比德、性德和道德——儒佛道三家“德”论比较

Different Origins and Meanings of Moral Character in Confucianism,Buddhism and Daoism

在中国传统哲学中,"德"是指人的品格和境界,儒佛道三家都有自己丰富的"德"论,而且它们都不是就事论事平面化地来谈论"德",而是将"德"看作是有着深刻的宇宙或人性背景的。儒佛道三家除了所讲的"德"的内容各不相同外,在解释"德"的来源时也表现出了不同的思想,其中儒家所讲的"德"是"比德",即"天人合一"源自于"天"的德;佛教所讲的"德"是"性德",即众生于本性中具足的源自于"性"的德;道家所讲的"德"则是"道德",即"道人合一"源自于"道"的德。

De means moral character in Chinese traditional philosophy including three schools of thought of Confucianism,Buddhism and Daoism,each of which gives different origin and meaning to De in the background of cosmos and human natures. While Confucianism insisted De originates from the nature of Tian which could be named Bi-de,Buddhism argues De from Buddha nature which could be named Xing-de and Daoism raises De from the nature of Dao which can be named Dao-de.