Chapter 5 The second lecture on life

one In the previous lecture, the word "reason" was mentioned, and in this lecture, the word "xingming" is also mentioned as the topic.Truth is on the outside, but life is on the inside. This is what we have in our own body.In terms of Western philosophical terms, truth should belong to the scope of cosmology, while life should belong to the scope of life theory.The word "mingming", like the word "reason", has become a term commonly used by all Chinese people in daily life.When it comes to the word "xingming", there is one that deserves our special attention first, that is, the Chinese people's daily popular saying "xingming" refers to the life of human beings.It's like saying that you risk your life, and you say that your life is over, that you can't escape your life, and so on.But why talk about life instead of life?Here is a big problem, as early as 2,000 years ago, Chinese thinkers had already debated it in great depth.

At the same time as Mencius, there was Gao Zi, who once said: "Life is called nature." If this phrase is translated in modern colloquial language, it means that life is life.Apart from life, there is no life at all.But Mencius disagreed. Mencius questioned Gao Zi and said, "The nature of a dog is like that of an ox, and the nature of an ox is like that of a human?" All in general, no big difference.But dogs, cattle and humans, apart from the same life, also have their own different natures.The nature of a dog is different from that of an ox, and the nature of an ox is different from that of a human. Therefore, only in terms of sexuality can there be a big difference between a human and a dog or an ox.If we only talk about life, dogs, cattle and humans have their own lives, and there is no big difference between the lives of humans and animals.It is necessary to talk about life, only to see the difference between human beings and beasts, and to see the dignity of life.Mencius said: "Human beings are different from beasts." The "nature" of this life is the difference between human beings and beasts.Later generations of Chinese people generally accepted Mencius's opinion, so they refused to talk about life, and they all changed their mouths to talk about life.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang's "Teacher's Table" said: "Gou Quan's life is in troubled times, and he does not seek to be heard and known to the princes." You should know that the so-called Gou Quan's life is by no means the meaning of Gou Quan's life.If you want to save Gou's life, you can go to Wei in the north, go to Wu in the east, seek knowledge from Cao Cao and Sun Quan, and you can save your life.It can be seen that Zhuge Kongming was lying high in Nanyang, and his life was spared. It has a profound meaning and great integrity. This is why Zhuge Kongming surpassed his previous life.The word "xingming" he used refers to the life that Confucian traditional thought pays special attention to, and it does not only refer to the life span of several decades.

Now we have to ask, what does Mencius mean by sex?In a nutshell, the Chinese word "nature" has two meanings, one is the essence of life, and the other is the possibility of life.However, when ancient people used Xing characters, the possible meaning was more important than the essential meaning.Now we say that the nature of a dog is different from that of an ox, and that the nature of an ox is different from that of a human. That is to say, with this life, many things that a man can do are different from what a dog and an ox can do.Therefore, although their lives are the same, the possible manifestations in their respective lives are different.Why are there different possibilities in the same life?This can only be said to be a difference in the nature of life.Since the essence of life is different, it is tantamount to saying that life is different.Human beings want to express the difference between their lives and all the lives of other animals, plants and trees, so they refer to their lives.Therefore, Chinese people usually use the word "mingming" to replace life, which actually contains a very deep thought crystallization.This phrase contains the essence and possibility of life, and it can also be said that it contains the meaning and value of life.In other words, this has a deep philosophical flavor.At this moment, if we really want to understand the word "xingming" that we commonly use in our daily life, we must involve the entire history of Chinese thought.

two Now we try to ask again, how does the human nature mentioned above come from? "The Doctrine of the Mean" says: "Heaven's destiny is called nature." Chinese people generally accept this statement, that is, human nature is derived from the destiny.But what does the so-called heaven refer to here?Does it refer to a creator, God, or does it refer to nature, as scientists think?In terms of religion, everything is created by God.As far as science is concerned, everything is a natural evolution.But as I said in the last lecture, in Chinese thinking, there is no deep gap between science and religion, which clearly delimits each other's boundaries.Therefore, in Chinese, they don't talk about God or nature, but call it "Heaven" mixedly.But the issue of heaven and man is a huge issue in the history of Chinese thought, and it deserves our attention from time to time.Now, first of all, two meanings are put forward.

1. Since human nature is endowed with heaven, there is heaven in man. 2. Since the nature endows humans with this nature, there are other humans outside of the sky. In other words, the government assigns a plenipotentiary representative to go abroad to handle a certain negotiation. The plenipotentiary representative accepts the government's order and can use his full power to act as appropriate to represent the government and decide everything.In this sense, man is the plenipotentiary representative of heaven.However, the so-called plenipotentiary refers to the statement that the representative handles a certain negotiation, and definitely does not refer to all government orders that represent the whole country.Therefore, although man can represent heaven, heaven is still above man.What people gain represents heaven, that is, in human nature.And the reason why heaven is higher than human beings is the destiny of heaven.If we want to understand the essence and possibility of human life, as well as its meaning and value, we should carefully refer to the two characters of life.

