is not tangible physical satisfaction or material enjoyment-the satisfaction and enjoyment of this aspect will be less stimulating at a certain time, and you will feel that there is nothing special about it. Instead, it is necessary to carry out the cultivation of virtue, try to let the "four ends" of the heart develop, and become the four kinds of goodness of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. The purpose of the "small body" is to enable the "big body" to realize its "good" potential, which is the biggest difference between humans and animals. If human nature is to be kind, then doing good is the happiest thing in the world, because it meets the needs of human nature.So someone said to Mencius: The emperors of the world are happy, right?Mencius said that ruling the world is not real happiness. There are three real happiness: the existence of parents and brothers without reason, the first joy; Sanle also.A gentleman has three joys, but the king has nothing to do with it. ("Mencius: Dedication") Both parents are healthy, and brothers and sisters are free from disasters and difficulties, this is the first happiness; being worthy of the sky with the superior, and worthy of others with the subordinates, this is the second happiness; getting the best talents from all over the world and educating them is the third happiness kind of happiness.A gentleman has three kinds of happiness, and being king does not include them. Many people find it strange that in today's day and age, who doesn't want to be the leader of the country, who doesn't want to be elected president, but Mencius actually thinks that these three kinds of happiness are inferior.First of all, if the parents are still alive, and the brothers and sisters are free from disasters, then life is the happiest.why?Because the presence of parents can arouse my filial heart; the presence of brothers and sisters can arouse my friendship.In order to be a complete person and complete my meaningful life, I must have my parents and brothers to maintain these two most important network of relationships. Therefore, when my parents and brothers are there, I can continue to practice the natural requirements of filial piety, and I can survive in life. Is there anything happier than this?How can fame and fortune, the envy of thousands of people, compare to the joy of family reunion?Some people say, why is Mencius so familial? This kind of happiness seems too narrow, because everyone can have it. Why did Mencius list it as the first kind of happiness?This is related to Mencius' views on human nature.Mencius believed that when a person lives in the world and gets along with others, his emotions gradually spread from near to far, from family to society.For example, my parents are alive and my brother is safe; when I go out and see other elderly people, I think of my parents and respect them; Children who grew up in an orphanage had a painful experience growing up. They didn’t have the concept of family upbringing. They might not develop strong feelings for others, and it’s not easy to spread filial piety and friendship.Therefore, the joy of "both parents exist and brothers have no reason" is not a simple family centralism, but the discovery of the truth of human nature must be from near to far, and gradually promote the inner germ of human nature. This is the normal development of human nature .The Confucian thought of "the old is the old and the old, the young and the young and the young" originated from this. The second kind of happiness is "looking up to the sky, and bowing down to others".The latter sentence is easy to understand. As far as my own behavior is concerned, it is the part that is related to others. I will fulfill my responsibility and not do anything that is sorry for others.For example, I don’t owe others money, nor do I break my promise. I deal with everyone in a bright and open manner. I don’t feel ashamed of others. The self-confidence and self-satisfaction born of this kind of shameless mood are happy. .However, "look up to the sky", what is the sky?Since Confucius "knew the mandate of heaven at fifty", the Confucian "heaven" has a special meaning.For example, Confucius said, "If you offend heaven, you have nothing to pray for." If you offend heaven, you will have no place to pray. Can you deceive people and heaven?The "heaven" of Confucianism is not the natural sky, but the master of all things in the universe, the highest god that human life has to face, and it can guide the retribution of good and evil in the human world.The ancient emperors called themselves the Son of Heaven and wanted to sacrifice to heaven.The ancients mentioned the way of heaven, saying that it "good fortune, good and bad evil"; if you do good, heaven will bless you, and if you do evil, heaven will punish you.Therefore, "looking up to the sky" means that you have to be worthy of the human nature bestowed on you by the heavens. Human nature is good, so you have to choose the good and be persistent, and stop at the best.If you choose to do good, and if you do it, you will be worthy of the heavens. At the same time, you will also have a kind of happiness from within, and you will be satisfied with what you have done.Because goodness comes from within, happiness also comes from within, this is Confucianism. The third kind of happiness is "getting the best talents from all over the world and educating them". As a teacher, I know it best. It is indeed a joy in life to get the best talents from all over the world to educate them.However, who is the outstanding talent?Is a high IQ, or a high score in the college entrance examination, a talent?wrong.Confucianism has never regarded people who can only study as excellent talents. Excellent talents must also have a kind of moral cultivation and a kind of self-motivation. As long as you have the intention to make progress, your life will develop upwards, and the requirements of human nature to be good can be continuously displayed. come out.That is to say, "excellence" as understood by Confucianism includes the requirements of moral practice. It is not enough for a person to have knowledge. He must carry out moral practice before he can embark on the road of self-fulfillment.And through education, especially education aimed at the talents of the world, our ideals can inherit the past and usher in the future and gradually improve.Seeing the cultural lifeline being passed on by a group of benevolent and wise young people, and imagining the bright future of the country, this kind of happiness is obviously more practical than being self-satisfied. 以上三种快乐，第一快乐是人人皆可珍惜的，父母兄弟姐妹都平平安安，可以让你的人性从家庭慢慢推展到社会；第二种快乐是人人皆可实践的，对上无愧于天，对下无愧于人，把天给你的向善的人性充分实现出来；第三种快乐则是人人皆可努力支持赞助的，能够在自己年纪大的时候，教育天下很多有心上进的年轻人，把自己的经验心得传授给他们。这三种快乐中，第一乐和第三乐都不能由我们来决定。父母、兄弟的健在不是我们所能掌握的，而学生素质的好坏也要靠缘分。只有第二乐仰俯无愧，完全操之于自己。孟子曰：“反身而诚，乐莫大焉。强恕而行，求仁莫近焉。”当我们反省内心，发现自己诚恳，可以对得起自己，那便是无比的快乐了。