孟子的道德行动与人格生成

Moral Actions and the Development of Personality in Mencius

道德行动的动力和人格生成的过程都是道德哲学所关注的重要问题。孟子将恻隐之心这种无中介的直接情感因素作为道德行动的内在动力,同时也是人格生成的发端;经由知言养气的工夫论,孟子阐发了人格生成的过程:知言是辨别善恶和对错,从而形成确定的信念,而以"集义"为中介的养气则为人格的生成提供内在支撑,并以孔子的圣人气象显示了道德工夫论的终级目标——人格的圆成。要想实现这一目标,则必须从不忍人之心这种内在情感出发,通过"由仁义行"的天性之自发性,最终将内在德性充分展现于外在形体之中,使作为躯体之自然的形色完全内化为人的天性,并将一切道德行动的源泉归之于这种天性,实现道德行动的自然化,即由"践形"达至圣人人格的圆成。

Both the impetus of moral actions and the development of personality are important for moral philosophy. In Mencius,the feeling of commiseration( cheying zhi xin) as the unmediated and direct emotional factor serves not only as the internal impetus of moral actions but also as the sprout of the development of personality. Mencius elaborates on the progress of personality development with 'examining others' words'( zhiyan) and 'cultivating vital energy'( yangqi). By examining others' words,one distinguishes good from evil and right from wrong,thus establishing confirmed beliefs. By cultivating vital energy with'accumulated rightness'( jiyi),the development of personality obtains an internal support. In addition,Confucius as a sage demonstrates the ultimate goal of moral practice,that is,a perfect personality. However,to achieve this goal,we must start from an internal emotion named as'unbearing mind-heart',follow the nature of'acting from humanity and righteousness',manifest internal virtues in external body and simutaneously transform physical body with virtues so as to make all moral actions originate from nature. The naturalization of moral actions through 'giving one's body complete fulfillment'( jianxing) is the way to a perfect personality as a sage.