three Let me go a step further, since heaven gave this nature to man, this nature belongs to man, so we have to call it "human nature".But this nature is endowed by nature, so we can also call it "nature".The so-called "correspondence between heaven and man" and "unity of heaven and man" in Chinese thought are mainly based on this word.Therefore, "The Doctrine of the Mean" also said: "The Tao is the way of nature."According to the previous lecture, there is a difference between the way of heaven and the way of humanity, and the so-called way of willfulness here is the way of heaven and the way of humanity.Because the nature of destiny is the nature of the unity of heaven and man, so the way of willfulness is also the way of unity of heaven and man.This oneness is owned by everyone.This one is also something that everyone can do.May I ask, who doesn't like to follow one's own nature to do things, and who can't?Therefore, the ancient Chinese called this way the way of the mean.Cheng Zi, a Confucian in the Song Dynasty, said: "The one who is not biased is called the middle, and the one who is not easy is called the mediocre." The so-called impartiality can also be said to be neither partial to heaven nor human.In a word, it is neither in the world nor in the world.He is neither partial to others nor within them.This is a way of the unity of nature and man, which can be followed forever by us human beings, and it is not easy.

The way of self-will, since heaven and man are united here, so it is said: "The innate is not against the sky, and the day after tomorrow is the time of the heaven." I don't need to inquire about the will and orders of the sky one by one, I just follow my own nature and follow the law. I go straight to what I want, and God will agree with me.Why, because my nature is endowed by heaven.This is the highest freedom of our human beings.If we understand that we have this nature, it is out of the heart and will of heaven, and if we lead our own nature, we are following the heart and will of heaven.We can understand that this nature is what we should obey most, and it is not appropriate to defy it.For if I disobey my nature, it is not only disobedience to heaven, but also disobedience to me.Why?Because I am what I am, because I am endowed with this nature.Because I am endowed with this nature, it makes me different from all other beings, and I am definitely one with it.I am acting on my own will today, this is when I am in the day after tomorrow and I am serving the heaven, and this is the highest norm of our human beings.Everyone should not violate this norm, and at the same time, everyone has obtained the highest freedom.Therefore, the unity of nature and man is also the unity of life norms and life freedom.This is what I said in my last lecture, the unity of the world of Dao and the world of Li.From this point of view, we can understand the unity of life and truth.

Four The question now is how to teach people to be willful? "The Doctrine of the Mean" goes on to say: "Cultivating the Tao is teaching." Teaching people how to be straightforward is to cultivate the Tao. "The Doctrine of the Mean" also said: "Tao is inseparable from people." Before I was born, if I had people, I already had Tao.Since we are the same kind of people, we have the same sex if we are the same. People before me have already set an example of how to act recklessly.By clarifying this example, we can teach us how to be willful today. If a person is endowed with two eyes, the eyes can see, and this ability to see is the nature of the eyes.Therefore, people are endowed with binoculars, and always want to open them and look out.If a strong person closes his eyes and prevents him from looking out, he will feel great pain.If you let him open his eyes, he will see it.Why do people always want to open their eyes?How can people see with just one eye?According to the Chinese, this is the nature of the human eye to be like this, and the nature of the human eye can be like this.

Dogs and cattle also have binoculars, and the eyes of dogs and cattle also want to see and can see, but they are different from humans.Because what the eyes of dogs and cattle see is different from that of humans, and what humans see is very different from what dogs and cattle see. This is the difference between human nature and the nature of dogs and cattle.In ancient China, it was called "the clarity of the eyes".Ming means that it can see.The so-called being able to see, if it is said in depth, it includes the right to see.To look squarely means to see correctly.Because people's eyes can look straight and see correctly, they can see all the truths in the universe.But the eyes of dogs and cows can only see, but cannot see correctly.Therefore, all principles in the universe are ignored in the eyes of dogs and cows.What dogs and cattle see are just some things, which are quite different from what people see, so it is equal to not seeing.

