Hello everyone!
Today, we are going to learn Chapter 16 of "Liren Pian". Recite the original text first-
Confucius said, "A gentleman is righteous, but a villain is profitable."
Confucius said that it is saints who teach. Without saints, scholars will never know. Gentlemen and villains were distinguished by status in ancient times, and by personality in later generations. Yu, Kong Anguo's note: "Yu, you'd better wake up." Metaphor is knowledge and understanding. Confucius said, "A gentleman knows what is righteous, and a villain knows what is beneficial." The distinction between righteousness and benefit is the watershed between a gentleman and a villain.
Gentleman, villain, righteousness, benefit and metaphor are the five key words in this chapter.
Benefits, benefits, everyone knows; Meaning is beyond comprehension. These lofty and great words are often misunderstood by us. It seems dangerous to stand up for righteousness, sever ties with relatives and even give up life, so our timid hearts dare not touch righteousness. This is really a great misunderstanding. In fact, righteousness is what we need most and help most. 1 min 26 sec
Question 2. What's the difference between "should do" and "want to do"? Which is really beneficial to people?
Just people should also be just. Righteousness means appropriateness, which is what we should do at present. If you do what you should do at every moment, then this life is an error-free life and a complete life. But this concept of appropriateness and appropriateness is not taken for granted by ordinary people, but is clearly defined. Zhu's "Notes" says: "Righteousness is justified. Beneficiaries, what people want. " Anyway. Righteousness has two characteristics: first, its connotation conforms to heaven and earth, it is the running law of nature, and it is impartial and selfless, so it transcends time and space and is universally applicable. If it is unreasonable, it is not righteousness; Second, it is appropriate. There must be a starting point now, and you can rise to the highest point step by step along this starting point. What is nature can be summed up in two words-"what to do"! 2 minutes 3 1 sec
Benefit is different from righteousness. Profit also has two characteristics: first, it conforms to human feelings, people are grouped, and people in different times and regions have different feelings, so human feelings are biased and limited and cannot be universally applicable; Second, desire, driven by desire, will lack rationality and attach importance to feelings, so it is short-sighted, changeable, difficult to get up and easy to fall. What people want can also be summed up in two words-"want to do"! 3 minutes and 2 seconds
For example, when you see an old man fall on the road, you should help him up. I'm afraid of trouble and want to do it. A child is the heart of a mother. The child fell down by accident. As soon as he heard the child crying, he went to help and tried his best. As a result, the child cried for his mother as soon as he fell. Another way is to observe and then encourage children to get up by themselves. This is the right thing to do, so that children can cultivate good habits instead of crying to their mothers whenever something happens. 3 minutes and 39 seconds
Anyone, whether a sage or an ordinary person, must speak righteously at this moment! Therefore, the system of rites and music, the former king, simplified the "natural place" to become a real place to start with, so that gentlemen and even everyone in Shu Ren can follow the ceremony and do what they should do. 3 minutes and 59 seconds
However, it is more difficult to do and follow the habit; If you want to do it, it's easier to do it according to your habits. Sages are used to doing things, so they are out of low taste; Ordinary people are used to doing whatever they want, so they are addicted to low tastes. 4 minutes 17 seconds
A gentleman, in a narrow sense, is a person with lofty ideals. He has built a monastery and gained experience in managing habits. Broadly speaking, all scholars who are interested in becoming sages and those who want to learn from gentlemen can be named after gentlemen and make a name for themselves. The characteristic of monasticism is not to subdue others, but to seek, restrain one's desires and correct one's habits. Therefore, the place of righteousness and nature is where a gentleman should study hard and concentrate wholeheartedly. A gentleman is a metaphor of justice. 4 minutes and 54 seconds
Villains are not bad people, but narrow-minded and short-sighted, so they are easily bound by immediate interests and feel uncomfortable. Profit-what people want is the true state of the villain. The villain thinks about interests, and the villain metaphors interests. 5 minutes 12 second
Question 3: How to understand the importance of metaphor?
