在规矩中自在——由“从心所欲,不逾距”看儒家自由观念

Self-composure amid Rules——On Confucian View of Freedom from Do Whatever Who Wishes to Do Without Going beyond the Rule

"从心所欲,不逾矩"是孔子进入化境的重要文献依据,后人往往依此句来讨论儒家的自由观念。在后儒的理解和诠释中,"从心所欲,不逾矩"实际上是要求人们将社会礼法内化成自己的信念,并以此涤除不合礼法的欲望,使自己的欲念全在礼法当中,从而感觉不到礼法与内心要求的冲突。这种"自由"是不去挑战世俗礼法的心灵自在,它蕴含着牺牲自己内心来迎合不合理的社会规矩之危险。当然,它也意味着,在现实生活中,个体难以脱离具体的历史情境追求无所顾忌的个人自由。

＂Do whatever one wishes to do without going beyond the rule＂ is the important source of literature about the perfection of Confucius＇ life. The posterity often refers to this sentence to discuss Confucius＇ free idea. According to the posterity＇s understanding and annotation, this sentence requests people to internalize the social etiquette in their own faiths and therefore to eliminate the desire which is not in conformity with rules. Thus one cannot feel the conflict between etiquettes and innermost feelings. This kind of ＂freedom＂ is the carefree state of mind in peace with the social rule. It harbors the risk of meeting the unreasonable rule by sacrificing the innermost feelings of oneself. Of course, it also means that the individual cannot pursue individual freedom detached from particular historical situations.