"Body" plus "heart" is benevolence. What does this mean? Body represents external behavior, heart represents internal cognition, and external behavior is consistent with internal cognition. This is benevolence. I think of Wang Yangming's view of "unity of knowledge and action" Wang Yangming believes that knowing and doing are the same thing and cannot be divided into two. He said: "knowing is the idea of doing, and doing is the work of knowing;" Knowing is the beginning of doing, and doing is the achievement of knowing. "Wang Yangming gave an example:" Just like someone knows his brother because of filial piety, only when he has achieved filial piety can he be said to know his brother because of filial piety. Not only does he know to say something filial, but he can be called filial. "
After all, the unity of knowledge and action was developed by Wang Yangming in the Ming Dynasty. Of course, only by the way the word "benevolence" was written more than 2,000 years ago, we can't conclude that this is the meaning of the word "benevolence". But if you change your mind, it may be nearby. Words and deeds are consistent with what you think. If you are a benevolent person, your behavior does not match what you think in your heart, and your body and mind are divided. Of course, the division of body and mind cannot bring psychological harmony.
The Analects of Confucius records:
You Ran asked, "Is your master Wei Jun?" Zi Gong said, "No, I'll ask." He went in and said, "Who is Boyi and who is Shu Qi?" Yue: "The ancient sages are also." Say, "Are you disgusted?" He said, "What is there to complain about?" When he left, he said, "My Lord can't do it."
You Ran asked Zigong, "Will our teacher listen to Wei Jun's orders to be an official?" Zi Gong said, "I'll ask." Zi Gong is very clever. Instead of directly asking Confucius this question, he asked Confucius, "What are Boyi and Shu Qi like?" Confucius replied that they were ancient sages. Zi Gong asked again, "Do they have any complaints?" Confucius said, "Why do you complain about benevolence?" Zi Gong came out and told You Ran: "Our teacher will not be an official for Wei Jun!"
At that time, the political situation of defending the country was very delicate. After his death, his grandson Wei succeeded to the throne. Wei Linggong's Prince Kuai fled to the State of Jin for offending Wei Linggong's favorite concubine Nanzi. After Wei Linggong's death, he ascended the throne again. He never thought that his son would be the king first, so he stopped at the junction of Wei and Jin Dynasties and set his sights on the position of monarch. Some of Confucius' disciples were officials in Weiguo, and at the end of Wei Dynasty, they also intended to invite Confucius out of the mountain. Confucius' students also want to know the teacher's attitude. Zi Gong is very clever. By asking Confucius how to evaluate Boyi and Shu Qi, I know Confucius' attitude.
Who are Boyi and Shu Qi? The two of them are the sons of the monarch of the solitary bamboo kingdom, so they gave up the chance to inherit the throne and went to Zhou Wenwang. Zhou Wenwang is very kind to them. After his death, he led troops to attack Zhou, and the two men seized the horse and tried to persuade him to kill it. King Wu said that this is an upright man. Let them go. After the demise of Shang Dynasty, they refused to accept the status of Zhou Dynasty and went to shouyangshan to dig wild vegetables for themselves. Do they have a grudge? Confucius gave an evaluation: "What's to complain about?" They pursue integrity, and they get integrity. What can they complain about?
Zi Gong knew that Confucius would not be an official. Confucius appreciated the integrity of Boyi and Shu Qi, and so did he himself. He would rather lose the opportunity to be an official than give up his principles.
Only with the purpose of "benevolence" itself can the body and mind be harmonious. Confucius praised Yan Hui: "Sages eat and drink, but people are miserable. If you come back, you won't change your fun. If you are virtuous, you will be rewarded. " Confucius himself said: "Eating vegetables, drinking water, bending your arms and resting on them are also enjoyable." There's no chance to be an official. Forget it. Being an official can't cultivate benevolence, and it's not necessary to stay in the position for the sake of the position. It is better to grow vegetables at home, play chess and live in poverty. This is the real harmony between body and mind.
Confucius once said, "The benevolent is at peace." Benevolent people are magnanimous, calm and calm, and take benevolence as their own responsibility. In the process of benevolence, whether an individual is in prosperity or adversity, and whether he is successful or not, these are not the most important. Whether you can obey your heart and do what you should do is the most important thing.