Gentleman's righteousness, villain's benefit, "metaphor" is a very important key. The master said: "The word' Yu' describes the heart of a gentleman and a villain, and the song is exhausted." A word "Yu" vividly depicts the inner state of a gentleman and a villain, reaching an extreme. Mr. Li Bingnan believes: "You know when you are at dawn." This knowledge is based on what you want, what you want, what you naturally pay attention to, and you are more proficient and good at it. For example, actors are good at acting and craftsmen are good at skills. Similarly, "a gentleman knows righteousness, a villain knows self-interest." A gentleman is good at righteousness, and a villain is good at self-interest. "Little people know the benefits, not just in money, everything is for their own good, and everything will be done. Mr. Qian Mu thinks: "Different intentions, so different knowledge. "a gentleman seeks justice," and "things must be clearly distinguished from right and wrong", and the direction is the most important; Small people make profits, "everything must be counted", and interests are the most important. Gentlemen and villains care about different points. My teacher thinks that "Yu" and "Huai" are the same, "a gentleman is righteous and a villain is beneficial", and the former "a gentleman likes virtue and a villain likes soil; The gentleman is pregnant with punishment, and the villain is the same. Because this is what he thinks, and all his spirit is focused on it. This is not just two sentences, it gives us a standard of being a man. Usually, we have a heart for the situation, or we quietly observe our thoughts and have a look in our hearts, then we will know what we are thinking and reading. 7 minutes and 6 seconds
Metaphors are shallow and deep. There is a vivid metaphor that tells three situations: one is painted on the beach, the other is carved on wood, and the third is carved on stone. Painted on the beach, the tide comes and disappears; Carved on wood, the wood will disappear when it is rotten; And carved in stone, it is not easy to break, unless the seas run dry and the rocks crumble, it will disappear. 7 minutes and 36 seconds
A gentleman is figurative, and we must not forget justice. If you stay on the understanding and speaking of words, just like writing on the beach, the realm will be washed away as soon as it comes, and it will not work. We must keep it in mind, become the pursuit of life, the guidance of value, and make rational choices about the environment, so that there will be subsequent changes in speech, behavior and habits. It can be said that the difference between people is that they show different life atmosphere, temperament and appearance because of different connotations. Whether a person is a gentleman or a villain depends entirely on metaphor. Metaphor is equivalent to the spiritual core of a person. If there is comparison and competition between people, then this metaphor is core soft power and core competitiveness. 8 minutes and 33 seconds
Where did this unforgettable metaphor come from? Lu Xiangshan, a Confucian scholar in the Song Dynasty, talked about this chapter in "White Deer Cave", saying that "what people mean is because of what they have learned, what they have learned, and what they want." In this chapter, the words "and" are specially selected from metaphors, which is an exploration of the original text. In other words, in front of this metaphor, there are two related words, and wisdom. Three words together is a complete order. This order is the same for gentlemen and villains. Yu Yuyi and Yu Yuli all come from continuous learning; The reason why we keep learning is that gentlemen and villains have their own plans and strong forces to promote them. It's just that a gentleman's ambition is to be a sage, while a villain's ambition is to be rich and magnificent, thus performing different life directions, but from career to career, he is determined to win. According to the cause and effect, a gentleman should be determined to learn first, and then practice according to the teacher's teaching. Over time, naturally, he came. No matter how he lives, sits down, dresses and eats, he will never forget his goals and objectives. A gentleman is a metaphor of justice. Influenced by the environment, the villain pursues fame and fortune. After studying for a long time, he naturally thinks about it. Even in his sleep, he revolves around fame and fortune. The villain is to establish a career. 9 points and 59 rebounds