Although people's eyes can face up, but not everyone can face up.You should know that gifted people have binoculars, and endowing them with the ability to see is the way of heaven.Since man is endowed with the binoculars and the nature of seeing with both eyes, he must exert this nature as much as possible to the highest level, that is, to develop the highest possibility of seeing with the eyes, which is called "fullness".Exhaustive nature belongs to the way of humanity, not the way of heaven.Just as the government sends a plenipotentiary representative to a foreign country to negotiate, this is a government matter.As for the plenipotentiary representative, how to fulfill his duties and complete the negotiation is the responsibility of the plenipotentiary representative, not the government's business. There were people in the early days who brought out the nature of seeing with both eyes. He could not only see, but also face up to see many truths between heaven and earth.Later generations continued him, cultivated this way, and continued to run forward following his path. Therefore, because the eyes can look straight, we know that the eyes should look straight.Therefore, being able to see with the eyes should include two meanings: one is to look squarely, and the other is to look straight.The so-called "regarding the righteousness" means not to regard righteousness as evil.You should know that seeing no evil is not a negative statement, and it does not focus on forbidding others to look at it. It is really a positive statement, teaching people how to look and where to look.The eyes can see, can face up to, can see no evil, this is the beginning of the eyes.If it is clear characters, it is only said that it can be seen, the eyes of dogs and cattle can also see, but what can be seen is limited, and it cannot be compared with humans.Therefore, we say that clarity is the nature of the eyes, which refers specifically to the binocular language of human beings.If all living beings have both eyes, it can only be said that the nature of the eyes is seeing, but it cannot be said that the nature of the eyes is clarity. Talented people have two ears, they can hear, they can listen rightly, they can listen to evil, and they can hear all meaningful, valuable, and reasonable sounds in the universe. This is called the hearing of the ears.Cong is the nature of the ear. Ears, eyes, and hearing are the reason why heaven is with me.I can try my best to use my eyes to see all kinds of meaningful, valuable, and reasonable things in the universe.Use your ears to hear all the meaningful, valuable and reasonable voices in the universe.This is what is called the ability to hear and see, what is called the ability to see and hear, and to reach the pinnacle of intelligence in this way is beyond human nature, and can be on par with gods.In other words, it is Shanghe Tiande.Therefore, it is said: The one who is wise and upright is called a god.This is not to say that in the universe, there are other gods besides human beings, but that man becomes God, that is, man becomes God because of his intelligence.People only need to act recklessly, to do their best, to be able to do what they can see and hear, to reach the extreme of wisdom, to be innocent and innocent, and to develop and move forward on this road with integrity, that is to say that they have done their best. Man becomes God. What the sky gives is not limited to the ears and eyes.The human body, five sense organs and bones, hands, feet and limbs are all given by heaven.Every organ, every function of the human body has its own possibility.If human beings can be as clear-sighted as the above-mentioned ears and eyesight, and give full play to all the things that are given to us in the world, one by one, they can bring out the highest possibility of each of these abilities and make them all reach the extreme, this is called exhaustion.In fact, it is not difficult to practice one's strength, the only thing is to be able to "practice form".The so-called practicer means that a person's body has a shape and must have a nature.Human beings can take the form endowed by nature, practice one by one, and develop its highest possibility as much as possible. Fives Speaking of this, you may ask questions: A person is just a person, how can we do the work of practicing form by breaking up the ears, eyes, hands, feet, five palaces and bones, and dividing them into items one by one, as I said above?That's not bad.When you know that people's ears, eyes, hands, feet, five sense organs and bones are combined together, they form a heart.The heart is definitely the master of the shape, but the heart is not outside the shape.Animals and animals have bodies and bodies, but not necessarily hearts.Even if it has a heart, it is definitely not as good as the soul of the human heart.That's why Mencius said that he practiced form, but he also said that he did his best.In fact, with all your heart, you still have to work hard in practice.It is hard work to achieve comprehensive excellence in practice.Eyes can see, must face up to.If the ear can hear, it must be heard.Working hard on audio-visual is practicing form, and at the same time it is dedication.Therefore, it is said: "With all my heart, I can understand nature, and with all my nature, I can know heaven." Innate talent and my nature, if I don't try my best to develop my nature to the highest possible limit, I will not be able to know the ultimate place of heaven's heart and will.If you want to do your best, you must do