Confucius said, "Being rich and expensive is what people want. There is no way to get it, so there is no place." Poverty and meanness are human evils. If you don't get them their way, you won't go. Isn't it good to be famous if a gentleman goes to benevolence? If a gentleman has no final food, he will violate benevolence and will do it again. "("The Analects of Confucius Liren IV ")
Confucius said: "wealth and nobility are what everyone wants, but if you don't get them through proper means, gentlemen will not pursue them;" Poverty and meanness are disgusting to everyone, but a gentleman will not get rid of them unless you get rid of them in an appropriate way. If a gentleman leaves benevolence, how can he be called a gentleman? A gentleman doesn't have a meal time to deviate from benevolence. Even in the most urgent moment, he must act according to benevolence. Even if he is displaced, he must stick to kindness. "
This passage can be said to hit the nail on the head, which well illustrates the realm of the benevolent. Confucius' disciple Zeng Shen understood the truth of benevolence and said a wonderful sentence.
Ceng Zi said: "Scholars have a long way to go to strive for self-improvement. Isn't it important to think that benevolence is your responsibility? Not far from death, right? "
Ceng Zi said: "A scholar cannot live without tolerance and perseverance, because he has a heavy responsibility and a long way to go. Isn't it important to realize benevolence as your own responsibility? It doesn't stop until the moment of death. Isn't it far? "
Ceng Zi's words well express the realm and charm of kindness and peace of mind.
When it comes to the realm of benevolence, it is necessary to talk about Confucius' religious view. Confucius is generally regarded as an atheist because he said, "Stay away from ghosts and gods." And he said, "If you don't know life, how can you know death?"
This view is problematic. Look at the first one first, Fan Chi asked. Confucius said, "I know the significance of serving the people and staying away from ghosts and gods."
Fan Chi asked what wisdom is, and Confucius said that you should try to do what people like, respect ghosts and gods, but don't disturb them. This is wisdom.
Ghosts and gods in China are all changed by people. Which saint takes care of the people and seals the gods after death. So Confucius told Fan Chi what wisdom is, that is, trying to do what people like, and ghosts and gods will certainly like it, so don't bother his old man to do it himself, because he has completed his historical mission.
"If you don't know life, you don't know death." It's easier to understand. You should complete your mission while you are alive, and then consider the meaning of death. Because people are dead and become ghosts and gods, we still have to take care of the people and future generations. Life and death are in harmony, don't think so much.
Confucius' highest belief is heaven, and whenever it is critical or difficult, he turns to heaven for help. For example, when he met Nanzi and Luz was unhappy, he swore by heaven: "God hates it, God hates it." If I do anything against the rules, let God refuse me. Yan Hui died young, and he was very sad. He said, "Hey, the sky is gone, and the sky is gone." God, why did you abandon me? Abandon me.
Confucius was besieged in Kuang Di, and he was in no hurry.
He said, "Since King Wen is gone, why isn't Wen here? The day will be lost, and the deceased will not be with Sven; If the sky does not die, what will the people do? "
I mean, after Zhou Wenwang's death, didn't the rites and music culture of the Zhou Dynasty all reflect on me? If god wants to destroy this culture, then I can't master it; If God doesn't destroy this culture, what can the Kuang people do to me? "
Confucius was hunted by Sima Huan in the Song Dynasty, and his disciples advised him to escape. He said:
"Natural virtue is given. Give whatever you want."
God gave me the mission of inheriting culture. What can Huan Xuan do to me? In the last chapter of The Analects of Confucius, Confucius said:
"I don't know my life, I don't think about a gentleman."
This kind of life, not other life, is a kind of fate, is the command of heaven.
For Confucianism, heaven is virtue. When I do what I want to do, I am actually fulfilling my mission. I am with the sky, and I gain a stable power in my heart.
What does The Book of Songs say?
"Heaven sent down the people to be your teacher, but said that he helped God and spoiled all sides."
It means: people's livelihood is in the sky, and teachers are born for the people. The only responsibility of these kings and teachers is to help God take care of the people.
This is the most fundamental source of strength for the benevolent peace and the unity of body and mind. Because they think that when they are kind, they are actually taking on their fate.
Confucius' view of destiny is a breakthrough to Zhou Culture. In the Zhou dynasty, heaven was the patent of the son of heaven, and only the son of heaven could fulfill its destiny. Ordinary aristocrats can't have a direct relationship with heaven. However, Confucius' great contribution brought the sky to ordinary nobles. For ordinary people, we can complete our own destiny when we are alive. It is meaningful for me to live, because I bear the fate. I think this is also the ultimate supporting force for countless people with lofty ideals to come forward and advance wave after wave whenever the Chinese nation encounters life and death. Of course, this kind of providence and destiny will eventually be transformed into the will and interests of the people. As the saying goes, "Heaven regards oneself and others, and Heaven listens to oneself and others." It is this spirit that is embodied.
Only by understanding Confucius' religious view and his belief in heaven can we understand the ultimate power of "seeking benevolence and being kind to others" and being kind to both body and mind.
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