In the Ming Dynasty, Zhang said, "A gentleman follows heaven, has a heart of benevolence and righteousness, and has a knowledge of benevolence and righteousness. Therefore, he can only see clearly in righteousness, righteousness advances, righteousness retreats, righteousness closes, and righteousness closes. " The establishment of a gentleman in the world really depends on the laws of natural operation, rather than his own ignorant ideas. This is a major premise. Therefore, the emphasis on public opinion and astronomical phenomena in ancient times was to master the laws of nature and apply them. Following the laws of nature is the sign and characteristic of a gentleman. But a gentleman is not born, but also learned from ordinary people step by step. A kind heart is to be a gentleman with a heart. With a heart, you will find a mentor, learn the way of sages, and know and understand the heaven. If we can really put natural principles into practice, we must learn the essence, integrate natural principles into daily life, master the knowledge we have learned, examine and define natural principles without doubt, and this is the stage of successful learning. At that time, it was the time to really start. Righteousness is like a ruler, always measuring the situation ahead. Just conform to it, and if it doesn't, it's clear that it's a gentleman's meaning. Cheng Zi said: "A gentleman is righteous and a villain is profitable. Only its deep metaphor is good. " 1 1 min 32 seconds
"Little people are greedy, have the heart of profit, and have the art of profit. Therefore, he only sees clearly in the interests. He tends to be beneficial, and avoids it when it is unfavorable. He does it for himself and not for others. " The villain follows his own desires and wants all the good things, so he pursues utilitarianism in his heart. In order to get benefits, he did not hesitate to put down his body to brag, flatter and please. Therefore, the villain only cares about the interests. If it is favorable, he will go and if it is unfavorable, he will not go. If it is beneficial, it will be boring. 12 minutes 9 seconds
Comparing the difference between a gentleman and a villain, we can see the importance of metaphor. Views determine behavior, behavior forms habits, habits form character, and character determines fate. In short, opinions determine fate! Therefore, the same metaphor, the same effort, the result is completely different, metaphor for righteousness has become a gentleman, metaphor for profit has become a villain. And there is a follow-up, the gentleman reaches, and eventually becomes a saint; When the villain gives the order, it will be very miserable in the end. Scholars should be vigilant here. Gentlemen and villains, the initial starting point, are not far apart; The end result is a world of difference. "Notes to Four Books": "Lu Xiangshan talked about more than one chapter in Bailudong, and the scholars were shocked (sǒng), and some even cried. It can be seen that the strictness of righteousness and benefit is what scholars value most. " 13 minutes and 8 seconds
If there is still a desire for profit in the environment, then the ambition for justice is not firm, leaving a gap, and I don't know when it will be "a levee of a thousand miles, which will collapse in the ant nest." Hong Chengchou, the minister of Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty and the governor of Hebei and Liaoning, lost the Songshan War and was captured by the Qing army. At first, he fasted for several days and refused to surrender. Huang taiji used everyone to persuade him to surrender, but he was scolded back. Finally, Fan Wencheng stepped forward, Hong Chengchou still growled, while Fan Wencheng tried to be patient, chatted with him about the past and present, and quietly observed the feeling. While speaking, a piece of dust fell from the beam and landed on Hong Chengchou's clothes. Hong Chengchou said while "erasing". Fan Wencheng quietly left and told Emperor Taizong, "Chengchou is not dead. Seung-woo still cherishes my robe. If so, what about his health? " Finally, Hong Chengchou surrendered under the attack of sugar-coated shells. It can be said that Hong Chengchou was not defeated by the Qing army, but by a distracting thought for the benefit. 14 minutes and 22 seconds
Wen Tianxiang, the minister of Song Lizong, the last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty, also suffered the same situation. He was defeated and captured. Kublai Khan in Yuan Shizu is highly valued. He sent Song Lizong, his ministers and relatives to persuade him many times, but he refused. In the end, he died generously. "No one has died in life since ancient times. He left his heart in history." Compared with Hong Chengchou, Wen Tianxiang is better than Yu Yi, pure and uncorrupted, so his heart is like steel, so he is indomitable. 15 point
Question 4. What is the key to distinguish the fate of a gentleman from that of a villain?