your best.If you want to do your best, you must practice your form.Because practice is specific and can be said, it is subtler with the heart, and it is more subtle with the nature.There is no way to talk about eagerness, so let's start with practicing form and dedication. Everyone has this shape, and everyone has this heart, and they should practice it with all their heart. Everyone should be able to know it and be able to do it.If a person wants to eat when he is hungry, he must eat. This is practice.But eat more and eat less, eat fast and slow, and feel uncomfortable in the body, then you know that you need to eat moderately, and this turns from practice to hard work.Babies know how to love their mother because they know how to breastfeed, and they know filial piety when they are young, and they know their younger brothers when they are older.It is only because of the spirit in the human heart that one can go directly from diet to filial piety, so one turns from diet to filial piety.With this step forward, humans and beasts are far apart.There are also some beasts, sometimes they seem to be close to filial brothers, but the spirit of the human heart turns again, from self-cultivation to family management, to governing the country and the world, and then the further they turn, the farther they go, the difference from the way of beasts is unknown. Miles away.But first of all, it starts with the way of diet. Who doesn't know the way of diet?Because the human heart has a spirit, as long as it is upright and upright, it will turn out many tricks.But these tricks, in the final analysis, we can only say that they still come from human nature, and have not added anything to human nature.In other words, the soul of the human heart, this is the inherent nature of the human heart.Therefore, Chinese proverbs often talk about xingling and spirituality, but this is just saying that the spirit of the heart is the nature of the heart.That's why Mencius began to develop his theory of good nature.The goodness of nature and the spirit of the heart are the two major understandings of Chinese people's life, and they can also be said to be the two major beliefs.And these two major cognitions and two major beliefs have been completely exposed by Confucius.Confucius often mentioned the word "benevolence", which is the most important word in Confucian teachings. In fact, the word "benevolence" already includes the two meanings of spirituality and good nature. six Speaking of this, perhaps everyone still has questions, saying: Even though we admit the spirit of the human heart and the goodness of human nature, all living beings are still too far away from our ideal realm. Even if everyone can be Yao and Shun, but after all Why do saints see each other once every five hundred years?In order to answer this question, let us recall the Tao world discussed in the previous lecture.In the eyes of the Chinese, the Tao world is extremely spacious and active.There is the Dao of Heaven and the Dao of Man at the same time. Heaven only endows man with the nature of the highest good. As for how to achieve the highest goodness with all his will, it is on the side of the human way and it is up to human beings to make their own efforts.Therefore, it is the way of heaven that human beings have the same nature and the same goodness.Heaven only generally endows people with that possibility, and how to fully utilize our nature and maximize this possibility is the way of humanity.Humanity needs to be started from the individual, and cannot be obtained from the general. If it is done, everyone can do it.This is really a smooth road.Such as diet, isn't everyone able to do it?But to do it to the end, the human way reaches the end, and then it becomes one with the way of heaven, even a saint can't do it. "The Doctrine of the Mean" also said: "To fulfill one's own nature, one can fully realize one's human nature, one can fully realize one's nature of things, one can fully realize one's nature of things, one can praise the transformation and cultivation of heaven and earth." It is humane to do one's own nature and praise the cultivation of heaven and earth with the best of human nature and material nature.The way of heaven only begins, but waits for the way of humanity to complete.The way of heaven is on the side of the general, and the way of humanity is on the side of the individual. "Everyone can be Yao and Shun" is the way of heaven. "Those who are promising are also if they are", this is the way of humanity.If the way of heaven invades the way of humanity, when you open your eyes, the streets are full of saints, and people will already be saints as soon as they are born.If there is nothing in the body that is not cultivated, if there is nothing in the family, if there is nothing in the country, if there is no injustice in the world, then there is no need for humanism in this world, and the humaneness will cease.But the way of heaven only begins at the beginning, so it will last forever.If the way of heaven has exhausted the ultimate point at the beginning, not only the way of humanity will cease, but the way of heaven will also cease.Chinese people think otherwise.People have to do their best.Heaven only offers one possibility to man, and how to realize this possibility is left to man to do. Everyone can do this, but it will never be exhausted.This is a great mission entrusted to man by the heavens. This mission can be fulfilled by everyone, but it is far from being able to bear it.This is the ingenious and magical part