西汉竹简本《老子》首章“下德为之而无以为”考释

An Interpretation of "Inferior Virtue" in the First Chapter of Laozi on the Bamboo Slips of Western Han Dynasty

本文提出和详细论证了汉简本《老子》首章的"下德为之而无以为"应是《老子》旧貌的观点,并通过对王弼注文的研究详细论证了其经文本应亦作"下德为之而无以为",而传抄致误为"有以为"。汉简本首章的思想脉络十分清晰,阐明了道家关于德的基本思想,揭示了道家式的德同儒家式的德的差异:"上德"是道家式的德,体现了"自然无为"的道家精神;"下德"(包括仁、义、礼等具体内容)是儒家式的德,它们与"自然无为"的标准相违且渐行渐远。因而以"自然""自发"为特征的道家式的德在价值上要高于以"自觉"为特征的儒家式的德。

The structure and meaning of the first chapter of Laozi on the Bamboo slips of the western Han Dynasty is clear.Since the meaning of this chapter perfectly matches the thought of Lao Zi,it is very like the original version of Laozi.This chapter mainly explains the basic idea of Lao Zi's virtue,and reveals the different meanings of Daoist virtue and Confucian virtue.According to it, 'the superior virtue' is Daoist virtue,which represents the spirit of natural inaction;Whereas the inferior virtue(benevolence,righteousness,ritual,etc.)is Confucian virtue,which is far apart with the Daoist virtue.Therefore,Daoist virtue,marked by 'nature' and 'spontaneity,' has more value than the Confucian virtue,marked by 'self-consciousness.'