There are several keys to distinguish the fate of a gentleman from a villain. First, the education received is different. Since "righteousness" is the most correct choice in life, why are there still many people satisfied with "profit", and there are fewer gentlemen and more villains in society? What is the reason? The difference is in education. This gentleman is educated by sages, with a broad vision and high aspirations. However, the villain is not educated by the sage of karma, which means that he is narrow-minded and short-sighted, and only sees the present. And "near Zhu Zhechi, near Mexico is black", a gentleman, accompanied by like-minded friends, a good environment to promote justice; The villain is in a profit-seeking environment, and naturally there will be a copper smell. "Historical Records and Biography of Huo Zhi": "The world is bustling, all for profit; The world is bustling, all for profit. " 15 minutes and 52 seconds
Second, it depends on different reasons. A gentleman depends on nature, while a villain depends on human desires. The reason why a villain makes a metaphor for profit is because there is a deep Jaken. In the eyes of the villain, it is natural to force yourself and go against your wishes; What people want is their own mind, so there is pressure to seek justice, and there is nothing wrong with seeking profit. This is an extremely stupid idea. Because this so-called satisfaction and willingness is not our conscience, but worry, and the behavior made with worry can not only make people happy, but also make people happy. Because ordinary people's thoughts are too emotional, "love wants to live, and evil wants to die." It's not confusing to want to live and die. " People's hearts are harmful, and Tao Xin is a real good friend. Therefore, the gentleman's self-denial and self-defense is just to get rid of troubles and eliminate the causes of these evils. 15 minutes and 48 seconds
Moreover, the success of a thing must have an inevitable truth, which must contain justice. If you go against heaven and do whatever you want, no matter how much effort you make, there will be no good result, but serious harm. For example, the growth of a person's mind is bound to go through the experience of personnel and accept the tests of various realms. The so-called "plum blossom fragrance comes from bitter cold, and the blade comes from sharpening." But many parents themselves suffered a lot when they were young, so they don't want their children to become like this. Since kindergarten, they have been dredging all kinds of relationships for their children, striving for special care, creating all kinds of karma and not letting him suffer any setbacks. As a result, the children must have suffered a lot in the end. Because the flowers in the greenhouse can't stand the test of winter, it is difficult for children who are used to prosperity to cross over once they encounter adversity. Because the law of talent training is not like this. "Mencius told the son" said: "Therefore, heaven will drop a great post, so one must first suffer from his will, work hard on his bones and muscles, starve his body, empty his body, and mess with his actions, so he can endure and benefit from his incompetence." Now everything has been given to him, and it is by no means a steel giant, just a little sheep. 18min10second
Third, the interest view is different. A gentleman's way, righteousness and benefit are just one thing. Seeking righteousness, having roots and branches and leaves, flowers and fruits naturally exist, benefiting but not complacent; But if it is mixed with the desire for profit, then righteousness will also become profit. Therefore, a gentleman is worried about Tao without poverty, seeking Tao without food, but seeking honesty and justice. Among the villains, righteousness and benefit are not antagonistic. They think that justice and profit are two different things, and they can't have both. Therefore, compared with the two rights, they only seek benefits. Master Hu Yi said: "This is a metaphor, so interests are also righteous. Li Wei, so Renyi is also. " Whether the focus of life is seeking justice or profit is a very serious matter. We must ask ourselves, and we must not be a little vague and sloppy. 18 minutes and 58 seconds
In fact, fame and wealth are not pursued, but are felt by virtue. Virtue is the source of music. A gentleman aims at sages, devotes himself to maintaining peace, doing boundless kindness and accumulating boundless virtue, and is naturally blessed and complacent, not seeking wealth. Shun Di is the son of heaven with great filial piety. The golden mean says, "Therefore, a great virtue will gain its status, its wealth, its name and its longevity." I don't value virtue, I value speculation, and I don't want success. If you don't start from the reason, how can you grow beans and steam sand to cook? So it's just a waste of effort. 19 minutes and 35 seconds
To sum up, the watershed between righteousness and benefit is a gentleman and a villain. The emphasis is on metaphor, that is, looking back at yourself, what you are thinking, what you are thinking and what you are pursuing. This is impossible to pretend. Only righteousness is the most worthwhile thing for each of us to really play up all our spirits, give up all our lives and go all out to pursue. Because righteousness has made the closest connection between the inscrutable nature and the shallow reality, just like setting up a ladder to ascend to heaven! Step by step, everyone can go to the highest point of life. 20 minutes 16 seconds
(Note: The text is the lecturer's manuscript, which is slightly different from the audio. )
Thinking about the problem:
Question 1. What are our misunderstandings about righteousness? Why is righteousness most helpful to us?