of the Chinese people's imagination of the unity of Heaven, Dao, Humanity and Dao. seven Having said that, I have already said a lot about the side of sex.Let us compare this set of Chinese thinking with the thinking of other nations in the world on this issue.First of all, let’s talk about the teaching of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus advocate the theory of the original sin of human beings. Human ancestors were born into human beings because they committed sins. Therefore, human beings will never be redeemed and saved unless they convert to God and Jesus.And if the sins are saved, the sins of human beings will be eliminated, and they will return to heaven, and the world will also be extinct.The difference between the Chinese way of thinking and this way of thinking lies in the recognition that human beings were born, and it has undertaken a great mission.This mission is supremely good.And heaven has already endowed man with the possible essence to accomplish this mission of perfection, so man has to do it by himself, that is, the human heart is also the destiny of heaven.Destiny has no end, and people's hearts can only be good forever, and move forward forever towards the state of perfection. Secondly, when it comes to Buddhism, there is no creator in Buddhist teachings. If so, why does everything in the universe appear and exist?The Buddha said that those are just chances, and chances are just accidental. Therefore, Buddhism sees the world as illusory and unreal, and ultimately it is a nirvana.All beings are ignorance, all existence is attachment.In Buddhism, it only talks about truth and falsehood, not about good and evil.Therefore, Buddhism says that nature is empty, and the world must return to Nirvana after all.The mundane world is like the ocean retting, appearing by chance.People have to rely on their own strength to surpass themselves. This is the similarity between Buddhism and Chinese thought.But this world should have meaning after all, not empty after all.Rather, it is said that Chinese thought is here, and it is closer to Christianity. Next, let's talk about modern science.What modern science focuses on, as I said in the last lecture, it only focuses on the rational world, and no longer cares about the Tao world.Therefore, from a scientific perspective, there is no such thing as good or evil in this world.Human beings only want to be able to see through this world with reason, and after seeing through this world, human beings can do whatever they want, not to mention nothing.Therefore, science can be said to have a mission to human beings, but human beings seem to no longer have a mission to the universe.It is the mission of science to human beings to only hope that human beings can overcome nature and overcome the environment.Relying on science, human beings conquer the human nature and the heavenly law, and make man the master of the universe.Isn't it true that human beings have no mission for the universe, as scientists think about it?However, the so-called perfection in Chinese thought is mainly to praise the cultivation of the heaven and the earth, and this universe must have a master. This is the difference between Chinese thought and modern scientific views. Eight Following this we will talk about the character of life. "The Mandate of Heaven is called nature", and human nature comes from the Mandate of Heaven. Doesn't it mean that life and life are the same, and there is no need to distinguish them?This is not always the case.Because the mandate of heaven is universal, and the goodness of human nature is the destiny of heaven, so the benevolence of the father and the filial piety of the son are the destiny of heaven.But in terms of humanity, a loving father may not necessarily meet a filial son, and a filial son may not necessarily meet a loving father.For example, Shun is a great filial son, but his father is obstinate and his mother is loud and unkind.You should know that stubbornness is a matter of human beings, and heaven also endows good nature, but Shun's parents took the road of stubbornness regardless of their good nature.If Shun retaliated by being unfilial because of his father's obscenity and his mother's yelling, he would have no fate.The so-called knowledge of fate has two meanings at the same time.You should know that my filial piety comes from my nature.This is the mission entrusted to me by heaven, and I cannot bear it.Why do you say that my filial piety comes from my nature?You can know this by asking yourself.If I turn my back on myself, I am filial to my parents. Is the reason why I have this emotion, is it true emotion?If it is true emotion, it proves that it comes from nature.If you don't turn around to look at yourself, you have to open your eyes to look at others.Even though everyone in the world does not have this true affection for their parents, some people, such as Shun, Zhou Gong, Jin Prince Shen Sheng, and Min Zisai, do have this true affection.Since everyone is human, and people belong to the same kind, it is because Yu Shun, Zhou Gong, Shen Sheng, and Min Zisai know that everyone has the possibility of filial piety.Now I ask people why they are not filial?If my parents are naughty and my mother is arrogant, I feel that my parents are not worthy of my filial piety, so I am not filial.It can be seen that unfilial piety comes from causes and conditions.In other words, there is a reason.According to Buddhism, the law of karma is not real, and everything that arises for a reason is not real.Because if the