自然与道德——程颢对“天理”古义的扬弃与阐发

Cheng Hao’s Aufheben and Innovation of the Ancient Meanings of “Tianli”

在程颢之前,“天理”具有自然、天命、道德等含义。为了批判佛老、复兴儒学,程颢对“天理”古义进行了改造。为了辟佛,他肯定“天理”的自然之义。佛教否定人的自然之性,程颢则认为人的自然之性是天理的体现。为了批判道家,程颢为“天理”赋予仁德。道家主张“绝仁弃义”,程颢则认为仁德是天理的表现。程颢对“天理”的改造,奠定了理学的思想基础,在理学发展史上具有重要意义。不过,程颢的天理论还存在不足之处,体现在他对天理善恶缺乏一贯的认识,后经程颐改造,“天理”才真正成为理学的核心概念。

Before Cheng Hao,the word “Tian Li” was widely used,with the meanings of nature,destiny and morality.In order to revive the Confucianism and criticize the Buddhism and Taoism,Cheng Hao carried out aufheben and innovation to the word “Tian Li”.He affirmed its natural meaning in order to criticize the anti-natural concept of Buddhism. By establishing the connection between “Sheng” and “Ren”,he conferred morality to “Tian Li” so as to criticize Taoism′s opposition to benevolence. Cheng Hao′s transformation of “Tian Li” has important significance in the history of Neo-Confucianism. However,Cheng Hao′s theory of “Tian Li” still has some flaws reflected in the lack of a consistent view of good and evil to “Tian Li”.After Cheng Yi′s transformation,“Tian Li” really becomes the core concept of Neo-Confucianism.