Righteousness, courage, loyalty and giving one's life for righteousness are lofty and great words, which are often misunderstood by us. It seems dangerous to stand up for righteousness, sever the relationship with relatives, and even give up your own life. Therefore, our timid hearts dare not touch righteousness. This is really a great misunderstanding. In fact, righteousness is what we need most and help most. Just people should also be just. Righteousness means propriety and appropriateness, that is, what should be done now. If you do what you should do at every moment, then this life is an error-free life and a complete life.
Question 2. What's the difference between "should do" and "want to do"? Which is really beneficial to people?
What is nature can be summed up in two words-"what to do"! What people want can also be summed up in two words-"want to do"!
Anyone, whether a sage or an ordinary person, must speak righteously at this moment! In the system of rites and music, the former king simplified the "land of nature" into a real starting place, so that all gentlemen and even Shu Ren could act according to the ceremony and do what they should do most.
Question 3: How to understand the importance of metaphor?
Gentlemen and villains care about different points. My teacher thinks that "Yu" and "Huai" are the same, "a gentleman is righteous and a villain is beneficial", and the former "a gentleman likes virtue and a villain likes soil; The gentleman is pregnant with punishment, and the villain is the same. Because this is what he thinks, and all his spirit is focused on it. This is not just two sentences, it gives us a standard of being a man. Usually, we have a heart for the situation, or we quietly observe our thoughts and have a look in our hearts, then we will know what we are thinking and reading. Metaphors are shallow and deep. There is a vivid metaphor that tells three situations: one is painted on the beach, the other is carved on wood, and the third is carved on stone. Painted on the beach, the tide comes and disappears; Carved on wood, the wood will disappear when it is rotten; And carved in stone, it is not easy to break, unless the seas run dry and the rocks crumble, it will disappear. A gentleman is figurative, and we must not forget justice. If you stay on the understanding and speaking of words, just like writing on the beach, the realm will be washed away as soon as it comes, and it will not work. We must keep it in mind, become the pursuit of life, the guidance of value, and make rational choices about the environment, so that there will be subsequent changes in speech, behavior and habits. It can be said that the difference between people is that they show different life atmosphere, temperament and appearance because of different connotations. Whether a person is a gentleman or a villain depends entirely on metaphor. Metaphor is equivalent to the spiritual core of a person. If there is comparison and competition between people, then this metaphor is core soft power and core competitiveness.
Views determine behavior, behavior forms habits, habits form character, and character determines fate. In short, opinions determine fate! Therefore, the same metaphor, the same effort, the result is completely different, metaphor for righteousness has become a gentleman, metaphor for profit has become a villain. And there is a follow-up, the gentleman reaches, and eventually becomes a saint; When the villain gives the order, it will be very miserable in the end. Scholars should be vigilant here. Gentlemen and villains, the initial starting point, are not far apart; The end result is a world of difference.
Question 4. What is the key to distinguish the fate of a gentleman from that of a villain?
There are several keys to distinguish the fate of gentlemen and villains:
First, the education received is different. This gentleman is educated by sages, with a broad vision and high aspirations. However, the villain is not educated by the sage of karma, which means that he is narrow-minded and short-sighted, and only sees the present. And "near Zhu Zhechi, near Mexico is black", a gentleman, accompanied by like-minded friends, a good environment to promote justice; The villain is in a profit-seeking environment, and naturally there will be a copper smell. "Historical Records and Biography of Huo Zhi": "The world is bustling, all for profit; The world is bustling, all for profit. "
Second, it depends on different reasons. A gentleman depends on nature, while a villain depends on human desires. The reason why a villain makes a metaphor for profit is because there is a deep Jaken. In the eyes of the villain, it is natural to force yourself and go against your wishes; What people want is their own mind.
Third, the interest view is different. A gentleman's way, righteousness and benefit are just one thing. Seeking righteousness, having roots and branches and leaves, flowers and fruits naturally exist, benefiting but not complacent; But if it is mixed with the desire for profit, then righteousness will also become profit. Therefore, a gentleman is worried about Tao without poverty, seeking Tao without food, but seeking honesty and justice. Among the villains, righteousness and benefit are not antagonistic. They think that justice and profit are two different things, and they can't have both. Therefore, compared with the two rights, they only seek benefits.