parents change their minds and stop being stubborn, and he turns to be a loving parent, then I may be moved, and maybe I can become a filial son.It can be seen that my original disobedience was not really due to me, but due to various external causes and conditions.All the evils in the world come from causes and conditions.But there can be unconditional goodness.Like Shun, he is still filial despite his stubborn father and mother.Shun's filial piety has no cause or predestined relationship.Therefore, evil is conditioned and arises from outside.Goodness is intrinsic, self-generating.We say it is inherently good. But we can also say that human filial piety stems from teaching and education, and all good deeds of human beings are cultivated through teacher education.But we have to ask again, where did teacher education start?The era of Shun was in ancient times, and there was no teacher and education in society at that time, so Mencius said: "Shun lived in the mountains, lived with trees and stones, and traveled with deer and hogs." But who taught Shun a set of principles of filial piety Woolen cloth?Therefore, if all good deeds of human beings can be traced back to their earliest origins, they are by no means forced or induced by humans, but are spontaneous by their own nature.In other words, it is the reality of a nature that arises without cause or condition.Therefore, the self-nature is a great freedom, but it is also a great bondage.All the bondages of human beings can be liberated, only the greatest freedom of self-self, which is fettering people, and people should not seek liberation from it.The ancient Chinese referred to this kind of life that could never be liberated as "destiny". But people know their fate, and some don't know their fate.Because Shun's parents didn't know their fate, besides their natural kindness and kindness, they were covered with a layer of worldly evil habits and clamor.This set of worldly vices is caused by a coincidence.When a sage knows his fate, he not only knows that he must be filial, but also that his parents must be kind.And the reason why my parents became uncharitable people was due to all kinds of coincidences, which were not ordered by heaven, and the secular world also called it fate.My parents suffered such a fate, and they couldn’t get rid of it and couldn’t be free. I should only sympathize with them, have compassion and compassion for them, but I shouldn’t feel hostility, hatred, or revenge towards them.This is also knowing fate.In this way, Shun fulfilled his own nature and at the same time fulfilled his human nature.The Chinese say that parents who are everywhere in the world should start from here.In other words, there are no bad people in the world, so a filial son does not treat his parents' feelings, but has already fulfilled his parents' nature.Therefore, to fulfill one's own nature is to fulfill one's human nature. People should not only be filial to their parents, but also loyal to the world.But the people of the world are not loyal to this one person.If this person is a sage, he should know that there are various causes and conditions for people in the world to be unfaithful to me. The ancient Chinese also said that these conditions are fate. It stands to reason that if a person is endowed with kindness, it is the way for a person to act recklessly.Then the journey of the great way is extremely natural and natural, and it is also inevitable.But the Dao finally fails sometimes, what is the reason for this?Those who know the fate of the sage say it is fate.Because the Dao is based on human nature, it is not far away from people when it is said, so it is reasonable that no one should object to the Dao.Tao is not only in line with the universal requirements of human nature, but also as far as possible, and finally when there is no Tao in the world, those who practice this Tao will end up so inconsistent that they will not work everywhere. Why is this?Chinese sages say this is destiny.If you use Buddhist terminology, there are various causes and conditions, and those causes and conditions are not necessarily known to everyone.It can be known that there must be various causes and conditions in it.The sage knows this level and thinks it is fate. As mentioned above, the so-called fate in ancient Chinese thought can have two meanings.One is that my fate dictates that I have to do this.One is that life is out of the question, which makes me do this but it may not make sense.The reason why Confucius knew what was impossible and did it, this is Confucius' destiny.Let me give another simple example, if the government sends me abroad to handle a negotiation, I know my mission, but I don't know the counterparty I want to negotiate with.Confucius said: "Knowing what you know is knowing what you don't know, and knowing what you don't know is knowledge." We must know both sides at the same time.In Zhuangzi's book, these words are often mentioned.It's just because Zhuangzi pays too much attention to the unknowable aspect of fate, and he can't grasp the aspect of fate that is known to me like Confucian Confucius and Mencius.Therefore, Confucius, Mencius, and Zhuang Zhou were equally optimistic about their destiny, while Confucius and Mencius were more active.Confucius said: "Don't blame the sky, don't favor others, learn from school and make progress, and whoever knows me is heaven!" God bestows the best on mankind, including me. Why complain?As for the unkindness of people, because it is involved in various external causes and conditions, I