道德自我与行动意志——孟子哲学中“万物皆备于我”的义旨新探

Moral Self and Will of Action:A New Study on the Meaning of“Wanwu jie bei yu wo”in the Philosophy of Mencius

在孟子哲学中,“万物皆备于我”是一个极为紧要同时又令人费解的命题,围绕于此,以往研究已提供了多种解释进路。理解的关键在于注意到命题中“我”的特殊性,由此可知这是关于道德自我的一个普遍论断,亦可知“万物”在此是一种特指用法,这是对行动所需的一切内部资源的概括。这一命题是说,使道德行动成为可能的一切内部资源在“我”皆是完备,“我”即内在完备的道德自我。通过肯定“我”固有“四德”,孟子确立了“我”之为道德自我的基本地位;通过肯定“我”备有“万物”,孟子进一步确立“我”之为道德自我的完备性,这是此命题在孟学中独有的义旨。这一自我是就潜在而言,还有待扩充实现。由此展开理解,不仅以往长期存在的疑惑将不复存在,并且还可发现此命题独有的一番意味,进而也能为理解孟子有关自我和行动的思想提供一个新的进路。

“Wanwu jie bei yu wo”is a puzzling proposition.The key to understanding it lies in the special meaning of“wo.”Essentially,it says that all the internal resources which make moral action possible are complete in me.By affirming the four virtues,Mencius established the basic status of“me”as the moral self;by affirming“wanwu(all things),”Mencius further established the completeness of“me”as the moral self.The self is latent and needs to be expanded—thus,another meaning concerning increasing people s will of action can be discovered.This perspective not only dispels doubts but also provides a way to understand the issue of self and action in Mencius philosophy.