以“理”为“天”的本体转换——二程天理观的宇宙构架

Transformation of the Ontology by Means of Making Principle the Content of Heaven——Universal Framework of the Cheng Brothers' View of Principle of Heaven

唐宋思想转型之际,二程承载着复兴儒家道统的历史责任。二程重新挖掘"天理"概念,从宇宙方面构建其独特的天理观。从"天"到"天理",不仅仅是语义和概念的变化,而且也是精神意蕴的转换。在历史的长河中,思想范畴的内涵不断被扬弃,儒家的"天"出现了以神为天和以客观规律为天两种主要的形态,"理"概念则由事物的一般属性逐渐向本体属性转变。针对董仲舒对天的神化,二程提出"天变非应人事",肯定柳宗元、刘禹锡对天的自然化,反对天谴事应说中主宰者式的天观。二程还汲取了华严宗中理的本体形式,以及理事无碍的精神原理,批判了理的虚幻性。由此,二程提出"天即理也"的观点,强调"天"与"理"的结合,实现了从主宰之天到理法之天的转换。作为生生不穷的自然法则和与物相即的内在根据,天理成为统摄自然条理的"活泼泼"的宇宙本体。二程将"天"与"理"碰撞结合,使天与人、自然与道德贯通起来,呈现了天理观的宇宙意蕴。

The Cheng brothers functioned historically in reviving Confucian orthodoxy at the time of thought transformation from Tang to Song Dynasties.They revived the concept of Principle of Heaven and facilitated the transformation of ontology by means of making Principle the content of Heaven in the universe.From Heaven to Principle of Heaven,it was not only a change in semantics and concept,but also a conversion of spiritual implication.In the long run of history,with the constant change of ideological categoriztion,there arose two Confucian schools concerning Heaven.One school regarded God as Heaven,and the other Nature.In their debate,the Principle changed from being the common property of things to the noumenon nature.Against deification of Heaven in Dong Zhongshu’s View,the Cheng brothers suggested that the changes of Heaven were not always corresponding to human activity.Instead,they affirmed the idea of natural law as Heaven asserted by Liu Zongyuan and Liu Yuxi,and denied the idea of a dominator Heaven in which the changes of Heaven were corresponding to human activity absolutely.The Cheng brothers also borrowed from Huayan Sect of Buddhism the idea about ontological form of Principle and the idea of there being no obstruction between Principle and Phenomena to criticize the illusion of Principle.Thus,the Cheng brothers came up with the view that Heaven is Principle,emphasizing the integration of Heaven and Principle,and accomplished the conversion of Principle from the destiny by heaven to the principle of Heaven.As the generating law and the intrinsic factor of nature,principle of Heaven became the ontology that governed the principle of nature.By integrating Heaven and Principle,the Cheng brothers revealed the implication of principle of Heaven by connecting Heaven and man,nature and morality.