am only lucky to be able to get rid of all kinds of external causes and conditions. I should rejoice in myself and be sympathetic to others, so what about others?I only try my best on what I know and can, which is called leaving school.But ascending from this is to face the whole destiny.People in the world don't know me because they are involved in various external causes and conditions. Only God should be able to know me.This is Confucius' theory of knowing one's destiny with optimism, which just represents one of the most sublime religious spirits of Chinese people in the East! Nine What has been said above roughly describes the meanings of the words "sex" and "fate" in ancient China.Life is life, as mentioned above, because the ancient Chinese looked at life not only from the endowed life, but further from the inner essence of the endowed life and its possible possibility.In other words, from the perspective of the connotation and meaning of life and its value.And not only from one's own efforts and struggle process, but also from the encounters along the way and the surrounding environment in the process of striving.This is the outlook on life of the ancient Chinese, and it already contains the entire outlook on life. But what I said above actually focuses on a part of the Dao world, so it carries a very deep religious sentiment and teaches people to move forward positively.Later generations of Chinese people gradually turned their attention to the rational world.In modern terminology, this is a kind of scientific spirit that has gradually replaced the previous religious sentiment. Therefore, the Chinese people's views on the word life in later generations are also somewhat different from those of ancient Chinese people.According to the ancient Chinese, part of fate can be known, and part of it cannot be known.The one who knows is within oneself.The unknown is in the sky, outside.People should act according to what they know and act toward the unknowable.Everyone seeks reflexively, and each has his own starting point that he can know.Life is like walking in the dark wilderness, with only a ray of light with you, but with this ray of light, the darkness around you becomes light.Pedestrians can use this to move forward bravely.Wherever you go, light will follow you, and the surrounding darkness will be dispelled.And this ray of light is available to everyone, so everyone can have light as much as possible.But no one can dispel all the darkness in this great wilderness.This is the ancient meaning of life.But people always want to dispel more darkness around them, so instead of seeking light from themselves, they turn outside to seek light.Later generations of Chinese thought gradually shifted to this side. Song Confucianism said: "Nature is reason", which is different from "Heaven's destiny is nature" and "spontaneity is Tao".Obviously, one side pays attention to the world of Dao, and the other side pays attention to the world of rationality.People should use their own nature to understand the way. This is the view of ancient Chinese people.It is the view of the descendants of Chinese people that people should use physics to understand nature.They say that nature is reason, and the word reason includes all physics, such as Bupleuri is cold in nature, and aconite is hot in nature, all pharmacology is the nature of medicine, and the principle is predetermined, so the nature is also predetermined.In other words, later generations of Chinese human nature have already focused on their essence, and it is only possible because of this essence.this transformation.That is to say, there are many great differences between going from essence to possibility and from possibility to essence.If you pay attention to it, it can be said that frankness is the way, and if the way is not good, it is fate.Now it is said that sex is reasonable from the beginning, and sex is the ultimate good without waiting to be exhausted. Then why do all kinds of irrational things happen in the human world?Later generations of Chinese blamed the many desires attached to the human body.Originally, there are five organs and bones in the human body, each of which represents a kind of desire, such as eyes want to see, ears want to hear, hands want to hold, feet want to act.Life is a collection of desires.Song Confucianism called this the nature of temperament, and the nature of temperament is the nature after falling into the physical substance.Before it falls into the physical substance, they think that this is the nature of heaven and earth.In other words, reason comes first, so nature also comes first. They believe that only the nature of heaven and earth is the best, and when one of them degenerates into temperament, there will inevitably be good and evil.Before it was realized into the temperament, the universe was like a bright glass world, and the body was transparent, which is a great good.All evil is in temperament, in people.The human body itself blocks this light.The light outside is blocked and cannot reveal this body, and the human body is like a mass of pitch black.The problem is that there are many desires in the human body, so it is necessary to change the temperament, reverse the nature of the temperament, and then reverse it to the perfect state of the nature of heaven and earth. This statement, which opposes "natural principles" and "human desires", seems to have a more serious religious flavor.But Confucianism in the Song Dynasty emphasized the principles of heaven, which are pre-existing