“慎独”“自反”与“目光”——儒家修身学中的自我反省向度

"Vigilance in Solitude" "Self-reflection" and "the Eyes" :the dimension of self-reflection in Confucian self-cultivation

儒家慎独、省思的修身工夫之中,存在着"鬼神的目光""他人的目光"与"良知的目光"三种目光。"鬼神的目光"是无人之际、独处之时一种超越的监视目光,"我"是这个目光聚焦下的"行动者",它营造出的是"我必须……"这一当下的行为期待,伴随这种期待而来的是"我"当下小心翼翼的举止;"他人的目光"是一种"我"与他人共处之时令"我"不安的目光,"我"顺着这个目光返观内视,而成为"我"之遭际的"负责者",它营造出的是"我本应该……"这一对适才发生的行动之反省,伴随这种反省而来的是愧疚感;"良知的目光"是一种审判的目光,"我"是这一目光下的"有罪者"、"被审判者",它营造出的是"我认罪……"这一对心灵生活负责的忏悔态度,伴随着这种忏悔而来的是精神生命的重生。三种目光之共同的旨趣是通过省思而培育一德性人格,一无计顺境与逆境、独处与共处始终如一、表里如一的独立人格。

One is expected to receive the scrutiny of various kinds,namely,to be observed by the eyes of spiritual beings,of other human beings,and of one’s own innate consciousness,insofar as the Confucian way of selfcultivation such as"vigilance in solitude"or introspection is concerned.The eyes of spiritual beings indicate the gaze from a transcendent dimension that one may experience in solitude.In that sense"I"refers to the actor who is under observation and thus becomes the focal point.Under such circumstance not only"I"the actor is to be created,but also an instant order of action"I must"issued,therefore one is expected to behave oneself,and along with this expectation"I"act in a cautious manner.By contrast,the eyes of others occur only when I am with others,by following the track of such vision I start to reflect on myself and turn out to be precisely the one who is accountable for my life experience,hence the expression"I should have…"is created along with my sense of guilt(I could have done better).Unlike the aforementioned two types,the eyes of one’s own innate consciousness denote the sort of judicial gaze under which"I"am a"sinner"or"the condemned",hence the expression"I confess…"and the confessional attitude towards my spiritual life which is believed to result in spiritual rebirth.Despite the differences,all of the three share one goal—cultivating the ideal Confucian personality by means of self-reflection,which is to maintain one’s integrity at all time and under all circumstance.