and knowable.Yi Chuan said: "Law is the body of heaven, and destiny is the function of reason." In this way, the ancient Chinese's concept of destiny has been completely changed.The universe is just a reasonable universe, and the universe cannot have the slightest excess beyond reason.Therefore, to talk about the essence of heaven is to replace the concept of the word "heaven" with the word "li" in ancient times.In other words, there is no such thing as heaven except reason, and if so, there is no destiny of heaven.Therefore, life is only for reason.In this way, the concept of fate is also brought under the concept of reason. Fate is no longer an unknowable heaven endowing people with a certain great mission, but only some external accidental encounters in life, combined with all temperaments. The limit is fate.This kind of encounter and restriction is of course still the function of reason.Daniel has no will, no emotion, just a blunt, calm, always there to determine everything.Even if there is a God, there is no such thing as Monet.Therefore, reason is static, and life is also static.Stiff and lifeless.And human nature and physical nature are all rational. Here we can understand what Song Confucianism called "the unity of all things", and this whole body is Li, Li is the body of heaven, and naturally it is also the body of all things.In the concept of this principle, the status of human beings becomes one with all things. If so, human nature seems to be blunt and calm, without emotion and will mixed in. Therefore, Cheng Yichuan wants to say that there is no filial brother in human nature. .If so, the universe is only a reasonable universe, and human life should only be a reasonable life.The universe originally came out of self-reason, and the combination of the original and the original is a reasonable one. When it comes down to specific events, it becomes unreasonable because of the incorporation of temperament and human selfish desires.Li is a large whole and is common, so it is called "Tian Li".Desires originate in each individual and are private, so they are called "human desires."But all temperaments in the world, inferred to the end, are still based on reason, and reason is still accompanied by temperament. Why does it become good and evil when temperament falls, and loses the original form of pure reason?At this level, Song Confucianism did not have a proper answer, so it will provoke protest from later Confucianism. ten Now let's summarize it.Living in the world of Tao, one should move forward, one should mix in human will and emotion, strive for the ideal Tao, and create.But in the world of reason, life is only retrospective, it is a return to the beginning, no longer need human will and emotion.The so-called wayward way, its first effort is to investigate the poor theory of things.Because the universe and human life are all predetermined by this principle.Therefore, the most important thing in life is to get this reason in Geqiong.This view of life seems to have diluted the profound religious sentiments in ancient Chinese thought, especially in Confucius and Mencius thought. But Song Confucianism lectures still have a very serious religious atmosphere. Why?Because the Confucianism of the Song Dynasty has been mixed into and contaminated with many Taoist and Buddhist thoughts from the Wei and Jin Dynasties.Taoism has always yearned to return to the original.The nirvana state of Buddhism is also a state before the universe was opened.Although Taoism and Buddhism have formed two religions in Chinese society, they do not believe in God and the Creator in their teachings.On the contrary, Confucius and Mencius Confucianism have not completely discarded the ancient and simple concept of the Emperor of Heaven.但古儒家的宗教情绪，是积极奋斗向前的。而道佛两家教理，则教人静观清修，意态偏近于消极。他们的理想，不在积极向前，开辟新道，而在回头转身，归到宇宙的原始境界去。在宇宙的原始境界里，根本便没有人类之存在。而在此宇宙中，又没有一位上帝在创造，在主宰，如是则人类只是偶然地出现而存在。因此，道佛两教对于此人类之偶然出现而存在，并不承认它有代表着宇宙开展向前之一项大使命，而人生现实，则变成是终极无味的。 宋儒刻意要扭转这一个观念，他们仍要建立起人生的积极意义来。他们把一个“理”字，来替出了道家之“无”与佛家之”涅槃”。他们因此承认宇宙是一个合理的宇宙，则人生也该是一个合理的人生。其出现，其存在，都有理。其所以要修身、齐家、治国、平天下，也都全有理。但把人之所以要修身、齐家、治国、平天下的一段心情，却轻轻放过了，而但求其合理。理则是外在而先定的，中间插不进意志与情感，如是则理想的人生中，岂不也用不到情感与意志。宋儒似乎把一“欲”字来替代了人的情感与意志一切动进的部分了。如是则人生只求合理，便成为一个终极静定的人生，在人生中减轻了人自身之主要活动。他们所谓的人性，也只偏重于人性之本质，而忽略了人性之可能。古儒家从人性可能来讲人性本质，而宋儒则倒转来从人性本质来讲人性可能。此一转向间，情味精神都不同了。周濂溪提出''主静立人极”的主张，为此后理学家所承袭。如是则人生中，缺少了人自身的活动，于是激出陆、王一派，要重把人自身的成分加重。因此陆、王讲学，都必推尊到孟子。 eleven 说到这里，另有一点须分说。宋儒讲格物穷理，又与近代西方新科学兴起后的人文精神有不同。因西方新科学兴起，乃在他们文艺复兴之后，他们正从中古时期耶教教理中脱出，他们要由灵魂回返到肉体，高抬人的地位，重视现实人生。因于新科学发现了种种物理，把物理看明白，正好尽量发挥人生欲望，一意向前，无限向前，来克制自然界。因此近代西方，科学发明，只供现实人生作利用。换言之，科学发明是工具，是手段，科学为奴不为主。中国宋儒则先认定宇宙原始是一个理，而人生开始，一落实到气质上，便有些不合理。把人生认为自始有不合理，而努力求向于合理，此乃宋儒思想中，仍带有宗教性之处。所以认为人生自始即不合理，此乃受道佛两家的影响。所以仍主张宇宙原始合理，而人生必回归于合理，则由古代儒孔、孟思想中转化来。因此宋儒格物穷理，乃是把理来作一切之主宰，他们把人文道德与自然物理，一并用一个理字来包括。研穷物理，并不在供人利用，正为要发现出人性本质，来指示人生所应有之一切规范。因此，近代西方科学是“明理以达欲”，它的终极精神是动进的。而宋儒格物穷理是“明理以克欲”，它的终极精神是静退的。 近代西方科学精神，用来供人生之驱遣，其毛病则出在如宋儒所指出的人欲上。他们无法对人欲施以节制与规范，而只想用科学来满足人欲。不幸而人欲到底有无可满足之一境。最近西方思想界，正想再回头到耶教教理上来补救此缺陷。但在西方思想中，科学与宗教，显然是分道扬镳，各不相顾的。能否重振耶教教理来补救此科学世界中之人欲横流的现象呢？此在近代西方思想界，正是一该努力探讨的大问题。若如马克思一派所谓科学的历史观，他们也想把自然科学界所发明之一切律令来律令人生界。人生是唯理的，是一切前定的，因此人生只许有公，即群众与阶级，而不许有私，即个人与小社团。公的便是理，私的便是欲。把公来克制私，把理来克制欲，这是宋儒所最郑重提出的。但宋儒是要每一个人从其自心内部之代表公的理的部分，来自己用力，来克服他自心内部之代表私的欲的部分，那仍是属于个人自身自心事，仍是属于个人之道德范围、自由范围内。现在则在人的外面，用群众来抑制个人，这是一种社会的，外力的，从高压下。因此宋儒仍不脱宗教性，而近代西方之唯理论者（在他们则自称唯物论者），则转成政治性。他们先要夺得政权，然后再把他们之所自认为理者来强制一切人，来压迫一切人。清儒戴东原著《孟子字义疏证》一书，力排宋儒所主“理欲之辨”，认为是意见杀人。其实宋儒主张，并不如戴东原所斥。但现在的极权政治，却真如戴东原书中所斥的以意见杀人了。 我们根据上述分析，因此说，后代中国人思想，虽和古代中国人思想有不同，但还不失其有传统上的一贯性。还是在尊重人性，还是在主张个人之自性自行之最高自由。这一层，是宋儒程、朱所以仍不失为古代儒家孔、孟传统之所在。